It just gets better.
i thought i'd check the timing chain as it is a know wear item.
i don't think this engine has seen fresh oil for years, or even decades
with high zinc oils it needs to be changed often otherwise it'll do exactly the issue i have. tons of sludge everywhere.
took the timing cover off to find an extremely worn timing chain, tons of sludge and a completely disintegrated front timing oil seal.
- DSCF6995.JPG (83 KiB) Viewed 397 times
i wasn't going to removed the cylinder heads till i started cleaning and a head bolt spun. i then found more not even finger tight. (explains the rad sealer i found in the car)
- DSCF6986.JPG (112.53 KiB) Viewed 397 times
camshaft worn, followers worn, rockers completely sludged up? FFS change that oil regularly.
the engine did seemed to run quite well though. my plans are to clean the internals then throw a new timing chain, oil pump and gaskets at it and just throw it back together. it cant be worse than it already is. i got a load of new standard engine parts years ago from a forum member so have everything i need to even renew the valves and springs. it's a shame as it is a high compression 273 Commando engine.
- DSCF6992.JPG (98.44 KiB) Viewed 397 times
with the closed chamber cylinder heads
- DSCF6993.JPG (106.53 KiB) Viewed 397 times
but if i'm going to fully rebuild an engine i may as well start with a 318
- DSCF6999.JPG (76.62 KiB) Viewed 397 times
that is a 1967 318 with an iron four barrel fitted but should also have the closed chamber heads and forged crank. may as well start with more cubes.
i'm doing a couple of oiling mods in the 273. drilled small holes in the camshaft retaining plate to jet oil from the lifter galleries straight onto the timing chain and elongated the oiling holes in the camshaft for the rockers to receive a little more oil on engine rotation.
