1973 Z1 Maui

You indicated that several seized.  All on the exhaust side, intake side, left/right or, scattered among all?

Did you check cam bushing clearance with plasi-gauge?

Do you have a low-pressure oil pressure gauge that can be used to monitor pressure at the plug on the right side upper case?

If you've delved into the oil pump you've already covered this but we have to ask anyway as a long shot; is the pin that locates the driven oil pump gear on the pump shaft present?

A pump can be tested by immersing it in oil (messy) or bulk WD-40 (still messy but easier to clean up after) and driving the shaft with a drill & flex shaft.

If you have an air compressor and an air gun with a soft conical tip give this a try with the head off; blow air into each cam bushing oil feed port one by one using the soft conical tip to seal.  Pressurized air should appear at the other bushing oil port on that side, the stud passage and the drain passage in the camchain tunnel.  That should confirm no blockages.

We'd like to close with our regular salutation, but at this point don't wish to sound unnecessarily mean, so...

Good Troubleshootin'
slmjim & Z1BEBE

wrote:

wrote:

Same head
they didn’t turn
I’m back to oil delivery because several seized up. I just can’t see where oil delivery would be an issue, unless I’m blind to something.


 

Did you drill the cylinder block as recommended by Zed1015 to clearance the heavy duty studs ?

Another random thought - has this motor ever run since you had it, does it have a restrictor in the oil switch housing (may have previously been fitted with an oil cooler ??)
 

Bike came with the studs, I did not drill the holes.

it came with an oil cooler which I am not using, I have not noticed where a restrictor goes, good point to check, I’ll look.

oil pressure comes right up and light goes out. Oil pressure switch has the little bleed hole in the brass plate.

when the head was off I blew air all directions to verify good flow.

im going to get a gauge

the bearing damage is on all four perches.

before I remove the head again I’ll do air flow checking. Then I’ll take the head back off, remove the valves and put it back on with the cams and rotate it with the starter to see if I can see anything. 
 I counted links in the cam chain just for grins.

Head is off, doing a bunch of checks.
before I took it off I blew air up from the plug near the points. Since there are 8 oil holes for the cams I put a blob of assembly grease over each hole. The air popped up through each blob.
took the head off, signs of oil around the studs.
checking things in the head now, pretty slow going.
I’m also going to set up a way to drive the pump in a bucket.
pressure gauge on the way for later use. It’s a 6 pound gauge, I’d prefer a 4 or 5 pound gauge but this is what I could get.

Once up on a time I wanted to see the oil as it flowed into the head, so I took the valve cover off and cranked the engine.  In very short order I had oil squirting out in all directions so I stopped and cleaned up the mess. 

You should be able to check for oil without the cams in place by holding your cam chain (to keep it off the crank sprocket) while cranking the engine to run the oil pump.  Nothing satisfies the mind more than actually witnessing the act.

wrote:

You should be able to check for oil without the cams in place by holding your cam chain (to keep it off the crank sprocket) while cranking the engine to run the oil pump.  Nothing satisfies the mind more than actually witnessing the act.

If you choose to do this, please do not hold the chain in your hand. If the chain moves just enough to catch the sprocket, you could lose some fingers. In my opinion, the risk of damage to you and the engine are too great.

Hardrock can't believe you would do that. Cant imagine what kind of damage would be done to the engine in a split second as the chain would probably get tangled and wedged between the lower cap if the sprocket grabbed it. Nevermind what it would do to your hand and or fingers in that split second. 

Sorry had to call you out on that one.

wrote:

wrote:

You should be able to check for oil without the cams in place by holding your cam chain (to keep it off the crank sprocket) while cranking the engine to run the oil pump.  Nothing satisfies the mind more than actually witnessing the act.

If you choose to do this, please do not hold the chain in your hand. If the chain moves just enough to catch the sprocket, you could lose some fingers. In my opinion, the risk of damage to you and the engine are too great.

I wouldn't go that far but definitely some risk.  Maybe do it this way instead.

When installing the cams I use the kicker to move the crank with the chain held on the crank sprocket.  (This ensures the chain is actually on the sprocket.)  I take all the slack out by holding the upper end of the chain in my hand, (just under the top frame members) with my hand turned face down.  I allow the chain to slide over the top of my fingers.  When I know the chain is rotating on the sprocket I'm comfortable starting the cam installation.   This method would also work with the starter and I would have no concerns myself.

Bottom line...you know for sure if oil is making it into the head with no damage to the cams or bearings.

Maui is this the oil switch housing you have ? If so you could fit an oil pressure gauge where the bung is - if there is a restriction in the oil passage then the pressure at this point would be excessive
 

There is a hex plug on the right side of the crank case to get access to the top end oil passage.

There is a hex plug on the right side of the crank case to get access to the top end oil passage.

Hi Scirocco - the reason I suggested checking at the switch housing is that we know there is pressure at this point as the light is going out however

Normal pressure would suggest there is not a blockage or restriction further up
High pressure would suggest there is a blockage or restriction 
It's ,.the old thumb on a hosepipe theory of increasing pressure by restricting flow

At this point nothing adds up....
According to all test performed and where oil  is observed oil flow is not the problem
1  oil is causing pressure gauge to show pressure at oil transfer  elbow
2 oil pressure if not allowed to flow from pump has cause some to have oil filter cover blowing seal or warping  ( breaking ) cover  at oil pan   ( Not reported here )
3 signs of oil to top of block  shows flow to head 
4 air blown thru head passages  shows no restriction 
Im at a loss for what is wrong  , So     start over 

Crank motor over to see unrestricted flow with head off to top of block 
If poor flow   pull  transfer elbow off from behind motor to check for plug from oil  cooler used priorly or a restriction in the area. This is biggest change you made by deleting the cooler from system
Next pull block and look for  restricted  oil supply from ports coming off cases and look for silicon in stud bores from prior assembly of motor
If all good  revist head issues.  
Do cams rotate  if installed on head off motor freely or do they bind ???  ( seperate from valve spring  tension  )
Assume nothing  ,,,Check the smallest detail
Use plastigauge  to check cam bearing  clearance
Good Luck nand let me know 
Dave