Push rods

Bizarrely, my favourite tool for this job is an old scriber with a 90 degree bend at the end!! I have no idea why, it was probably near to hand one day! I have substituted a 'pick' with a 90 degree end and a rubber hand grip which works just as well. Both give about a half inch of pointy steel after the bend to hook behind the pushrod! I don't like a magnetic tool in there, but, I have been using steel pushrods.

But, I always build motors on the bench and I can easily see what I am doing. Ii pull down centre bolt only, slowly and checking all the way for good seating of the pushrods....

I also put the crank to TDC, meaning at least one cylinder is at TDC firing stroke, which limits valve opening a little, at least puts it to a known position. With the motor installed and leant forward, I have used rubber bands under the head, not on the rockers as picture, that works, or I have hung them on the rockers with Graphogen paste, and then you squeeze your fingers a little holding them until the head is over the studs barrels studs and head studs into the barrels....but, I have small hands!

Probably worth pointing out that the most prolific Norton engine builder we know, Jim Comstock, says he always pulls one of the exhaust rockers out and reinstalls it when the head has been pulled down.

I imagine the cylinder at TDC firing has the two rockers in.

tricatcent said:

What I do is I leave one exhaust rocker arm out until the head is installed. I think that Jim Comstock does it this way sometimes as well. If you leave the right rocker out when you put the head on you can turn the engine so that only the right cam follower is up. That way when you put the head on all the other pushrods are un loaded. Then once the head is lightly torqued down, turn the engine so that the right exhaust lifter is down, then fit the rocker arm.

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Jim says he always does this after a piece of guide fell out of an exhaust port one day!

I use a clamp (just a standard metal clamp) to compress the valve (Open it) a little to give me the room required to slot the push rod into position. It doesn't take much pressure to open the valve, just place the clamp on top of the valve and under the bottom of the head and tighten gently, this will give you the room you need. A magnet does not work on Aluminium, i use a seal pick to hook the push rod and pull it into position. I figured this out after having a push rod not seat properly and pop off the rocker seat when i tightened the head down not ideal but it works.

Marcb said:

I've done everything that was suggested here, but to no avail. I' have to give it another try. Thanks everyone.

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Contrary to how others do it, I loosen the valve adjusters a lot, put grease in the cups and on the bottom of the push rods, put the pushrods into position and make sure they are properly in the lifters, get the head into position, lower it, and one at a time lift the rockers while guiding the pushrods into place (thin long screwdriver). The grease keeps them in place until all are in. Then lower the head and tighten the adjusters enough that the pushrods can't get out of place. While torquing the head down I check often that the adjusters are not too tight. This works every time for me in the frame or on the bench.

marshg246 said:

Contrary to how others do it, I loosen the valve adjusters a lot, put grease in the cups and on the bottom of the push rods, put the pushrods into position and make sure they are properly in the lifters, get the head into position, lower it, and one at a time lift the rockers while guiding the pushrods into place (thin long screwdriver). The grease keeps them in place until all are in. Then lower the head and tighten the adjusters enough that the pushrods can't get out of place. While torquing the head down I check often that the adjusters are not too tight. This works every time for me in the frame or on the bench.

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I seem to remember doing similar, but without the grease. You only need to release the tension on the locknuts to enable the adjusters to be backed out, and provided you don't disturb the locknuts it's not hard to get them back close to where they were when you get the pushrods sorted. But then you always check and adjust to final clearance after any head job, of course....

I guess my last post wasn't posted. I got the head on with ease. Took less than a minute. I rubber banded the push rods into the head with each on the proper rocker arm. (I ran the rocker spindle all the way out). Had my wife help me hold the push rods so they wouldn't move in case the rubber bands didn't do the job. Had two shims to shim the head up just enough to cut and remove the rubber bands. It's done and now I have a work bench back. Thanks to all for the tips!

Once you have the rubber band fitted the push rods will not drop down
Glad you got it sorted