Topic: broken tappet cover

[vanaman]

Well i decided that before i put my carbs back on my bike i would adjust the valves.  they were making a racket last fall.

i pulled the first cover off adjusted it, no problems.  lets go to the second one.  hmm the cover is siezed and starting to strip.  So i move on to the rest of the cover to get them off.  They all come till the last exhaust valve cover.  The threaded part of the tappet cover is still in there but the cover is off.


how do i get the threads out of it?

steve

[scondon]

Tappet covers are made of pretty soft stuff. As you have already found out, they break easy if over torqued. If you can't spin the remains of the cover out, break it. Be careful as you do it not to have chunks drop inside the motor. It should break apart in large pieces that are easy to fish out, but don't be sloppy about it

New ones at Z1Enterprises for cheap. Get new seals, and don't torque them down hard when you re-install. Snug is good. If they leak, you need new seals. Torquing the cover down tighter won't help much and will just lead to another broken cover.

[ekpent]

If the whole cover is broke off the threads usually will come our very easily. If just the nut head section is broken out but the large round section of cover and threads are still there grab the cap on the sides with some large pliers or vise grips and turn it out.

[vanaman]

i went to a local bike graveyard and they were able to dig a couple out of a box in the back room.

he said the remains should just twist out easy.   we will see.

steve

[Popwood]

I  panicked when this happened to me last summer. Came in, searched the forum, got some of the same advice here. Went out and found I could easily twist out with my fingers the threaded remains of the cover.

That big old hex on these covers just begs you to crank it down-- but don't do it. Go finger tight and a quarter turn. Ride it, and if you see a little seepage, just snug it up a little more. Be sure your seals are good. I found off the shelf O-rings at the local hardware store that work fine, about 50 cents a piece.