Hi.again.
When pulling off my  valve cover to release a pinched emission hose, I found the top of the head to be fairly dirty and a couple of cam screws gone. The distributor shaft extension housing o-ring was gone too.

This samurai shows 130 k on the odom (30k) and will go 75 to 80 on the highway with a little effort on the flat. It has the hitachi carb. I suspect the engine being rebuilt or maybe a mild cam installed?

Here are some questions if anyone wants to answer:

1. Is it possible for the two screws that are gone to have fallen all the way to the oil pan having 1/4 inch diameter heads.

2. When reinstalling these, I was told to use an impact screw driver and threadlock, = the factory torque speck was wrong and to use a impact screwdriver and threadlock. Is this true, and how tight should they be? Which strength threadlock.

3. Related to above question. I was told that with the two screws gone it would disrupt the flow of oil to the back of the head. Is that true?

4. How do I detect a rebuilt engine and or head, and how do I identify the cam as being stock or possibly (wishful thinking) Isky?

5. My thought was to take a paint brush and some mineral spirts and swish around the inside of the head with the oil pan either off or the plug removed and clean the dirt out. Good idea, bad idea, or stupid idea- leave alone?

6. What would be a good way to get the muck out of the head with out damaging the engine?

7. Last question: I just thought of this. Maybe the cam screws were just not tight and fell out. Otherwise I would be afraid someone did a sloppy job and maybe didn't torque the head down properly as well. Would it hurt to check, and what would be the proper way to go about it? Or should I  leave it alone, if it's not broke don't fix it?

Any input greatly appreciated.

-Adam

The screws breaking loose and falling into the oil passages is pretty common, actually.

When I got my one-owner '88 from a lady Realtor, it had a couple of screws missing.  I found them in the oil pan.  Others have found them laying about the head with the cr|removethispart|@p squished out of them from getting caught under a rocker or too near a cam lobe briefly.

There is an article written by some guy named Jim Cambron     at iZook.com on the subject.  Here is the link:

http://www.izook.com/tech/samurai/engine/screws/screws.htm


Using Locktite (do a search for locktite at Ack's FAQ for links to the Locktite's product description website) and/or staking the heads with a chisel wil keep them from falling out again.

Immodestly yours,   

Thanks Ack.

I was thinking about dropping the oil pan. What do you think about my cleaning idea. Maybe something other than mineral spirits. I was thinking I would pull the oil plug and clean away. When all done, drop the pan and clean it too. I don't remember ever letting one of my engines get so dirty.  Then again this could be normal.

-Adam