Date: Sun, 24 Sep 2006 12:48:19 +0100 From: "MarkA" <nospamnospam.thanks> Subject: Re: Saab 99 engine ticking / engine failure curiosity
I'll have a go! Looking at the pictures, it would certainly seem that the tappet failed in some manner and pieces of it were driven through the side of the cam-carrier by the rotation of the cam lobe..? Is there none of the tappet at all left in the bore of the cam-carrier? Having recently rebuilt the head on my '78t, I'm at a bit of a loss to explain the tappet failure - they are fairly substantial, and not especially loaded other than the bearing surface between the cam lobe and the shim. Is it possible that the valve was stuck as part of the engine seizure and when the engine finally turned it placed a massive loading through the bearing face of that tappet causing it to crack and ultimately leading to its catastophic failure??? Better explanations may well become apparent as you strip it further...
