Pulled Motor.. Need Help Investigating

[Wildcatford]

Winner winner chicken dinner! Rivots are toast.

Does this still mean I still need a cam, or can I just find something to lock it back in?

[Wildcatford]

I went ahead and bought the cam, and a new gasket set. Thanks again for the help! As soon as the parts come in, we’ll hopefully be rolling in no time.

[CP241]

Yep. New cam, and you'll be good to go.

While it is already apart, now would be the time to do valve seals and lapping, rings and hone the cylinder to clean up deglazing, and bearings if they feel rough at all. Rings and valve seals are cheap, would hate to see you get the new cam, put it all back together and have it smoking or find the compression is weak. Then have to do it all over again

Connecting rod is only about 60 bucks too, be worth maybe just replacing everything so it is all fresh and new.

[Fairtax4me]

I’d put a new cam in it. That cam gear has been in there bouncing around while the crankshaft is spinning, could have chips in the gear teeth or have some other problem that may not be obvious.

New rings might be a good idea, but Check the cylinder walls for any scoring or glazing. If you can still see the original hone crosshatch, don’t mess with it. Bad rings will show themselves as heavy ash/oily carbon deposits in the head and on the valve faces, oily deposits on the piston crowns. If you have normal minimal crusty kinda dark tan/ black carbon deposits then I would leave the rings alone. The inside of that motor is CLEAN, which says it has had regular oil changes, and has not likely been abused. Rings, bearings, rod, etc. should be fine.

I’m sure it happens, but even on motors I know were starved of oil the connecting rods haven’t show any wear. These have more bearings surface in the rod end than most car engines. Very unusual for them to have heavy wear, especially if the inside of the engine is clean.