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Cleaning rocker assembly?

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bash

bash

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I just took off the rocker cover for the first time to set the gaps, and found that the rocker shaft and the springs etc. are dirtier than I would like - 30 years of dirt build up, I guess. Any ideas how I could clean this dirt out?

Also, I have read somewhere that the best method for installing the new gasket is to attach it to the cover with a thin coat of blue hylomar and then use grease on the bottom surface. Any improvements on this?

Thanks in advance for any help and advice!
Cheers
Alistair
 
Alistair, the proper way to clean the rocker assembly would be to remove it, disassemble, and clean each part individually. Once cleaned, inspect everything, particularly the shaft, for wear. If everything looks OK, just reassemble and reinstall.
As to the gasket, nothing wrong with the Hylomar on top, grease on the bottom approach. It's been working for me on all mine for a lot of years. The Hylomar holds the gasket in position, and the grease keeps it from sticking to the head.
Jeff
 
Sometimes a new cork gasket will be a little short, or it will be bowed inward along the long sides. This will make it hard for the Permatex seal (a dark brown gasket goo which I use) to hold it into the flange while it sets up. So I use clothes pegs to hold it out towards the outer rim of the flange.

I have never used grease on the bottom face of the cork gasket against the upper milled surface of the head, but it gets oily later on - probably by absorbing the oil that gets splashed around up there. In 168,000 miles over the last 48 years, I would guess that I've used about 4 or 5 cork gaskets.

Don Elliott, Original Owner, 1958 TR3A

https://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/trebor/don3a_big.JPG
(Photo taken at VTR in Colorado when I drove 5225 miles round trip in 2001)
 
The crud build up is normal (IMHO) while some oils seem to do a better job of cleaning, I thiink you will find over long periods of time the crud will form if you do not take components apart and clean them. The good news is that the moving surfaces are probably clean as a pin /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Cleaning then rockers, spacers etc. is as describe earlier. I have had good luck with a rubber? like material for the rocker gasket. The corks all ways ooze a little oil.
 
Last winter I made my own rubber valve cover gasket with silicone and haven't lost a drop of oil so far. I might have picked up the idea on the Teglerizer.com site. Cleaned the cover flange with acetone, laid on a heavy bead of black silicone, set it on wax paper on the nice flat kitchen counter overnite with a couple stacks of paper cups to hold the cover weight. Next day peel off the wax paper and trim the excess silicone. No sealer used on installation, no leaks, removable and reusable.
 
The best way to go with a rocker cover gasket is a silicone one from Justin Wagner at www.jmwagnersales.com. The gasket doesn't leak requires no adhesive and is reusable. I've had one for five years and I'm extremely satified with the product.
Bob
 
Alistair,
If you are too lazy, like me, to disassemble the whole train, I would just soak the whole thing in Varsol (Exxon) and use an old tooth brush to clean it. Come back with clean Varsol when you think you have it 99% clean to finish the job. I keep a 5-gallon can of the stuff in my storage shop, get it from an Exxon bulk plant. Blow it off, dry real well and come back with fresh motor oil to lube it up.

The valve cover gasket (now, I have a cast aluminum one) that I use is the regular ole cork gasket that I glue to the cover first using Permatex Aviation Gasket material. It is a syrupy dark brown adhesive-like sealer that I apply to the cork on one side, let it sit for about half-hour then stick to the cover, weight it overnight and then drop the cover in place with a nice coating on the bottom of the cork. As above, the cork tends to usually be distorted so lotsa weight might be needed for the overnight job. I usually can reuse a gasket a few times. I am not a big fan of Hylomar for this job, too messy. Hylomar for me works best where the gasket is thinner and more precicely fitted, like the overdrive bottom plate.

Bill
 
Hi Alistair,

You may want to remove the blanking plug on the end of the shaft so that you can get the oil pathways fully clean. Replacement plugs are inexpensive and easy to reinstall.

The problem with taking the assembly apart and cleaning it is seeing the shocking amount of wear on the shaft surface, and on the rocker tips. You will probably see a lot of places where the hardening has worn through. The cars can actually run fairly well with some wear and slop up there, but it is neither difficult nor terribly expensive to renew or replace the components. I replaced my TR250 shaft and rockers with new parts, but for the same cost you can also have yours rebuilt by someone like Rocker Arm Specialists:

https://www.rockerarms.com/

I have not used their services myself, but other people seem to think they do good work at a fair price.

