Nathaniel,
I'd check out 311s.org, as I think they have a technical discussion of the
plusses and minuses of cutting it off. I seem to recall that all one loses
is the ability to support the cam gear and chain when removing the head. If
one is careful, that should not be a great disadvantage. But, I am not
completely sure on this point, and recommend you consult available
resources.
I would not leave it in place. Once bent and otherwise damaged, it is
likely weakened. The consequences of its failure are too grave to risk. If
it were my engine, I'd replace it with a new one, because I do value the
ability to hang the cam gear on the bracket.
You could also remove it, bend it or have it bent back to shape, reinforce
it with weld metal at the weak spot(s), and have it annealed (heat treated).
The problem there is, you need ot know the proper temperature, hold-time and
cool-down rate for the metal involved. It's probalby just a mild steel, but
I don't know, and you may not be able to find out. Sounds too hard to me,
but possible, particularly if you have access to someone who knows how.
(Like my local mechanic who is a great welder, skilled with shielded metal
arc, gas metal arc and gas tungsten arc, and has all the equipment. Great
guy to know if you need to have a cam cover welded.)
According to something I read on Rallye's site years ago, the "L" is
susceptible to long-term fatigue failure from vibration, and should be
magnetic-particle examined (magnafluxed) whenever the chains are changed.
There are others on the list who know more about this than I do. Hope we
hear form them, also.
Gary Ault
----- Original Message -----
From: "Nathaniel Leeds" <nmleeds@mindspring.com>
To: <datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net>
Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2007 8:27 AM
Subject: [Roadsters] Evil-L - What to do?
> Everyone,
>
> Thanks for helping me trouble shoot my U20 death-rattle. Someone, I'm not
> naming names, put in the tensioner gasket upside down, completely blocking
> the oil hole.
>
> Fortunately I caught the problem before the rattling chain tore off the
> evil-l. But not before it took some chunks of metal out of it and bent it
> about 30-degrees from 12 o'clock. Now the question, what to do?
>
> Do I:
>
> 1) Bend old evil back into place.
> 2) Saw it off.
> 3) Buy a new one.
> 4) Assume that now that I've fixed my chain tension problem that the
> bracket
> will stay where it is.
>
> Nathaniel Leeds
> U20 - '69
> ________________________________________
>
> aultgc@jorsm.com
>
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>
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>
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