TR2/3/3A tappet assembly

[sp53]

I am not pleased how my tappet assembly turned out. I made my own out of what I had with some new bushings and shaft and must have over horned one or 2 tappets because the top end rattles too much. Anyways, what have others done for their tappet assembly? I am leaning toward purchasing 8 new tappets and a shaft from Moss and looking for a machine shop to do the honing, machinist around here a few and few.

steve

 

[charleyf]

Are you referring to the rocker shaft? If so there is a place (Rocker Shaft Unlimited) in my town (Redding, CA) that rebuilds them. They get them from all over USA. TRF used to send them there. Quality work.
Charley

 

[CJD]

I've found that the steel shaft wears faster than the bronze tappet bushings...for what it's worth.

 

[Sarastro]

You probably don't need new rockers, but a second try on installing and reaming the bushings might be in your future. Reaming them is a little tricky; you can't just set them on the workbench and use a hand reamer. You have to do something so the reamer is centered, or, at best, you'll go through the coating in one place or another. If you can't do that, it might be best to take them to a machine shop.

Did you replace the rocker shaft? They seem to wear easily. BP Northwest sells an uprated shaft; that's what I'm using. If there is no measurable wear on the shaft, though, you don't need a new one.

 

[sp53]

I got my rocker shaft back from Rocker Shaft Unlimited out of Redding CA a couple of weeks ago, and it looks great, plus I feel they did a fine Job and they were very reasonable, and nice to do business with. Thanks Charley for the idea and place.

Anyways some years back, I took a rocker shaft off and while doing so I pulled one of the lifters out of its hole and I guess laid on its side somehow. I went into full panic mode banging on my high chair stuff. Our Randall suggested I try and tease the lifter back into the hole; it worked what a relief.

This time I want to remove and look at the push rods also and wanted to know if anyone has a suggestion on how to keep the lifters in their hole when pulling up and out the push rod.

Steve

 

[sp53]

I think what I will try is a piece of wire about 12 inches long and run the wire down the hole alongside the push rod and see if I can put pressure on the lifter as I lift the push rod out.

steve

 

[Andy Blackley]

Steve:
Check out this post on the TR Register site: > leak push rod tubes <

Marco used a piece
of stiff welding wire.

 

[charleyf]

Steve:
Check out this post on the TR Register site: > leak push rod tubes <

Marco used a piece
of stiff welding wire.

View attachment 72712

It is smart to get the same push rod back in the same location that it came from.
Charley

 

[sp53]

Ha thanks you guys I must have got into the collective conciseness. I should have tried looking onto the forum way back machine. Good advice Charley I will make up a board or something to get them back where they came. One concern I have is that the push rods are actually 2 maybe 3 pieces and one of them is rattling on the spot weld joint. I can see the spot weld on the push rod in the picture.

Once when I put an engine together and I was picking through my push rod collection and grabbed one and it clicked on the end, I thought what the heck, and then I noticed I could move the top cup about a 1/16 back and forth.

This engine was put together with parts I have had for years because I still do not trust aftermarket stuff. I recently bought a couple sets of used 3/8 push rods on EBay and I will see what happens when I get the old ones out next week.

steve

 

[charleyf]

My mechanic says that push rods and tappets should be changed out together. Maybe other online users here have successfully changed out only a pushrod. If you get to that point and need that decision maybe somebody can offer that advice.
Charley

 

[sp53]

I would think ideally having the push rod and lifter new together would be the best way to go. In my case, letting them lap into each other is going to have to be ok because of time( I am old) and money ( gone). The stuff I worry over to fix the clicking is too much clearance like in the first one I built myself with the old bushings on a new shaft and with some new bushings mixed in. The one they built for me will be tight on that end and I think will let the lifter and pushrod seat themselves or that is what I beating on.

steve