installing an external cam oiler?

[e_racer1999]

i'm planning on installing and early-type cam oiler into an internally oiled head (N47). i was wondering if there is anyone here that has done it or has read a tech article that they could pass my way...

-jason

[240ZX]

Jason, Go to the search function on the blue tool bar and type in CAM OILER. There are a number of posts on this issue. However, if you have an internal oiling cam, you need to remove the external oiler and use block-off plates.....read posts for more details.

[e_racer1999]

been there, found a thread discussing the exact opposite. no dice (unless it is hiding in a random thread that i hav not yet browsed...)

[RIP260Z]

Jason,

My standard cam was internally oiled, but the performance cam I got required external oiling. I removed a set of cam towers from a external oiled engine and swapped the cam towers over on my head. Punch mark them before removing, so you know what went where. I would clean the threads out on the head if you are going to do this, as it does not take much to mess up the thread. Just follow the instructions in a manual, with regards to installing the cam and tightening the cam tower bolts down.

I don't know if there is a way modifying the internal oiling cam towers, is there? My internal oiling cam towers did not have any holes to attach a spray bar to, let alone a oil passage. You could see on the casting where they would go.

Cheers

Ian

[e_racer1999]

ok, let me check that out..... but isn't removing the cam towers a no-no?

[RIP260Z]

There are some people say not to remove them, but e.g. in Frank Horowitz (spelling?) How to build your Nissan/Datsun L series engine it tells you how to. I think there would be a lot of scrap heads if you could not fit cam towers/head saver shims. In Franks book he does mention that Nissan recommends a certain small amount (can't remember the figure) can only be taken off the height of a head, but in practice, there will be quiet a few with Zeds have had more skimmed from our heads than what Nissan recommends and are using cam towers shims. In doing so have removed the cam towers.

[260DET]

Its interesting that the L series engine is said to tend to suffer from inadequate cam oiling without an external oiler in competition use.

Because on later type engines such as the Nissan RB's and the Toyota equivalents the problem can often be excess overhead oiling which at least leads to a significant and perhaps crucial lowering of the sump oil level. So with those engines a restricter is often used to reduce the flow of oil to the valve gear.

Given the availability now of superior synthetic oils I wonder if the old problem is still relevant. If it was me I'd use the best oil available, leave it stock and a keep a lookout for cam scuffing.

[e_racer1999]

only thing is that my head is set up for an internally oiled cam and the cam i'm getting is externally oiled.