Rocker Arm Shaft Questions

Collapse

Desktop Ad Forum Top

Collapse

Mobile ad top forum

Collapse
X
 
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • jdmboyd
    Member
    • Apr 2018
    • 84

    Rocker Arm Shaft Questions

    Hey folks,

    Hope everyone's doing well in the New Year.

    Poor Wx in NoVA has prompted me to get after the rocker cover leaks in my '80 FLH 80. Getting the engine out was pretty uneventful using the overhead gantry & chain hoist I have in the garage. Got the shafts and rockers out of the rear cover and everything looks pretty good: rockers smooth and tight on the shafts, and smooth valve pads and valve tips. So far, so good.

    Questions arise re the o-ring beneath the shaft screw. The bad leaker on the rear exhaust had a square cross-section o-ring, while the o-ring J&P sent me for 11101 is round and apparently fits the kicker shaft and distributor, too. The o-ring on the rear intake shaft didn't leak a bit and seems to be a thick square section of polyethylene or nylon. I'm thinking I'd like to use this type for all four shafts. Is this worth pursuing or will the round guy work fine? Any thoughts and a source for the square section ring is appreciated.

    Next, what's the torque spec on the shaft acorn nut? Maybe go with 27 ft-lb for a Gr. 2 7/16-20 thread? Go up to 41 ft-lb for a Gr. 5? Stripping the thread on this shaft strikes me as bad, bad, bad. Couldn't find anything in the book.

    Thanks for your help.

    Pix to follow once I figure out how to get attachments to work.

    John
    Attached Files
  • jdmboyd
    Member
    • Apr 2018
    • 84

    #2
    Square section o-ring.
    Attached Files

    Comment

    • JBinNC
      Senior Member
      • Dec 2018
      • 2697

      #3
      That white teflon ring is part of a kit. The seals are still offered by Drag Specialties and other suppliers.

      I like the 11118 quad seal rather than the 11101, if you want a rubber seal.

      You are in the ball park on the nut torque. I use 30 ft.lb. for the original locking nuts, which are thin, or 40 ft.lb. for the later chrome cap nuts. For the plugs on the right side, just snug them. They seem to tighten in service.

      Check the ID of the rocker arm bushings. I replace them when they wear to .004 clearance to the shaft. A good fit is important for oil control for the entire motor and is often overlooked by the inattentive mechanic.

      Jim

      Comment

      • jdmboyd
        Member
        • Apr 2018
        • 84

        #4
        Thanks, Jim; will try to run down those different seals, not wedded to the 11101.

        Also, thanks for the clearance info, wouldn't want to be inattentive, though sadly that can sometimes be the case. I have two old vernier scale micrometers to get the OD of the shaft. Can you suggest a suitable inside micrometer for accurately measuring the bushing ID? Don't want trash, but would hope I could get by without spending $200-$300, which seems to be a price point for some of these things.

        John

        Comment

        • JBinNC
          Senior Member
          • Dec 2018
          • 2697

          #5
          A decent 0 - 1" micrometer is mighty handy to have. Good ones are expensive new, but there are so many machine tools floating around, used, now, that you might find a good one for $40 - $60. For the inside measurements, a set of telescope gauges paired with that micrometer will serve quite well in a shop setting. (You would not want to use that to check roller bearing clearances, but for something like bushing bores, it's ideal.)

          Jim

          Comment

          • JBinNC
            Senior Member
            • Dec 2018
            • 2697

            #6
            Originally posted by tzienlee
            also, most forget them or dont think they are needed,
            but when you fit the caps, whatever type use, from stock slotted to allen headed or the knucklehead style caps,
            there is meant to have a thin shim washer that goes on the cap, that stops the cap being tightened up so tight, that it crushes the O ring making them more prone to leak, the Harley part number is 11101.
            most I know didn't know they existed as they are never replaced by previous owners when doing a top end rebuild.
            11101 is the o-ring. The washer you mention is not used in many shovels, in fact, I have never seen them even in factory-fresh motors.

            Jim

            Comment

            • tzienlee
              • Mar 2024

              #7
              ya right, I got the wrong number, i should have said 17450-73,.. rocker shaft washer, they were on 79 onward shovels as it took them that long to realise without them you could get leaks & the washer gave it only about 5-7 thou to just leave enough that it doesnt crush the O Ring,
              I was looking in the wrong parts book before, should have been this one
              Attached Files
              Last edited by Guest; 01-04-2022, 12:14 PM.

              Comment

              • jdmboyd
                Member
                • Apr 2018
                • 84

                #8
                TZ,

                Interesting; there were no washers there on mine, at least for the rear cylinder, and they aren't shown in either the '78-'80 FL-FX Service Manual or the '41-'84 FL-FLH Parts Catalog. Which manual did you fine that diagram? Might be good to add to the ref collection.

                John

                Comment

                • tzienlee
                  • Mar 2024

                  #9
                  it's in the Factory 71-84 FX models parts manual,
                  i cannot download it here, but if you go to the Sovelhead uk group page on Facebook, you can download it from their files for nothing.
                  i believe it was only worked out late in production but I believe they will fit earlier model Shovels as Im pretty sure nothing else changed in the top end other than spark plug reach,
                  theres one or two on ebay at the moment if ya want a hard copy but free downloads are out there if ya look for them
                  Attached Files
                  Last edited by Guest; 01-05-2022, 6:09 AM. Reason: added more info

                  Comment

                  • jdmboyd
                    Member
                    • Apr 2018
                    • 84

                    #10
                    TZ,

                    Thanks; got myself a copy at https://www.ratbikeservice.com/HD/dw...%20Catalog.pdf

                    John

                    Comment

                    • jdmboyd
                      Member
                      • Apr 2018
                      • 84

                      #11
                      Jim, TZ,

                      Thanks for your help. Ordered up an inside mic, the set of teflon seals and a set of stainless shaft plugs, hopefully buttoned back up soon. If the rocker arm bushings have too much slop I'll be asking about bushing hones, etc., but let's leave that alone for now. Fingeres crossed, won't need to.

                      John

                      Comment

                      • jdmboyd
                        Member
                        • Apr 2018
                        • 84

                        #12
                        Jim, TZ,

                        Finally got back on my rocker covers. Ended up going with the teflon o-rings, without clearance washers, and some new SS end plugs, looks good. Bought an ID mic; all the clearances met the 4 mil limit you suggested, Jim, though a couple getting pretty close.

                        Interesting thing when putting the push rods back into the rear cylinder: the exhaust p/rod went in fine, but the front intake solid lifter would not retract enough to get the p/rod in (?). Rotated the engine several times, same thing, wouldn't fit. Then installed the exh p/rod, turned it a few times and the intake lifter was back down where it belonged. No problem at all on the front cylinder. Any idea what was going on here?

                        Again, thanks for your help. Wx's getting nicer, so need to finish cleanup and get this back together.

                        John
                        Attached Files

                        Comment

                        300 mobile ad bottom forum

                        Collapse
                        Working...