Hi, I'm a Volvo newbie, and I'm hoping for some help.
I've pulled the camshaft cover off and cracked it in the process. (Yeah, I know what youre thinking and you're probably right))
Question is, Can I replace it with another, or are they matched to the cams and lower head?
Thanks John

 

As far as I know you can use any from the same type engine.

Is it cracked in such a way that you can't TIG weld it?

 

Not sure how to explain this.... Up the cam gear end there are some very shiny grooves that the cam sit in (where the seal is) and its the side of that groove that is cracked. I suspect the shiny surface won't ake well to the welding. Any ideas greatly appreciated.
Cheers John

 

They are machined to the head and should not be used with another head

 

Thanks
Uh -oh, where do I turn now?. New lower head as well?.. Could be goodnight for my S40

 

Yes, you would need the whole head. Can you upload a pic of the damage?

 

Hi ES6T, I'll have to get a pic tomorrow. How can I send it to you (I'm a newbie to this forum thing)
Cheers John

 

You'll have to upload it to a file sharing site and post the link. Not sure if there is a direct upload link on the forum, I'm using the mobile version.

 

Is this the 1998 S40? European model?

 

Yes it is, although delivered in Australia.
Cheers John

 

Hi
These are the pics of my broken camcover. Any thoughts?Volvo Forums - Volvo Enthusiasts Forum - johncecil's Album: Upper Head/Camcover

Cheers John

 

That may be weldable. I had a customers car who brought it in because an independent shop resurfaced the head and the cam seals were leaking. They replaced the can seals twice but they say all leaked. When I got it apart I found they had cracked the head in the same area, though not fully broken. Sent it to a machine shop who was able to weld and polish it and it was good as new.

Yours is a little different because it is broken off fully, but its worth having someone look at to see if they can weld it.

 

Looks like that camcover was fabricated from sintered (powdered) aluminum then machined. You pulled up on the opposite end right? The problem with sintered metal is that it has a highly granular structure and is very poor in tensile stress.

It's an old car, so might be worth trying something unconventional. I don't know exactly what sits at that location but it looks as though that's a recess for a seal? The sealing surface is intact so if that were my car I'd try an epoxy fix. The broken sintered metal has a large surface area so is quite suitable for gluing. Get the broken surfaces as clean as you can with acetone, then use JB Weld or something similar - a high strength two part epoxy.

If this doesn't seem like a great idea, think about the fact that the epoxied repair will probably then be stronger than the metal on either side of it. Yep, I'd try it.

 

Hi,
Here's the link to the damage. Do you think it will survive....or is it 'good night nurse'?
Volvo Forums - Volvo Enthusiasts Forum - johncecil's Album: Upper Head/Camcover
Cheers John

 

Just replace it with a junkyard one.

 

As ES6T has already pointed out, the camcover is line bored to the head. So you can't replace the camcover alone.

 

See my post above- it might be weldable.

Also, I forgot to mention that part is not really a sealing part. It holds the camshaft from moving in and out. If you notice, there is a similar part in the head half and as long as that is still in tact, it would probably be enough to hold it even with no repair to the cam cover.

 

I would try it before spending a ton more money on a matched set. Given the previous Volvo engines I've worked on I would bet the tolerances are close enough.

 

You could try it, but it could wipe out one or both cams so that's a risk.

I'd look into having it welded and polished first. And if that's not an option, you could put it back without that broken piece, as long as there are no sharp edges that could damage the cam or seal.

 

Yeah, I thought that too. There's enough of the sealing surfaces still intact.