If they're from cam bearings that would upset the valve clearances, but aren't they roller ball bearings on the cam?
Are you thinking rocker arm bearings, I think they're needles.
How does the engine oil look and smell?
How do the cam lobes look.
Could it be a oil pump fail or blockage to the top end only.
Thought it was a shattered valve spring to start with on my phone.
Jim,
Does under the cam cover normally look this devoid of oil?
Ray , the cam bearings are ball ,and yes the rocker bearings are the rollers , but what concerns me , in having him check the cam bearings is the fact that what i see there is broken into pieces , so if any of it went into the cam bearings which are open and exposed because they do not have the seal like a outer bearing would have , so any debris could be in those bearings and i want him to closely inspect them for any debris , if there is even a trace of material , then the cam bearings should be replaced , since all this stuff "seems" to be in the top end , I am assuming its related to the tower , as the only way i can see large pieces like that getting to the top end would be via the timing chain which i feel doubtful , but if there is that much debris visible , then how much went into the bottom end ?? , so that is why i said a inspection of inside the ignition cover is necessary , if debris is found there , then he will have no choice but to split the cases and check the crank bearings as well
I am trying to lead him step by step , to avoid missing something , since he seems hesitant to delve deep into the engine , so i figure if he does this in steps , it might not be as intimidating to him , as we should be able to walk him thru each step when/if it needs to go further into a complete teardown , which with even meager mechanical knowledge , he should be able to accomplish with a Manual and some outside guidance
And yes the top of the head does look a bit dry , it "should" have a coating of oil on everything , which is also concerning , and why i was concerned about the cam bearings , if the oiling was compromised to the cam and bearings , its going to lead to many components needing replaced , and when he removes the ignition cover he should be able to see any debris in the oil pump pickup , so I was just trying to keep it simple , as not to intimidate or overwhelm him with procedures all at once ,to have him look at something , then move to next area , would be less intimidating than to tell him to just tear into it blindly without ever having done this before and not knowing what to look for or what would look "normal" , with us , its not a big deal , to someone just learning about these engines , it can be a bit overwhelming , so I was just trying to ease him into this with a basic inspection , then depending on what is found , going from there