Push Rods what B**ch of a job

[DaveB500]

Decided to cure a small oil leak from my rocker cover this Saturday.
Involved removing the rocker cover and applying a new gasket and sealant.
simple I thought.

all you experainced guys will know what came next.

1 hour to remove, cover, clean, fit new gaskets.
6 hours cursing the desginer for bringing the push rods up through the centre of the engibe, and at an angle.

After looking at the design of comb on ebay, and measuring the rocker socket positions, a piece of thick card and a pair of scissors hay presto job was done.

What a bitch of a job though. Next is the Primary side oil leak, what horrors are lurking on that job I wonder.
Dave

[RichardL]

Dave,

This tip is too late to help you, I think, but here is what I did when I misplaced my factory-made comb. From eBay, copied a photo of a comb for sale; using AutoCad, scaled the photo to the correct size between mounting bolts (absent CAD program you could just resize the photo); print the picture at the correct scale; cut out and paste picture on sheet-metal scrap; cut shape in sheet metal - voila! pushrod comb.


Richard L.

[mike667]

Dave,

This tip is too late to help you, I think, but here is what I did when I misplaced my factory-made comb. From eBay, copied a photo of a comb for sale; using AutoCad, scaled the photo to the correct size between mounting bolts (absent CAD program you could just resize the photo); print the picture at the correct scale; cut out and paste picture on sheet-metal scrap; cut shape in sheet metal - voila! pushrod comb.


Richard L.

damn Richard!  i think their under $10 bucks,

[tombeau]

I've got skinny fingers. I can line 'em up through the inspection ports.

Cheers,
Iain

[RichardL]

Right. Under $10, but days, not minutes (say, 60), away.

Richard L.

[mike667]

Right. Under $10, but days, not minutes (say, 60), away.

Richard L.

 you must of never been a boy scout "always be prepared"....

still nice to have the equip to do it though!

[beezalex]

Dave,

with the aid of a hooked dental-type tool, it's a little fiddly but not THAT hard.  Just rotate your rockers so that the sockets that engage on the pushrod tubes are down all the way, then drop the box on slowly.  There should be enough friction on the studs that it will stay at whatever position you lower it to.  Bring it down until the rockers start contacting the tubes and use the tool to guide the pushrod tubes into place.  you should have at least a 1/4" gap to put the tool through and since the rocker arms won't be engaged you can do them one@ a time.

[muskrat]

G'day Dave, yep the hardest part of a rebuild. I had to modify the comb to fit the tapered alloy push rods I use. i also use a piece of elastic string wraped around under the rocker arms and over the top of the rocker box to keep them up ( I use shims rather than springs on the shafts, less drag ). I recall a post about a rocker box with a hole in the top, to make that job easier.
The primary should seem like a piece of cake compared. Other than cover gasket look at the sliding plate felt and the joint between the inner cover and motor.
Cheers

[rocket man]

i was looking for my comb then i remembered  i dont have eny hair

[RichardL]

Well, I thought I was prepared until the manufactured one I own (which, I have since found) was not where I thought it should be. So, the "be prepared" still applies, but goes to having a peferctly clean shop where everything is in exactly the correct place at all times. I know I am the only one here for whom this does NOT always apply.

Richard L.

edited

[olev]

Gday Muskrat,
Tell us about your alloy pushrods.
Why are they good and where did you get them?
cheers

[BSA_54A10]

I cut one out of stiff plastic ( front of a shirt box ).
Held em in then being flexiable just fell straight out.

[muskrat]

G'day Olev,
               put one in a press and see where it bends. In the middle. Alloy is lighter, less reciprocating mass, thicker in middle stronger. Down side, ends wear faster so adjust every 10,000. I have another set to use in 50,000 but I can't remember where I got them, will have to go back through my records.
Cheers

[DaveB500]

Thanks for all the replies.
In the end I did copy a picture from ebay, and with measurments taken from rockers made my own cardboard comb. all lined up at second attempt.
I had tried dental hooks, but after 3 hours, i gave in.

Nearly didnt have any hair left myself for the comb....

Dave

[snowbeard]

I ended up using a magnet on a stick to hold each one in place with the cover just a half inch up, then push each rocker down onto them to hold in place and seat the box. 

then I found out there was a tool available!!