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Rocker pedestal stuck...!

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M

mechwanabe

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Howdy BCF members.... As said in previous posts I am replacing the head gasket in my 66 AH MKlll.. Need to replace the rocker pedestal where the banjo bolt screws.. The problem is the rocker pedestals are stuck. How are these removed..? Are they supposed to just slide in/out..? How, do they stay on their location i.e. the oil feed on the rocker shaft.. ? etc
Any help is highly appreciated... Thank you all.!
 
Please clarify. The pedestals are connected to the head with studs topped with nuts. Remove nut and slide pedestal up off the studs. If it is rusted on the studs, try heating the pedestal with a torch and prying up on it. Or soak the studs with pb blaster or something like it.
 
The holes in the pedestals get smashed closed where the studs go through the top of them. With some work they will come up off the studs. :hammer:
 
Sorry.. The Rocker assembly is already off the head, now I have the rocker shaft with all the components still on. The rocker arms, the rocker pedestals, the spring in between the arms, etc.. And what I need to do is replace the pedestal where the banjo bolt connects because the threads for the banjo bolt are bad.. I thought the rocker pedestals would just slide out but they are very hard and am afraid to force them out if there is other way.
Thank you.
 
The pedestals are just a light hand press fit and will slide off the shaft, you may have to turn them and pull at the same time because of carbon build-up.

The only thing that locates the shaft is the banjo bolt - if you look at it closely you will see a short round extension at the end, this round extension seats into a hole in the rocker shaft to keep the shaft from turning so the oiling holes are in the right position.

Start by pulling the cotter pin from one end and start sliding the washers, springs, and rockers off one by one - make sure you take notes or photos so they all go back in the right order.

If you can feel any wear on the shaft (or better yet check with a mic), then I would replace the shaft - in my experience the bushings and the shaft wear at about the same rate so if yours is at all loose, changing the shaft will probably help improve clearances. Rebushing the rockers together with a new shaft is the best way to go.

One key when reassembling the shaft - install the pedestal with the banjo bolt first and put the banjo bolt in hand tight to make sure it is seated fully into the hole in the shaft (make sure you can't turn the pedestal when the bolt is in). Then assemble the rest of the pieces and install the cotter pins at the ends. Leave the banjo bolt in place until the shaft is tightened down, then remove the bolt and install the banjo fitting & pipe & re-install the banjo bolt.

Install & adjust valves
 
Oh, yes they slide off the rocker shaft. The shafts can wear severely at the rocker arms and create deep groves. But the pedestals should be able to be knocked off the shaft.
 
As per Red57:

IMG_0965.jpg
 
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