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BJ8 Camshaft Question

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BruceAllcorn

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I have a 1967 BJ8 and last Friday, after about a good 20-mile run I lost a cylinder. My mechanic found that one of the tappets associated with the number 6 cylinder had
"crumbled" on the camshaft end. We haven't dropped the pan yet to get a better look, but I'm curious - do the tappets come apart like this normally? And are we correct that the cam shaft can be removed with the engine in the car? A recap by anyone who has had this experience would be appreciated along with suggestions for the proper fix. Thanks all -
 
BruceAllcorn said:
I have a 1967 BJ8 and last Friday, after about a good 20-mile run I lost a cylinder. My mechanic found that one of the tappets associated with the number 6 cylinder had
"crumbled" on the camshaft end. We haven't dropped the pan yet to get a better look, but I'm curious - do the tappets come apart like this normally? And are we correct that the cam shaft can be removed with the engine in the car? A recap by anyone who has had this experience would be appreciated along with suggestions for the proper fix. Thanks all -
Click to expand...
New or old "tappets"?
 
Yes, you can pull the camshaft with the engine in the car. You have to remove the rocker shaft assembly, push rods, side plate covers and tappets. You have to jack up the front of the motor in order to get a socket on the crankshaft nut. That means removing the radiator, loosening or unbolting the motor mounts and disconnecting the throttle shaft linkage to prevent binding. Remove the damper, timing chain cover and timing chain and both cam and crank sprockets. You will have to drop the oil pan, oil pump and oil pump drive spindle. Use a piece of square tubing about a foot long to slip over the threads on the camshaft to guide the cam out. You may be able to remove the cam with the sprocket attached if you can guide off the crank sprocket and timing chain at the same time. You also have to pull the distributor and distributor drive spindle. Be sure to make sure you note the orientation of everything so you can put it back in the same order.b
To answer your first question. I've never heard of a Healey lifter crumble or break in any fashion. I did have a lifter disintegrate during a Portland Historics race on a Saturday back in the mid 90's but I was using TR3 bucket lifters that had been cross drilled. My buddy and I pulled an all-nighter and replaced the cam and lifters and I was back racing on Sunday.
 
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I think the tappets are the original. Richard, we've already started on some of the items in your answer and I'll be giving a copy of your reply to my mechanic. He has worked on these before and is a really good mechanic, but I've found one can never have too much information. Just for reference, if you Google "moss motors-ZDDP" they have a tech article you might find interesting. One last thing - I also have a 1962 BT7 that I purchased about a year ago from Mr. Abed Farhan. Do you happen to know him?

Thanks again -
 
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