E30 M52

[jc43089]

Can you see the corner of the head gasket?  It should stick out in one spot so you can see what it is if it isn't too crusty.

[B C]

Cams removed, they didnt break. Now to achieve the same success installing the S52 cams.

Probably Saturday

[Daggerty]

The first time is the worst. So the story goes.

[KaiserRolls]

Journals in good shape?

[B C]

KaiserRolls said:

Journals in good shape?

Yeah, nothing to see there

[B C]

Ball

Sacks

Intake cam is in but while torquing the bearing caps to 15 Nm two of the studs pulled out

I can only imagine the horror people feel as they torque head bolts into an aluminum block and feel it give way.

Not the end of the world at all but I will have to remove the cam and trays/lifters to helicoil them.

Minor annoyance. Not the progress I was hoping for today though

[Jeff]

Ouch man what a kick in the nuts

[B C]

1000x better than breaking a camshaft though. I'll take it.

[KaiserRolls]

Odd that the head-side went. You'd think the stud would be bottomed out and the nut wouldn't turn it anymore.

But as you said. 100000 times better than a cam

[Jeff]

Snap said:

1000x better than breaking a camshaft though. I'll take it.

But see now your doubling your chances at breaking it so that would be -1000x. We both know that will just cancel it self out now and create the crazy looking number "0"

Practice makes perfect?

[The Full Banana]

Helicoils are garbage. Get some keenserts from McMaster! 

says the guy who had to use them too many times on his all aluminum engine. 

[HipMF]

Times-sert is another option.

Don't have any experience with them, but my boss thinks they are great. Do have experience with heli-coils, mostly trying to fix ones that someone else has installed and have now failed. Not fun.

[B C]

Being a low torque application I will stick with heli-coils. If it were head bolt threads in an aluminum block id definitely consider the timesert. Thanks for the mentions though

[The Full Banana]

Good luck. If the helicoils give you trouble, keenserts (or timeserts) will be there for you. I had about 50% success rate with helicoils in the same application (aluminum head, low torque fasteners to secure the cams) before being shown the light by a friend.

[B C]

Coolant pipe adapter installed. I went with the overpriced one from Turner rather than the overpriced one from Achillies or making my own. I like the fact that this kit comes with a popsicle stick and DOUBLE/BUBBLE brand 2 part epoxy.

[Jdesign]

+1 for using a time-serts, a much better option IMO. I would think you of all people would hate to do something a second or third time.

[B C]

Jdesign said:

+1 for using a time-serts, a much better option IMO. I would think you of all people would hate to do something a second or third time. 

I have 3 kids,  what are you trying to say here?!?!

Gosh dang you guys and your Timesert recommendations after I have already committed to using a Helicoil

[Jdesign]

Snap said:

I have 3 kids,  what are you trying to say here?!?!

Gosh dang you guys and your Timesert recommendations after I have already committed to using a Helicoil

LOL.  Time -to - insert, bad pun here.

[Jeff]

+1 to Helicoil

[Jeff]

Really I have used 1000's of these without issues on low torque applications. Just make sure the STI tapped hole is clear of chips before installing.