Camshaft Seal removal/replacement Help
 

So I'm stupid and I removed my old camshaft oil seals with a small pick & screw driver. I did not remove the camshaft caps like I should have.


Now my intake camshaft cap has scratches on it (where the new seal is suppose to go) from the flathead screw drive I used.


Can I simply remove the scratched camshaft cap an replace it with a new oem camshaft cap, torqueing the two bolts properly and using rtv silicone where necessary?


I am confused that if I simply replace the intake side camshaft cap with a new one, eliminating the scratches I caused, will the new cap " bind up" my intake side camshaft?

It very possibly could, I wouldn't risk it. If it's on the inside of the cam cap, I'd probably buff it out and smear a little RTV in there, it's the scratched cam shaft that'll cause problems.

can you catch a fingernail on the scratches?

thanks for the quick reply's.
The snout of the camshaft, where the timing gear bolts onto is fine, no damage.
I'll snap a picture real quick.


I have not unbolted the factory camshaft caps yet. I got both seal out without removing the cap's but damaged the intake side cap.


It rough enough that it'll catch the edge of a flat blade screw driver slightly. I'll be back with a picture

View image: DSCF2688
View image: DSCF2692


best pictures I could get

No damage to the journal surface, just to the seal resting surface (and maybe to the outer mating surface.
Some silicone will solve that issue (if it's a issue at all).

You can NOT just change that cap, the caps were line-bored together in perfect alignment. They are a set, that go in THAT head. To replace one would mean skimming all the caps for that cam and then line boring them again. Expensive, not worth doing, and luckily not needed.

I've done what you did several times. Simply get some fine sand paper and knock down the high spots. This will remove the high spots, or "peaks" but there will be low spots "valleys" from the pick. Clean caps bore with brake parts cleaner, allow to dry, then apply a tiny thin layer of RTV using your finger to "fill" the valleys and put a tiny thin coat on the outer surface, then a bit on the outside of the new seal and press it in. It's now glued in place and won't leak. Done this many times, it works, I've repaired caps worse than yours and the repair never failed.

I'll be putting the new cam seals in today. I will very carefully "smooth out" the damaged area and then put a thin film of rtv over the scratches, use some motor oil to gentle slip the new seal into place. I figured it couldn't be as simple as replacing the cam cap with a new one.


Thanks

I don't use motor oil, just RTV.

Silicon that shit. Glue it in like a man.