Engine debris-What is it?

Ok, I've taken the oil pan off and will post a few pictures of the results. No big chunks. Most of the chips are NON-MAGNETIC. So, I'll be taking off the head. Few questions: (Remember this is a '76 motor in a '74 Z1) (1) Can the oil screen be taken off the pump and cleaned and re-attached? The 74 has a screen with screws in it. (2) With the amount of chips in the pan should I check the clearances in the pump while she's off? I'm assuming yes. (3) Is there a way to make sure the base gasket doesn't get disturbed while removing the head?

Thanks and enjoy the pictures!:S

Post edited by: CTSZ1, at: 2006/07/10 13:33

Post edited by: CTSZ1, at: 2006/07/10 13:35

rear part of pan

pump & screen

Overall, it looks like you got lucky - caught it before anything really got torn up.

The black gunk in the pan is most likely from the hard rubber tensioner idler-wheel.

The odd bits look like some formerly tensioner-wheel/guide part.

You'll get a better idea when the head comes off.

Rather than taking the screen off - a fairly delicate arrangement, might want to try getting the pump/screen assembly in range of a Safety Kleen tank and a *SOFT* wire brush and try back flushing and gently wiping down the screen - looks like it did its job...

Might want to look into a new master-link type cam chain while you're in there.

Thanks Pterosaur. Hey what about the longevity of the oil pumps? Are they an item that usually gets replaced on these motors at a time such as this?

CTSZ1 wrote:

Thanks Pterosaur. Hey what about the longevity of the oil pumps? Are they an item that usually gets replaced on these motors at a time such as this?

You're welcome...

Oil pumps are generally pretty long-lived items; they're simple and rugged. As long as the shafts don't show undue play, I'm not sure I'd worry about it.

The teeth on the drive gear in your middle picture don't show any marks or wear that I can see, and it'd likely get torn up before the pump innards.

That said, you can take the whole thing apart pretty simply - you just want to make sure you don't have any parts left over when you're done...



(..that damn Gris shows up *everywhere!) :woohoo:

Addendum:

Here's what I'd do:

If the pump shaft isn't wobbling like a swabbie on a 3 day binge, I'd flush the livin' hell out of it in a Safety Kleen tank while spinning the shaft in *both* directions to make sure any odd bits get worked out, clean the screen and set the whole mess aside.

Then I'd put my money into a new cam chain, tensioner and all the associated hardware - buykawasaki.com will give you all the parts and numbers.

Given that there are indeterminate miles on the motor, and it's pretty much a lock that the tensioner assembly is already the source of problems, might as well cure the problem in one fell swoop.

The chain may well in fact have a little life left to it, but that's not the way to bet; you're in there, (as much as I hate to say it..) Git'r Done!

That way you're sure. If the top end is right otherwise, it'll be awhile before you have to worry about that part of the motor again...

Hope that helped...

Ok heads off, little disappointed cause my rookie eyes don't see that much damage. (That didn't sound like I meant it.) But following are pictures of what I did see. Is this enough to cause the flakes in the pan? I also don't see where the magnetic debris has come from.

Check out the cam bearing picture. All of the bearing are pebbled this way. Material hasn't been removed but looks bubbled.

rollers and tensioner

cam bearing

Bound and determined to make me *think* this time of night, ain'tcha?

Give me a few minutes...:blink:

First thing that's immediately apparent is that tensioner is SHOT. From the looks of it, the tensioner wheel jumped the track and was riding off to one side and making the chain rub against the *side* of the wheel - hence all that black gunk in your pan. Take a look at how out of round the hole at the top has become....

The idler bearings have had it - especially the one at the top of the shot - see how the shaft sits off to the side in the pic?

Did you pull the front guide while you were in there? Don't see it in the shots.

In the third shot, you're looking at the a camshaft *bushing*, not a bearing. And it looks like it's gotten hothothot at one time or another. I'd guess that somebody ran it low on oil at some point. The heads are the last thing to get oil, and when run LOW on oil, they often don't get any at all.

In any event, I'd replace all the parts mentioned here...

Post edited by: Pterosaur, at: 2006/07/11 00:11