"Pinned" intake cam

[Dads_FJ]

Anyone know what a 'pinned' intake is? Didn't know they were prone to break.

Good camshafts for the FJ 1250, 1200, OR 1100. The intake cam has been pinned to help eliminate the breakage problems on the fj engine. This will include adjustable cam sprockets and bolts. Will only ship to the lower U.S. states. Payment must be received within 3 days of auction ending. PAYPAL ONLY.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/YAMAHA-FJ-1200-1250-1100-PINNED-CAMSHAFTS-LEGEND-CAR-/200843219572?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2ec3305274&vxp=mtr

[FJmonkey]

Sounds like shot peened, a way to surface harden some steels. Blast the surface with media like steel micro balls and you work harden it like Cold Rolled Steel. Worthless on cams, if the lobes are not already hard enough, then they are crap. Besides, if you hit the lobes then you need to regrind the blasted surface and that removes the work hardening.

[Firehawk068]

I think it has been drilled, and fitted with some sort of rod inside the camshaft......maybe to strengthen it.........maybe high-heat, high-rpm use has exposed some sort of weakness in the camshaft.......
I'm sure Randy, or Bob W would know more about this.

[RichBaker]

Yep.... Look at the other pics, the ends have been welded for some reason.

[BSI]

vaguely I remember few years ago Ford having issues with their 8 cylinder SHO engine's cams and sprockets...Ford used some kind of wedging the sprocket on the cam design and that failed with a lot of sprockets spinning and bent vales, etc...guys would either weld the sprockets on or fabricate a 'pin' to keep the sprockets 'pinned' from spinning...they called those cams 'pinned cams'

the ebay FJ ad implies this was to help cam breakage issues?...I don't recall hearing of FJ cam problems overall so is that problem related to Legends cars only ?...I just looked at the ad again and see what Rich said about the cam ends being welded?...but there's no sprocket attached and also the ad said it was 'pinned' ?...I have no clue..I agree Firehawk, this is for Randy or Bob W's wisdom, as the more I think or type, the less I seem to have!

[andyb]

Thought it meant that it had been reinforced with a longish rod placed internally lengthwise.  Apparently legends cars like to break the cam, so they occasionally do this to improve reliability.

[racerrad8]

Legend cars are known to break the intake cam at a high probability. So the sanctioning body allowed a piece of tubing to be pressed in and welded on each end. This keeps the broken, non-driven side of the cam from stopping and bending the valves.

It is a bandage on the true issue, but that is what they allow...

Randy - RPM

[weymouth399]

Yes the cams break, I've seen it on a bike's too. It is a pressed steel pin with holes drilled it. This is to keep the valves from getting ruined after it breaks. (interfering head) The cam still break just don't ruin parts, I have a broken pinned cam.

Bob W

[racerrad8]

... I have a broken pinned cam.

Bob W

Just one...I probably have 10-12 and keep them as examples.

I personally do not use them...poor fix, heavy and most if the time the cams are bent after the install of the tube.

Randy - RPM

[weymouth399]

Never had a issue with that, poss the crap 600 sends out.  I have replaced lots of cams, for not being a engine guy.
The bike motors I use don't break as much as the later xjr stuff. They're a different color, and I would assume different metallurgy. 20 plus yrs apart, you can only recycle a Toyota so many times.

Bob W