Timing gear and distributor gear oil circulation (1 Viewer)

[LDub]

Doing what I consider a baseline+ maintenance which includes the valve cover gasket due to some massive oil leaks and noticed the front section of the cylinder head (where the timing chain and distributor gears are and thought they were rather dry.
My question is, do oil galleries exist in the front section of the cylinder head that feed the timing chain and distributor gear? Seems like this area was dryer than normal after removing the valve cover.
Also, wonder why my back 4 plug tubes and cams are darker than the front? Would like to clean the carbon deposits off distributor gears too, has anybody done that while valve cover is off? I'll post some pics here in a few.

 

[Tools R Us]

The chain is lubed by a jet down closer to the crank sprocket.

 

[LDub]

Yea, I think the chain looks good, I'm just a little concerned with the cam gear where it meets with the distributer gear (not sure of the technical term for those gears) , seemed like it was starving some as compared to the rest of the internals and wonder why it wasn't as clean, having the carbon build-up inside the gear. It may not be nothing to worry about, I was just wanted to compare it with others out there. Its possible the previous owner only did conventional oil, whereas I'll probably go back with synthetic, this has 264k on it.

 

[Tools R Us]

... It may not be nothing to worry about ...

This^^^ Looks normal.

 

[inkpot]

When the engine is running the chain throws oil all over the place I’m sure some of it ends up on the dizzy drive gear.