Posts Tagged ‘push rod removal’
Having already removed the tank, coil and carburator it is time to remove the pushrods and covers. Before you start you might take a minute a remove your spark plugs (or one from each head in my case.) It will make it a lot easier to roll the motor and get the tappets bottomed out.
Using your fingers you should be able to press down slightly on the retaining gusset located near the top of each push rod cover tube. While slightly compressing the retaining gusset use either a pair of pliers or a regular screw driver to grip the raised nurl on the locking clip (about an inch above the retining gusset) and pull out to free the bottom of the clip. Repeat this process for each of the four push rod cover tubes.
Lift the bottom of the front exhaust push rod cover tube de-telescoping it to as short as possible. I then use a piece of coat hanger with a small hook on one end and a hanger on the other to hook the bottom of the push rod cover tube and hang the other end on the top of the rocker cover. This gets the damned tube out of your way and frees your hands for other uses.
Once you have the cover tube out of the way either use your starter or put the bike in 2nd gear and roll the motor until you see the push rod bottom-out in the lifter block. In this position you should be able to see the adjusting, locking and fixed bolt faces. Using the fixed (bottom) and locking nuts (tightly secured to the fixed piece) and two 7/16 inch wrenches break to locking nut loose and spin it all the way up the adjusting screw. Once topped out, thread the adjusting screw into the fixed nut until loose enough to pull the push rod from its tappet seat. I keep each push rod with the same cover tube and mark them so I can put each back where it came from. Maybe overkill bit can’t hurt. Notice that the front intake push rod is longer than the others? Do and remember it.
Repeat this process for each of the remaining push rods.