Rocker Covers?

[Dunkin]

On a Studebaker Avanti can you remove the left rocker cover without pulling the vacuum brake booster? Thank you.

[Dwight FitzSimons]

Yes.

[Dunkin]

Thank you.

[Dunkin]

The reason I asked is I am looking at changing the valve stem seals in the car. Has anyone done this and do you have any suggestions for doing it? Thank you.

[mfg]

3 hours ago, Dunkin said:

The reason I asked is I am looking at changing the valve stem seals in the car. Has anyone done this and do you have any suggestions for doing it? Thank you.

With the cylinder heads in place, I’ve always removed the rocker shaft, then went down the line of cylinders, filling each in turn with 125 lbs. or so of air pressure to keep the valves closed… Some folks feed nylon rope into the cylinder, then turn engine by hand until that cylinders piston comes up and compresses the rope against the valves.. I’ve never tried that….

Br careful not to lose the two valve keepers after you compress the valve spring…..

Also, in my opinion, only the eight intake valves require valve seals.

[Dunkin]

MFG, thank you for your input. Looks like there are two different ways of doing it, rocker shaft removed with one type of tool and the other with the shaft left on with another type of tool.   

[mfg]

1 hour ago, Dunkin said:

MFG, thank you for your input. Looks like there are two different ways of doing it, rocker shaft removed with one type of tool and the other with the shaft left on with another type of tool.   

I like using the ‘two legged’  valve spring compression tool…. Easy to use, and relatively inexpensive if you don’t already have one….. Pulling the rocker shaft gives you more room to ‘operate’, and doesn’t hurt anything as long as you re-torque the four head bolts.

[Dunkin]

MFG, did you do this with the engine in the car? Did you use a tool like KD-2078? Thanks

[mfg]

22 minutes ago, Dunkin said:

MFG, did you do this with the engine in the car? Did you use a tool like KD-2078? Thanks

Yes…. If the engine was removed from my Avanti, I would have probably pulled the heads off and cleaned things up.

And yes… that ‘KD’ tool is the one… A decent tool similar to it can be purchased at Harbor Freight.

 

[Dunkin]

Thank you for your advice!

[mfg]

2 hours ago, Dunkin said:

Thank you for your advice!

You’re welcome!… Good luck!