1974 Dino 308 GT4 camshaft covers.

My car has two different types of plug lead seals into the cam covers, the front bank are rubber ribbed cups that locate into the alloy cover, the rear bank has rubber cups that locate over steel tubes in the cam cover. looking at my parts books I can't see the former as an option but see that both types are available from Superformance. Are the metal tubes removable so that I can standardise? Is there a reason why this would be done? My suspicion is that one of the cam covers has been replaced with a later type. The rear bank cover features 1,2,3,4 cast against the appropriate plug hole ,the front bank is also labelled 1,2,3,4 is that correct as opposed to being labelled 5,6,7,8 ?

 

Can the tubes be removed from one cover or new ones fitted to the other to standardise ?

 

I think I will leave well alone and replace like with like on each bank, all part of the car's history and mystery as to why the head was changed.

 

I spent a few hours yesterday reading through all the detailed invoices that came with the car for repair work and servicing. I was looking for any clues as to why the head /cam cover may have been changed. A lot of work was carried out by Rosneath Engineering. It would appear that on at least three occasions the distributors have been stripped to repair sticking mechanical advance particularly on the front bank. Is there a specific cause of this problem ?

 

Taking the sound advice of forum members I have now removed the cam covers whilst the engine is out to check valve clearances. I have found that the rear cam cover was once painted black. Presumably this was cleaned off when the front head was changed. My question is if I was to reinstate the black, should it be a crackle finish and would the engine steady bracket casting be similarly treated or left as alloy finish?

 

Quite reassuring to find that when I removed cam covers with timing set at TDC for no,1 all of the camshaft register marks were perfectly aligned. When so many people over the years have replaced belts and literally left their marks, I decided to go by the book and mark and lock up as I thought was right.

 

Thank you for that , I wonder where all the swarf went if the spark plug was taken out? It must have been fun milling out the front bank with engine in situ. Was water around the plugs such an issue that they came up with a retro mod.?

 

Somebody will have them somewhere along with some inserts but I would think it could be a long search.