Lock nut question. Cam chain guide mod

JE4570

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I may be over worrying... but I just want to run it by you folks first. Today I was showing a friend my work that I had been doing on my engine and I showed him the cam chain guide mod. He noticed something I did not.

In my pictures he said my lock nuts may not be locking because my screws end just shy of the end.

EA9BE62A-6C52-4146-8EC8-E9D9408C49CC.jpeg


I used Red loctite and cranked these suckers down. Is my friend right? Is there not enough space for these to not have locked down?

I already buttoned up my engine... but if this seems like a safety concern. I am more than willing to make it right.

What do you guys think.
 

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With the red Loctite in place I vote you are good to go, assuming the threads were clean when Loctite was applied.
 
Gosh i don’t remember. I think i wiped it down and threw it on my threads, but I feel like I would rather not risk it. All I will need is another base and head gasket and chain link. I’m mad I somehow missed this when I made the thing..
 
Oh, it's the kind of nut with a nylon locking ring. When you were tightening it, did it get harder to turn before it started getting tight? If so, then obviously the threads are biting into the nylon okay. If not, then it didn't.
 
I don't think it's a ny-lock nut. It is locking but not with nylon I don't think. The threads may be crimped down tighter at the top or something. It's an aviation nut.
 
Oh, it's the kind of nut with a nylon locking ring.
Nope... no nylon.
JE, where you ground the spine down, you didn't get it flush. Getting the ends flush would give you 1-1/2 to 2 threads more grip which would put you into the locking range of the nuts.
Having said that, I'm kinda on the fence here.... the airplane voice in my head sez redo it. The motorcycle voice sez the red loctite should be good enough. Tough call....
 
Since you haven't run it yet, you may not need another head gasket. As long as it comes apart undamaged, you can probably re-use it. If you can manage to slide the bearings off the ends of the cam, you shouldn't have to break the chain either.
 
All I will need is another base and head gasket and chain link.
Like 5T says... you can probably reuse the head gasket. If it were me, I'd leave the jugs in place... just eyeball the guide install...so you wouldn't need a base gasket. And yes, in my top end thread, there's a link to RobiC installing the chain by pulling the cam bearings... so you should be able to redo it using nothing more than fresh sealer. The more I think about it, the more I'm leaning that way....
 
Since you haven't run it yet, you may not need another head gasket. As long as it comes apart undamaged, you can probably re-use it. If you can manage to slide the bearings off the ends of the cam, you shouldn't have to break the chain either.

I actually did button it up and run it before I noticed this... not much but at least put like 20 miles on it. Could I just do as jim says and try to get in there leaving the jugs in place while eyeballing it. Even if I need a new head gasket i think I saw some on ebay for ~$15 on their own.
 
The more I think about it, the more I'm leaning that way....

Me as well. I just see the cam chain locking up on me if one of those screws fell out. I hope that by running it I didn't mess up my chances of preserving the base gasket.
 
I have a small handful of nuts ordered and plan on trying to leave the jugs in place to work on it.

Are New old stock head gaskets any good? I see some for cheap on ebay, but am not sure about them being reliable. Anyone have an opinion on nos head gaskets?
 
Just make sure they're the right one, the "447" type for the later motor. Early head gaskets differed a bit in shape. Here's a pic comparing the two. Late style gasket is on the top .....

t49MNb8.jpg
 
Finally got around to doing it. Shaved it down some more and got it fully through. Used red loctite as well. I think these will be good. I just got to eyeball it in place and clean up the gasket surfaces and button it back up.... again... hopefully the last time.

image.jpg
 
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