Rocker cover Alternative to spring clip, Ideas 2L CU Aircool

[robertwatters]

1982 air-cooled 2Litre CU engine Petrol/LPG Bolt on covers too expensive.

After replacing push rod tube seals,
I was just putting the rocker cover back on and prising up the large retaining spring clip when the B***** thing broke. Right in the hole with minimal chance of extracting the broken bit. Only about 2mm of the spring is sticking out. I have tried gripping it with no success. Tricky access to drill out, but even then I'd probably ruin the cylinder head, if that's what it is . We're just above pension credit level so can't afford a new pair of bolt on jobs at £99 (JKampers).

I might try to weld something to the remains to give me something to grip, or I might try to figure out a way of getting a couple of metal straps round the cover and between the push rod tubes, to hold it on with some sort of spring compression.

Just as well I put it on SORN at the end of last month!!!

Please PM me with any offers or alternative ideas. I would be very grateful!

[itchyfeet]

Tried gripping with what?
you need mole grips, 2mm is enough, file two small flats on the remaining bits, soak on penetrating oil, few taps with a hammer, mole grips on then rotate back and fourth, it will be siezed by corrosion.

[Oldiebut goodie]

Usually when a spring snaps it does so at an oblique angle so there may not be much meat to make a flat on. A pencil blowlamp would help getting a bit of heat to it to help free it. A piece of suitably sized 2mm sheet with the correct sized hole could be used for welding/brazing onto the stub - the sheet would act as a shield for the surrounding area.
Bit fiddly that by the sound of it.

[itchyfeet]

I wonder if you can mod standard covers to bolt on by drilling holes?
bolt on covers must have longer studs or adapters? not seen them myself

[sarran1955]

Hello..

Are we thrashing about a bit here ?..

1982 air-cooled 2Litre CU engine

After replacing push rod tube seals,

I hope you fitted the 'wongly' spring wire under the rocker bars..that holds the pushrod tubes in place..

If not.. you may well still have leaks..

I was just putting the rocker cover back on and prising up the large retaining spring clip when the B***** thing broke.

PRISING ??

If your rocker covers and springs are so rusty and crusty, then they will leak oil..

Prising dents into the covers will not help.



OE quality.. 25€ each, not handed..

Use cork gaskets, and a little grease to seal.....NO GOOP

As for the spring, its remains are sitting in the 'well' on the head..

This will come out.. but don't get drastic..

freeing oil, small 'winkling out' tool, compressed air..

It's amazing how they can get stuck once they are gouged in...

Paint new rocker covers, not the springs..

Fit good springs.

Grease spring tips and fit correctly..ie: when in place the middle looks 'sad'..

Should fit with a good push..and use a soft mallet to bed the cover in place

BTW, the way to remove the covers is to use a length of polyprop cord round the wire...and tug..

Air- cooled bliss...

Cordialement,

[robertwatters]

Thanks for all the advice Guys and Gals.

just a quickie to let you know that after spending about 6 hours tapping, using easing oil etc. I tried welding to the stub thinking that at least the heat would help dislodge the stuck bit. Crap welding , couldn't get it to take.
Finally drilled a couple of (very shallow) holes in the Ali and got a better angle on the steel stub. This finally got it to budge! Whew! I was sweating about doing more damage.

New spring from JK and engine sounding nice. No leaks so far. While it's up on the Jack (and axle stands ) I'm doing a bodge on the heater pipe to fill in the holes. Before the other side gives problems I'll treat it to some easing oil.

Seems to be a reluctance to recommend bolt on covers. My standard covers were replaced a few years ago when they rusted through. That was my no. 1 oil leak!

Thanks for all the advice once more! Also, thank you YouTube!

[kevtherev]

Not sure if you have heard of Brickwerks, but they sell quality products.
More than a few of us have discovered JK do not.
If Simon does not have it, or VW, then I use Heritage, the camping shop is my last port of call.

Again, just my opinion, the advice from BY about products, is also 1st class and very trustworthy.

[robertwatters]

Just bought an emergency set of push rod seals to keep handy when the other side leaks from Brickwerks. I tend to shop around and JK are not always the cheapest. Machine 7 is also somewhere that I look.

Thanks Kev
Robert

[kevtherev]

I'm sure you've heard the phrase "buy cheap buy twice"
In our case with these old vans quality does matter.
There a many here who can testify to that.
We're here to point you at cheap quality, or just plain good quality.
There's a thread here with the quality suppliers listed.
It doesn't matter where or who sells it, but fitting it is preferable to using unknown manufacturing standards and material suitability.
Wheel bearings are a case in point.
I don't want to come over as teaching grandma to suck eggs, so I apologise if you're already practising our advice.

[CovKid]

Also, suppliers sometimes switch brands. A case in point is wheelbearings and GSF. They seem to be stuck with the label of chocolate bearings when in fact they now sell better quality ones and have done for a couple of years. If you know what you're doing you can shop around, if you don't you go to an outlet you have absolute faith in.

I don't see why 2.0 pushrod covers couldn't be modded to accept bolts - you'd just need to calculate the headroom underneath and make suitable spacers. That said, with good springs and a smear of grease on the gaskets as Sarran correctly highlighted, they shouldn't leak. New springs always good though. If they're easy to clip/unclip, they need replacing.