TracTuff K Series Cam Tower Mod

Description

Wear in the cam towers has been a problem traced back to the early development of the K-series performance parts. With all the support the K series receives today, it may be less likely… but it can become a problem without any warning! Once you understand the path oil takes through the engine, it may be easier to understand why accelerated wear occurs in the 5th, 4th, and 3rd journals. Many see this mod as preventive maintenance or cheap insurance.

The number one intake cam journal is spoiled by being the only journal fed from the VTC system, all the remaining journals are fed pressurized oil through the lower portion of the number two cam tower. Now, let me states that for the type of use Honda expected from this engine, this was definitely adequate! Problem is… we’re not exactly doing what Honda intended, are we?

The oil entering #2 cam tower exits through a size restricted hole and not only does this lubricate the #2 journal… but is also expected to fill the hollow camshafts (intake and exhaust), where the oil travels through and lubricates each subsequent journal along the way. Much like a sprinkler system with too many heads on one circuit… the volume and pressure found at the end is generally reduced. The reduction in lubrication causes the camshafts to start wearing into the soft aluminum towers; mainly the caps.

Again, it is important to understand that it is impossible to tell whether or not your top end is falling victim to this issue without tearing it apart occasionally. Just Google “k series cam tower wear” and you can see for yourself the various degrees of wear that people have shared. There are a number of contributing factors but one that I am intimately familiar with comes from increased valve spring pressure after upgrading. Mix that with a hot cam, higher rpm, and you have increased the stress the oil is meant to deal with. If the supply of oil is questionable… the towers will pay the price for the oils inability to keep up!

I recommend using a high quality oil at regular oil change intervals as well as frequent inspection of the cam towers to help avoid this type of failure but ultimately, I offer this service as preventive measure, giving owners the peace of mind knowing they did what they could to improve the situation.

NOTE: There are two fitting options… a simple 1/8″ BSPT to -3 Male Flare and a 1/8″ BSPT to -3 Male Flare + Port for OEM Sender (shown below) that is no longer anodized black. The stainless oil line is now unfinished on one end, allowing the installer to cut the line based on how it is to be routed.

The mod/ service REQUIRES the lower portion of your “good” number five cam tower and both of your 3 lobe VTEC rocker shafts to be sent in.

 

History lesson. Joe McCarthy (ProtoType Racing) brought this modification to market. I was made aware of its existence while employed at King Motorsports (New Berlin, WI) between 2007-2008, when customers had referred to it while we were trying to earn their business on engine builds. I didn’t know anything about it, so our recommendation was to have Joe perform that service.

Fast forward to late 2010. While running BluePrint Racing, I started hearing customers mention it again, and this time it was holding up potential customers from deciding to give us thier engine work, so I went into the shop with the goal of figuring it. Little was publicly shared… so I only knew that an oil line from the back of the block got oil to the #5 cam tower.

Lots of trial and error. Testing on my own vehicle had allowed me to prove theories and fix mistakes… eventually unlocking the missing pieces of the puzzle. I got everything to work but it looked different from what Joe was offering. I required the rocker shafts and he did not. He required the #2 cam tower and I did not. You can read the history for yourself if you search; you’ll read stuff from BluePrint Racing, TracTuff, and EK24Monster (all me). I haven’t changed how this service has been performed since March 2011