Triumphrat

mgrosso

While attempting to remove the engine from a 65 Bonneville, I removed all the nuts and bolts from the rocker boxes but can't get them to separate from the cylinder head. Gently rocked them with a rubber mallet, liberal spray of WD40, but refuse to budge. What next?

Mr.Pete

Stop!
Before you try to remove either rocker box,make sure both valves are closed and you have clearance between the valve adjuster and valve tip.

This will only happen on one rocker box at any given time.Replace the head bolts that go through the rocker boxes and barely tighten them.

Turn the engine until both exhaust valves are closed.Remove the exhaust rocker box.
After that,you turn the engine until both intake valves are closed.Then remove the intake rocker box.

max

Or you can back the rocker adjusters back a little, that'll help

Steve69

silly question, but you have removed the 3 nuts under the flange of the cylinder head
that hold the outer edge of the the rocker box?

you should have removed two long bolts, two short ones, and. 3 nuts per rocker box.

rambo

Thats what i was thinking Steve

Morris the Cat

If your right, don't forget the washers under those 3 nuts!

__________________

Morris of Main Street

mgrosso

All of the nuts, bolts, and washers have been removed. The new dilemma is that two of inspection caps refuse to move, and I'm starting to strip off the knurled edges by using adjustable jaw pliers. Applied heat, WD40, but little movement. Any help here would be appreciated.

Steve69

a 65 t120 should have the rocker inspection caps with screwdriver slots in them
these are exactly the correct size for the tappet adjuster tool to fit into, and with
this you can get get leverage and unscrew them.

the tool i have, which i believe is the factory tool, is a small flat plate
spanner, with an offset square slot at each end sized to fit the square
end of the tapped adjuster. sadly i cannot find a pictu of one onthe net.
the bottom line is you want somthing that fits the slot correctly to
unscrew a tight cap without damaging it.

the knurling on the rim of the cap are there to engage with a small strip of spring steel
and (hopefully) stop them unscrewing and getting lost, its not really strong enough to
get purchase on to unscrew a tight cap.

you shouldn't need oil, oil weeping is often a problem, if you need penatreaing oil if
you want such a thing wd40 is not much good, it's a. water dispersant, not a lubricant.
find some plus gas - try ebay, that is the real thing (tm).

i would also be surprised if the caps have corroded in place, there should be plenty
of oil about there, has the bike stood for a long time ( years?).

re heat. remember, you want to heat the rocker box and cool the cap, there are freezer
sprays you can buy now, or turn your butane blowtorch upside down and spray
some liquid butane on the cap which will cool it fast.

if you are still having problems leasing the boxes themselves this is even more worrying,
maybe somone has stuck them on without gaskets and using some hard setting sealant,
heamatite green perhaps? they should lift easily once all the bolts are undone.

-Steve

mgrosso

Thanks for your help. I'll let you know how it works out.