I’m restoring my rocker arms. They all have a wear pattern
from the valve stems.
I melted off the solder with a propane torch. All the little
plugs had been put in sideways. What was that all about?
Anybody else noticed that? They were rather tight, had to
heat the arms up awhile to get the plugs out.
I’m reaming out the old wicks with a 1/8’’ drill bit, being
careful not to damage the bronze bushings because they look
ok as is.
I found wool wicking felt in 1/8’’ diameter cord stock. Is
that the same as engineer’s felt?
These plugs are so tiny. I’m thinking of making new longer
ones out of 1/8’’ brass rod. Has anybody tried tapping the
arms and putting in screws?–
XK120 FHC, Mark V saloon, XJ12L Series II
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In reply to a message from Rob Reilly sent Fri 23 May 2008:
Rob ,
No you need to use proper engineers felt, It’s white , not that
the engine is colour co-ordinated but it identifies the right
stuff. You buy it in sheets and cut it with a Stanley Knife into
strips. Juliened as a chef would call it.
If you can’t find it, let me know your address and I’ll post you
some.
Why were the brass pieces put in side ways. I suppose because the
P O could. It has been my experience that if something can be
cocked up , someone , somewhere will have already done it.
You just need to get 1/8’’ brass rod cut into very short lengths
with a slight champfer on one end of each [ as you cut each one
off] tap them in and soft solder over them .
You will need a very hot iron. I don’t think any electric will do
it. A large copper iron heated with a gas torch till you can see
blue colours start to appear.
Get the ends of the rockers very clean.
If you are not putting in a new rocker shaft this will be OK.
If you are installing a new rocker shaft, there will be worn off
microscopic particles of steel in the original bushes that will
wear the shaft more quickly–
The original message included these comments:
I melted off the solder with a propane torch. All the little
plugs had been put in sideways. What was that all about?
Anybody else noticed that? They were rather tight, had to
heat the arms up awhile to get the plugs out.
I’m reaming out the old wicks with a 1/8’’ drill bit, being
careful not to damage the bronze bushings because they look
ok as is.
I found wool wicking felt in 1/8’’ diameter cord stock. Is
that the same as engineer’s felt?
In reply to a message from Ed Nantes sent Sat 24 May 2008:
Ed’s advice is similar to what I did. The brass inserts seem merely
to help fill the hole into which the felts are inserted, solder not
closing that large a hole easily. I used a brass rod and cut small
pieces as needed. Remember if you take material off the rocker
face, you change the valve opening and closing timing during the
cycle. On both the engine in my car and a spare engine, the felt
wicks were basically solid corks blocking oil flow to the valve
stems. The spare engine has significantly-worn rocker ends showing
the valve stems working into the rocker surface.
If the rocker shaft is changed to a new one, be aware that the new
one may have the oil holes in a different location, between the
bushings rather than partially covered by one. There is a flat
milled on the original to regulate oil flow from the hole to
between the bushings. A new shaft may need special bushings made,
rather than using the ones which come with it, to limit oil flow.
This I discovered by using a new one and finding huge amounts of
oil gushing out the bushing sides. Walt Osborn made up a set of new
bushings for the new shaft which has worked quite well for me.–
Roger McWilliams
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In reply to a message from Roger McWilliams sent Sat 24 May 2008:
Thanks, guys, for the good advice.
I’ve been searching the web and found that engineering felt
is a term more commonly used in Australia than the USA, and
that Australian Grade A is equivalent to SAE Grade F1, ASTM
D461, which is recommended for lubrication wicks. My local
industrial supplier McMaster-Carr has it at 98 cents a foot,
part no. 8767K21 www.mcmaster.com
They also have alloy 360 brass rod. I think I will make
those plugs about 3/16’’ long and let them stick out a little
bit so the next time they have to come out there is
something to catch with the pliers.–
XK120 FHC, Mark V saloon, XJ12L Series II
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In reply to a message from Rob Reilly sent Wed 28 May 2008:
I have oil passages in my rockers cleaned out and I am
ready to put them back together. I see the info below from
a few years ago. Has any subsequent info come to light that
would give reason to use different materials?
Thanks
Doug Faust–
The original message included these comments:
that Australian Grade A is equivalent to SAE Grade F1, ASTM
D461, which is recommended for lubrication wicks. My local
industrial supplier McMaster-Carr has it at 98 cents a foot,
part no. 8767K21 www.mcmaster.com
They also have alloy 360 brass rod. I think I will make
those plugs about 3/16’’ long and let them stick out a little
bit so the next time they have to come out there is
something to catch with the pliers.
In reply to a message from Doug Faust sent Sun 11 Dec 2011:
No nothing has changed
It must be Engineers felt
It’s not critical to have some hanging out to gripp
I usually just drill the old stuff out with a 1/8’’ drill
The rocker is hard so the drill can only go one place, and the old
felt will be so hard you’ll need to drill it out anyway.
The new bushes should be reamed witha spiral reamer not adjustable
And you’ll need a big soldering iron , very hot to resolder them.
I warm a big one up with an oxy torch or gas bottle.
Off the subject but just then I needed to send an email to Bob
Lovell and couldn’t remember his email address.
So I went into the forums search and searched for the key word ‘’
Yowza’’ Easy.–
The original message included these comments:
I have oil passages in my rockers cleaned out and I am
ready to put them back together. I see the info below from
a few years ago. Has any subsequent info come to light that
would give reason to use different materials?