When the bonnet is gone...

Ran like clockwork:

This engine ran like clockwork - literally speaking. A tired camshaft and tired cam followers had the engine ticking so fiercely that people along the road turned to see what was coming.

Of course it's fun that people turn in the direction of the car one's driving, but I can imagine better reasons for them to do so!

The "clockwork" itself:

Once I'd removed the top cover it wasn't difficult to understand what made the ticking sound. All in all the camshaft was evenly worn, but one place it looked like this.

Summer outside, work indoors:

Here I've started to dismantle the cylinder head, well documented by my camera.

The oil seals on the valve stems required more than strong fingers to remove. That, in addition to some difficulties in compressing the valve springs by use of a homemade tool, gave me work for a good few hours.

By the time I'd finished working on the first valve, I really wondered if I'd better bring the whole cylinder head to a nearby Ford garage to have them complete the job, but no. When I started compressing valve spring number two, I couldn't help wondering whether I was downright stupid - or only very determined...

I reckon I must have been the latter, because I gradually got the hang of it and little by little the whole process went quite speedily.

A change for the better:

In the back of this picture is the most worn out cam follower. No doubt a replacement was needed! And of course, I did change all of them ;-)