Whatever gasket solution you use, if you have a stock valve cover be careful not to overtighten the three fastening bolts. The stamped steel cover will collapse!

By the way, are you the same Alistair who posts the blog "An Englishman in New Jersey"? I really enjoy your writing! If it's not you, please excuse my mistake.

Best regards,
 
Don't forget to clean the underside of the valve cover too. I'll bet it's a gunked up too.
 
[ QUOTE ]
By the way, are you the same Alistair who posts the blog "An Englishman in New Jersey"? I really enjoy your writing! If it's not you, please excuse my mistake.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, that's me. I really didn't think anyone except a couple of my old school friends read that! I had better be more careful what I say!

Thanks to everyone for the replies and great advice. I think I will wait and see how things run before I start taking the rocker shaft apart - I originally planned to have the car on the road by last autumn, and I am already looking at a long to-do list - my original plan of sorting the brakes and getting on the road has turned into a nasty case of shipfitter's disease!

Thanks again for all the good advice.
Alistair
 
[ QUOTE ]
Regarding www.jmwagnersales.com. ,$4 vs $50 w/instant gratification vs up to 30 days lead time and no visual or performance difference.

[/ QUOTE ]In fairness to Justin, you'll probably only have to buy one of his silicone gaskets ever. On the other hand, it's been a long time since I've had to replace an OE-style cork gasket, having glued same to the valve cover as described earlier in this thread. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Andy, It wasn't a knock at all. Hey, we gotta be appreciative when anybody makes the effort to supply an improved part. At the time I was on the spot as my cork gasket was trash and it was riding season here in New England. In the end, it turned out well and of course I found other more important needs for the $$.
Steve
 
[ QUOTE ]
Andy, It wasn't a knock at all....

[/ QUOTE ]No worries, Steve, as I didn't take it that way. Justin does make a good product, and I know lots of people who are very, very happy with that gasket (racing types and others). Of course, I've been bugging him for years now to do one for the Herald/Spitfire range. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif But last I knew, he decided that his second one would be for the sixes (the first being a TR2-4/Vanguard VC gasket). /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
The gasket I had was not silicone but it lasted more than 8 years with many removals and installations of the stock rocker cover; also, IT DID NOT LEAK. I think I paid around 6 or $8 for it in '84 or '85.
 
Missing pieces...

Sorry to bring this back up again, but I finally had a chance to look at the rocker assembly last night, and I am a bit worried... As far as I can tell, the DPO has left off the end plug from the front of the shaft, and there is no sign of the screw that goes into the back pedestal.

It seems to me that the screw is there mainly to allow assembly off the car, but the front plug worries me more. With that missing I would think that the oil pressure in the shaft would be too low to get any lubrication to the rockers. Does this seem right? If I am right, how much damage is likely to have been done? As I understand it, the main problem with worn rocker gear is that it is noisy - will it affect the running?

Once again, sorry to drag the old topic back, but I would (as ever!) appreciate the wisdom of the forum!

Alistair
 
Re: Missing pieces...

ouch!!!
without the cap on the end, you have no oil pressure, up top anyways. do you have an accurate oil pressure gauge in the car? i'm not sure of the oil bleeds constantly to the top end or if it cycles with the rotation of the cam. if it is constant then you have lost oil pressure in your whole system (very,very bad). what was the oil pressure when running? as for the missing bolt, it holds the shaft from moving and rotating. when the engine warms up, the shaft mounts (pedestals) expand more than the shaft because they are aluminum and loosen their grip on the shaft. if the interference fit between the pedestals and the shaft is not tight enough then the shaft can move if the bolt is not there to hold it in place. the oiling holes in the shaft need to be in the correct orientation and if the shaft rotates then oiling is compromised.
good luck
rob
 
Re: Missing pieces...

Thanks for the reply. I have ordered the missing pieces, which I just realised includes the other end cap as well!

Oddly, the oil pressure was pretty good, I thought. I got about 75psi cold. I haven't remembered to look when the engine had warmed up (I only had it running a few times, and only warmed it up once since I got it)

I will just say that I ordered the parts from Ken Lamers at British Sports Car Restorations, and he seems like a really nice guy. TRF wanted $7 to ship three tiny items, which seems a bit steep to me!

Thanks again
Alistair
 
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