Topic: Valve rocker arm good or bad?

[Nicolai]

Hi all

I currently restoring my CB500 engine and have just realised that one of the valve rocker arms are a bit rough. Is this part usable or not?

Nicolai

[lucky]

It does not look useable from that photo.
Looks like a gouge deep into the metal.

Can you get a better photo or from an angle?

Yes , I did click on the photo to enlarge it.

[bryanj]

No that is not usable as the hardchrome plating has started to lift

[Nicolai]

I don't have a better picture right now, but I think that you are right that it is not usable.

I do have a nother head cover from a CB500 K3 1977 where I can take a rocker arm from, but for some reason I cannot seem to get the rocker arms out of the '77 head cover. On this cover it is easy enough, but the '77 head cover is a bit different.

[TwoTired]

The wear is likely from rocker shaft hole elongation, which Honda fixed with an improved cylinder cover design.

You are better off using the newer cover if you already have one.
Below is the S/B which covers the change.

Check also the cam lobe for the worn rocker.  It often shows similar damage all due to the cylinder cover rocker shaft hole elongation.

[Nicolai]

Thanks a lot for the pdf...that also explains why I cannot get the rocker arm shaft out on the newer head.

[Nicolai]

So here are some pictures of both covers. The situation is like this:

On the first cover (the clean one) most of the rocker arms look fine except the one in the bottom left side. I can feel some play in both rocker arms in the bottom left side.

On the second cover (the dirty one) I can feel no play in any of the rocker arms, but almost all rocker arms look to have a slightly rougher surface. Are they to rough to use?

Which cover should I go for and what is usable and what is not?

[TwoTired]

Below is pic showing the cause of your rocker arm wear.  If your old one has this step in the bore, you are better of with the newer style.  Just commit to cleaning up the newer one and using it.  It will be trouble free for the life of the engine.  The old style will have no such assurance.