[curtis]

Title says it all..today I noticed while driving my 05 Elise I have no second cam. There are no strange noises or smells coming from the engine and no cel (check engine light) so I checked the fuse for the second cam and it looks good. I am not familiar with what else to look for so any and all advice is greatly appreciated! BTW I noticed that the tach freely reved past 6200 rpm and did not cut out so I am a little baffled at what the problem is. Is it possible that the fuse may be bad even though it looks ok?

 

[glb]

Yes, it's a long shot, but best to use multimeter on the fuse.

Even a 12v test light while fuse is installed would do it.

Can't remember which fuse to ck. Which did you pull?

 

[addertooth]

Don't forget the unreliable cam lift bolts which fail on some 2zz-ge early engines.

 

[curtis]

Yes, it's a long shot, but best to use multimeter on the fuse.

Even a 12v test light while fuse is installed would do it.

Can't remember which fuse to ck. Which did you pull?

I checked the second from the front fuse on the second fuse box(the fuse box in the engine bay to the right) it looked ok but I am wondering if the fuse is bad even though it looks good. Its a 7.5 amp fuse.

 

[curtis]

Don't forget the unreliable cam lift bolts which fail on some 2zz-ge early engines.

Yeah I might have to yank the valve cover and replace the two lift bolts..I have two new ones from monkey wrench racing that I have been too lazy to install. Is it hard to install them? Or is it just a matter of knowing the torque spec for the lift bolts? Thanks in advance!:bow:

 

[addertooth]

I have never replaced them, but I have heard of several persons replacing them to restore the second cam.

 

[curtis]

I have never replaced them, but I have heard of several persons replacing them to restore the second cam.

Thanks I appreciate it.

 

[sturgeongeneral]

Isn't there a hydraulic valve that kicks in the second cam? I thought I heard of a couple instances where the valve had to be replaced.

 

[LionZoo]

I would second lift bolts.

 

[luxige]

Yeah I might have to yank the valve cover and replace the two lift bolts..I have two new ones from monkey wrench racing that I have been too lazy to install. Is it hard to install them? Or is it just a matter of knowing the torque spec for the lift bolts? Thanks in advance!:bow:

Difficulty could be variable. The bolts are there to lock the positions of the hollow rocker arm shafts so the oil ports will line up properly. The lift bolts should be torqued to 66 in-lb. If they break, the shaft(s) can get misaligned. This picture shows the proper alignment (you can just see the slots in the end of the shafts):



If a lift bolt is broken, it can be hard to extract both pieces. Also, re-aligning the rocker arm shaft could be tricky, because the camshaft gears are in the way:



If needed, you can gain access to the shafts at the other end of the head by removing the VVL housing. (By the way, the thing sticking out of the housing to the left is the control valve that Sturgeon mentioned).



Three bolts and two nuts (80 in-lb.) are removed to take off the housing and you can see the other end of the long bores that the rocker arm shafts are in.



The valve cover bolts and nuts for the vent pipe get 7 ft-lb.
If the lift bolts are not the cause of the problem, you can test the oil control valve for proper operation. I'd also get a good look at the wiring going to that valve.

 

[curtis]

Thanks again for all of the replies! Keep them coming!:bow:

 

[curtis]

Another question I forgot to ask is ..can the lift bolts be worn out enough to not let the second cam work and still be un-broken? I would really hate to think the only time a failure occures is if they are broken!:facepalm

 

[sturgeongeneral]

Fantastic write up Luxige!

 

[komiko]

+1

 

[holmz]

Title says it all...

...
...I am not familiar with what else to look for so any and all advice is greatly appreciated!
...

A toyota engine mechanic would be high on my list

 

[komiko]

^ and a multimeter - never check fuses by eye. Always check for continuity with a meter.

 

[glb]

While it may not be a fuse issue, you still should have a multimeter. Hard to deal with modern cars w/o one.

Spade fuses have tiny contact points at their tops and you could check the fuse w/o removing it by touching one contact with a simple test light lead and then touch the other contact with the other test light lead. Not preferred method.

 

[ErictheBastard]

Another possibility: You could have a thermostat stuck open and the engine not coming up to temperature. If the engine doesn't reach 162°F, the second cam will not engage. Check your temp gauge!

 

[curtis]

Thanks again guys..I really appreciate it!

 

[curtis]

Not to ask a dumb question but is it ok to start the engine in order to keep the battery alive and to move it in and out of the garage? Thanks in advance