cam oil rail loose

[Sailor Bob]

Removed the valve cover on the 73 to do the valve seals and found that the rear oil rail extention (over the last two lobes) is loose and flopping around. It is loose enough to make contact with the rear side of the rear lobe - spinning it and cutting a lip into the extention. I can't see any other damage.

Simple question - Seen this befor? Is it possible to repair without new parts?

[Dtsnlvrs]

Just buy a new one....cheap insurance

[Sailor Bob]

Looking for a time saver. Everything takes two to three weeks to ship here from the SWest.

[Mn_Z_Man]

Mine looks like it has been brazed at some time in the past. The original looks like it is pressed together, and seems to work loose over time.

[zKars]

Sailor

Shipping from Alberta is quicker. Let me know if you want one. I'll send for the price of

the postage. Let me know at z240@shaw.ca

Jim

[Sailor Bob]

Should have posted one to start with (as I am one who always asks pics)

Thanks for the offer Jim - I am going to have a go at repairing it first, but I may take you up on it if it doesn't go well.

Edited May 5, 2009 by Sailor Bob

[beandip]

If you do repair it be sure to clean it thoroughly, I had mine loosen and fortunately I had access to another, but I tried to clean them both and found that some varnish came loose on the inside and plugged two of the holes . This would have starved the #1 and #2 cylinders had I not caught it. Just a heads up.

Gary

[esprist]

Thanks for the offer Jim - I am going to have a go at repairing it first, but I may take you up on it if it doesn't go well.

Also if you replace your cam with newer type cam with oil gallaries, you can remove this oil spayer off the head. Just a thought.

Esprist

[Diseazd]

Spray bars are superior to interior oiled cams! They do a better job of oiling your cam.

[kinfish]

Common failure for the oil spray bar. Same failure on my '71 on the cantilevered section for the #6 cylinder. The braze joint on the factory bars was the weak link.

Damage to cam and rockers is probable depending on how long and hard the engine was run after the failure. My failure caused big wear groove in cam lobe. The groove caused horrible ticking noise that I tolerated for a long time. Fix was to replace the camshaft and rockers.