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troubles lubricating the overhead cam.[200/81] posted by Kristopher Norton on
Sunday, 17 January 1999, at 8:51 p.m.
Well, I posted a message a while back concerning oil not getting to my overhead cam, and I'm still having troubles. I have a B21F engine by the way... a couple of weeks ago I was hearing a ticking coming from the engine block and I discovered that no oil was coming through the cam journals when I took the top valve cover off. It was suggested that I remove the second head bolt and clean out the hole with a drill bit. I did this and great progress was made. Oil was coming up through it seemed all of the cam journals but the one closest to the front of the car. Interestingly, the oil has been coming out of the journal closest to the back of the car very rapidly, and each successive journal towards the front seems to allow less and less oil to the cam. I guess my question is how does this system work so I can understand how this is possible, and also how I can get oil to that front journal. I received a suggestion to remove the front and rear galley plugs and clean them out, but I'm not sure exactly where they are. Thank you for your time in looking at this, its a long one, but I wanted to be specific. Hope your Volvo's are running good!
--Kristopher A. Norton
Re: troubles lubricating the overhead cam.[200/81] posted by abe crombie on
Sunday, 17 January 1999, at 9:34 p.m.
The plugs are located in the front and rear of cyl head. They should be 1/4" square internal plugs. You will have to remove the t. belt to get to the front one and the rear one will be acessible w/o removing anything. The plugs are approx 2" up from bottom (block) side of head, inboard about
1 1/2" from exhaust side of head. You should be able to use a .22 rifle cleaner set to push through from front to rear.
Re: troubles lubricating the overhead cam.[200/81] posted by Don Foster on
Monday, 18 January 1999, at 7:38 a.m.
Kris --
About 10 years ago, I bought an '81 245 with a seized cam. The car had 166k miles. I went through all the repair steps (successfully) including a new roll pin, timing belt, tensioner, as well as repairing the cam and head bearing surfaces.
Still couldn't get much oil to the cam -- some, but very little. I was convinced it was the oil passages, so pulled the head bolt. I was surprised to find it spotless -- not a sign of sludge, carbon, crud.
So I dropped the pan, expecting a blocked pickup screen. Again, I was amazed to find the screen and crankcase spotless. The PO had evidently changed oil regularly.
Instead, I found the pipe delivering oil from the pump to the block was partially out of place -- the top O-ring was cut and hanging down, the pipe was not seated fully into the block, and in fact the top end of the pipe was somewhat crushed.
Apparently this pipe had been misinstalled 166k miles ago when the car was built -- yet still delivered enough oil for the bearings, until one very hot day, stuck in traffic, AC on -- when the oil viscosity became as thin as water.
I repaired the pipe and installed new O-rings, and drove the car 60k miles. The buyer still drives it today.
It's unlikely your problem is this -- in fact, I hope you don't have to struggle with dropping the pan (installation's a genuine PITA). But you might find it's something other than -- or in addition to -- sludge. I'd certainly explore the upper passages, as Abe suggests before dropping the pan.
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