Hello,

A few days ago I removed my valve cover to see how things are looking under there (currently restoring the car) and found that my camshaft looks really bad.

Can it be saved? the oil also smells like fuel quiet bad and since I live in Germany It would be hard to get another engine if the bottom end was also bad because the car was run without oil pressure or something.

Pictures:

I bought a 2.4 motor with e88 head and 3 screw SUs. When I removed the valve cover the smell of gas was strong. Oil pan was like a gas can. One of the carbs was flooding the head with fuel which mixed with the oil through the opening up front on the head. That may be what your's is doing? Is the the oil level high and thinner, smell gassy?

Clean it up and see if there's a lip on the edge.  Hard to tell with all of the sludge.

27 minutes ago, siteunseen said:

I bought a 2.4 motor with e88 head and 3 screw SUs. When I removed the valve cover the smell of gas was strong. Oil pan was like a gas can. One of the carbs was flooding the head with fuel which mixed with the oil through the opening up front on the head. That may be what your's is doing? Is the the oil level high and thinner, smell gassy?

Yes the Oil smells gassy and the level is above the max.

when I find the time I am going to check if the cam has a lip and I will prabably pull the cylinder head of to take it apart and look at the condition of the rockers.

You can remove the rockers without removing the head or even the cam.  And you can remove the cam without removing the head.

I know but if this engine is still good Im going to change the head gasked and port the head anyways.

If you have oil/gas mix your cylinder bores may look like your cam lobes. Hopefully not but if possible you should do a compression test. 

17 hours ago, z shredder said:

since I live in Germany It would be hard to get another engine if the bottom end was also bad

Hi,  I live in the Netherlands, (do speak German..)  and i have a L26 in good condition with a restored E30 !!  head!   Makes nice horsepower..  It is still in parts as i did'nt need it so far.. but its all in good condition. and for sale.  So if neccessary you got an option near you..  (I'm just on the border with Goch/Kleve DLD.  near highway A77) Got a lot of other parts to.. z driver since 1991..

8I finally got around to taking the cylinder head off today and the cylinder walls are not scored but have a little step just above TDC the cylinder head also looks kind of crusty. 

May I ask dutchzcarguy how much he wants for that l26 engine? 😬

Only the underblock? i think a 1200 euro?  and the head is a very special one (E30!   no not the E31!)  in excellent condition for 1500 euro..  block was painted long ago and never used again (1990!) and head was revised in around 2007-08..  But then i restored my own engine orig. to my car and did'nt use it again..

 

These parts are stored in grease/oil in a heated garage .

Edited November 14, 20204 yr by dutchzcarguy

1 hour ago, z shredder said:

Your bores look normal to me. Mine had that unused top grunge. The rings don't go that far up.

Looks to me like your front carb was out of adjustment and carboned up #1 #2 and #3 cylinders, bores and valves, maybe from over fueling?

"that'll buff out!" 

Sorry Dutchzcarguy if I caused you a lost sale.