Adjusting valves with worn rockers

[docc]

I had a Honda rocker flake it's "hardness coating" (whatever that would be), which introduced an annoying tick'tick after warm up.

 

These V11 rockers simply appear worn, not damaged or flaked.  My thinking is, if i had LuckyPhil's rockers, adjusting my valves 0.006"/0.008" nets an actual lash of 0.009"/0.011. (Almost "Race Spec").

 

But, his rockers had only 26,0000 miles/ 42.000 km and I'm pushing four times that.  Does that translate to four times the wear? Perhaps not with so many other factors at play.  The antipodal Coriolis Effect notwithstanding.

 

I see that new V11 rockers are $165US each (if available).  Makes the Baisley upgrade competitive if not alluring on its own.

[Chuck]

You got me thinking about this, now, Docc. Thanks a lot, pal.    I *have* seen a respected Guzzi mechanic reface rockers by hand.  That would take some skill.. doing a little research I found a home made fixture to do them on a belt sander. Before getting too carried away, though, I wouldn't be surprised that a good automotive machine shop will have an attachment for their valve grinding machine to do rocker tips. Shouldn't cost much.

[docc]

Gotta love a guy that goes straight from think to act with nothing between.  ->

 

So, concerns for cutting below a surface hardness at some point?

[Tom M]

Here's a video that shows how one auto machine shop refaces rocker tips.  He uses a fixture similar to what Chuck posted, but he grinds them on a grinding wheel instead of a sanding belt.  Unlike the sanding belt I think that would keep the face parallel to the rocker shaft.

 

[LowRyter]

My goodness, I wondered how far this was going to go.  Man, it's went.

 

Docc, How many lost horsepowers do you think has escaped from your 100k mile motor's rockers?  I was thinking that compression tests after every fill up will complete a heck of a graph.  

[stewgnu]

Is it time for docc to pull his rockers to see what 100,000 good ol’ american miles has wrought??

[docc]

Is it time for docc to pull his rockers to see what 100,000 good ol’ american miles has wrought??

I knew it would come to this. I knew, I knew . . .

 

>sigh

[LowRyter]

How far are you guys going with this?  

[footgoose]

Here's a video that shows how one auto machine shop refaces rocker tips.  He uses a fixture similar to what Chuck posted, but he grinds them on a grinding wheel instead of a sanding belt.  Unlike the sanding belt I think that would keep the face parallel to the rocker shaft.

 

 

 

this method looks reasonable, quick, and maybe not costly.... speaking as a proud non-tech, of course.

[stewgnu]

So.. grinding material off the arms doesn’t affect the system tolerences at all?

I ask because i do not know.

[stewgnu]

@docc ha!

[Lucky Phil]

So.. grinding material off the arms doesn’t affect the system tolerences at all?

I ask because i do not know.

Not enough to worry about. You are only grinding back to a knats over what its worn to anyway. Personally the Baisley roller conversion passes the "elegance" test for mine. Its what you would have done in the first place if you weren't constrained by production costs. Like gear driven cams, what engineers would do if "those that loom from the dismal science" (economists) didnt exist:)

 

Ciao    

[andy york]

maybe i will pull mine out and have a look see. rode hard and put up wet many times.

but my my my she loves it 

[docc]

Coming up on that magical 200,000 km mark!

 

We'll celebrate! Break out the Special Tool Fluid!

[footgoose]

notable quote if memory serves, overheard @ a recent SR evening conversation "don't ask me, I drank from the jar"