Camshaft Oil Spray Bar Redesign and Rebuild

[zKars]

well lookie what facebook found!  Actually Bill Morgan. 

http://www.yoesheadporting.com/#!product-page/fuhi2/687b6dfd-1bc5-8b50-6674-2e4f8b055f90

[Zed Head]

Looks nice.  Still spendy, and it seems like the 280Z design is still available.  Maybe that's why he put something on the page about drilled holes being better than stamped.  Not really seeing it though, since the tiny oil orifice in the block (edited head) is what restricts flow.

http://www.nissanpartsdeal.com/parts/nissan-tube-oil-cam~13100-e3004.html

Edited July 15, 2016 by Zed Head
block not head

[Zed Head]

But, it's in the ballpark of some people's used - http://www.datsunstore.com/oiler-7077-used-p-1429.html

Feel like I should buy up those NOS parts and sell them for $150.  easy money, but probably take ten years to break even.

Here's the billet bar - http://www.datsunstore.com/oiler-7077-billet-aluminum-p-1428.html

[siteunseen]

I realized the stamped was inward punched, counterintuitive in my opinion so I ran a small bit in and out.  With a high flow pump it drenches my cam now.

[zKars]

2 minutes ago, siteunseen said:

I realized the stamped was inward punched, counterintuitive in my opinion so I ran a small bit in and out.  With a high flow pump it drenches my cam now.

Holes too small, enlarge hole. Who would have thunk it.

I was also wondering why they didn't punch those holes from the inside, then, oh yeah, right.....

[siteunseen]

6 minutes ago, zKars said:

I was also wondering why they didn't punch those holes from the inside, then, oh yeah, right.....

No midgets?

[240Znomad]

The cam oil spray bar on my '71 Z either needs to be repaired or replaced.  It seems from reading the many forum posts on this issue that this is a common and inevitable problem with this part.  I have seen the aftermarket part from the 'yoesheadporting' website listed earlier in this thread.  Has anyone here purchased one of these and if so what did you think of it?  It looks like a nice quality part.

As an alternative, it would be nice to keep the car somewhat original.  Does anyone have an original spare cam oiler in good condition that they would like to sell?  I have heard that the later model versions of these (I think used on some of the 280Z models) are an improved design.  I would be interested in this style as well if someone has a spare one they are interested in selling.

 

[Mike]

https://www.yoesheadporting.com/product-page/datsun-240z-260z-280z-cam-oiler

Updated link...  we have no affiliation/experience with this business, but, it looks like a nice part around $200...

[jonathanrussell]

Yes, the later oil spray bar solved the problems the earlier bar had. Here is one on ebay.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1970-TO-1975-DATSUN-240Z-260Z-280Z-E31-E88-N42-HEAD-CAMSHAFT-OIL-SPRAY-BAR/233245657636?hash=item364e864a24:g:WgYAAOSwcbZc9HcH

[gundee]

On 5/27/2019 at 6:22 PM, Mike said:

https://www.yoesheadporting.com/product-page/datsun-240z-260z-280z-cam-oiler

Updated link...  we have no affiliation/experience with this business, but, it looks like a nice part around $200...

I purchased one of his a couple years ago. Works excellent and well built. Good peace of mind.

[grannyknot]

Bringing this thread back because I'm having the same problems, in my case I know the head and all passages are clean and free of debris, same with the oil spray bar. I even made small gaskets for the cam tower oil ports and put a bead of flexible Motoseal around the wiggly spray bar where it enters the cast aluminum C housing.  Any oil that is entering the spray bar is exiting through the 12 holes but as you'll see from the video it's more of a dribble than a jet.  The oil was cold when I did that test on the video but even when I was running the engine yesterday and the oil was hot there still wasn't enough oil to lubricate the cam.

Where I'm thinking the problem lies is the 2 restricted oil ports in the top of the block, They are tiny and when I was reconditioning the block I didn't want to screw them up so I left them in place but couldn't really be sure those passages were clean.

Even if I remove the head again I can't drill those tiny holes bigger without introducing metal filings into the oil passage, I guess I could use an awl and of mash them wider.  In fact I'm not even sure why those restricters are there in the first place, in the head the oil bar already has a restricted orifice going in.  

Any suggestions?

 

Edited September 4, 2023 by grannyknot

[siteunseen]

Do you have the newer version from '75 and '76? Could be worth a try.