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1922 Rocker arm shaft


Mark Kikta

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Can anyone tell me how to remove these rocker arm shafts?  It looks like the ends can be removed to access the rockers themselves but I don't want to break anything. They look like they just unscrew?

rocker arms coming off.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

Morgan,

 

I thought the same thing when I saw it.  As soon as I saw that Roger was making new pipes, I ordered a new one.  No sense even trying to use the one on the car.  I think there is more tape/hose on that pipe than there is steel left.

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Never had a need to have mine apart either. Just sharing what I was told.  Believe there is no oil hole to line up. The shaft does not insert far enough at the center mount to need that. 

 

I do know it is important to adjust the axial end clearance/play so you don’t lock them up or have them too tight for axial end play and I’ve been told you can rotate and lock down the shaft 180 degrees from where it is worn if need be. 

 

A related side comment. I use rear axle lube in my onboard oil can for these, not engine oil. And I fill each valve spring retainer cup with same and let it work down to the felt washers on each valve stem.  Part of my pre-flight when I get it out for a jaunt or at a fuel fill up (~100 miles) on a travel/tour day. 

 

Anyone else with with firsthand knowledge  on the rocker shaft retention please chime in. 

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And on the water distribution pipe.  Mine is shot too in the middle so I have a length of Buick script radiator hose between the two stand pipe sections along with Buick script clamps and then another length of Buick script hose out to the radiator and two more script clamps. Looks fine and beat the $250 they wanted years ago for a pipe.  How much are the now?  Been running that way for 20+ years.  

 

Pretty soon on you guys are going to know all my cheap-skate Fix-it secrets!

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I finally got one rocker arm shaft out.  They are made to push in or out, maybe with some twisting to help get them out.  They are clamped in place with the bolts holding this on the engine. The notch on the end cap is pointing the same direction as the holes in the rocker arm shafts that lubricate the oil line that goes out to the push rods.  The shafts and the holes going to the push rods are stuffed with a wicking material. After seeing how they actually get lubricated, I don’t think I need to take the others apart. Both of these are very clean after soaking in that carburator cleaner for 4 days. They all seem very free moving and not sloppy at all.

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Brian says that he does not use engine oil in the rocker galleys.  I do not use that either.  I have been using 80W90 Gear Lube.  This is thick enough to stay in place in a non running engine.  When the engine gets up to operating temperature it will flow to where it is needed.  I believe it was the late Dave Chambers who imparted that bit of advice to me.  Sure seems to work well.

 

Terry Wiegand

Doo Dah America

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Mark,

In the second photo (one with the short rocker arm shaft) are the drilled holes on just one side of the shaft?  The drilled hole allows for lubricant to feed to the push rod socket end of the arm and it wouldn't need to go to the valve stem end of the arm.  Do I have this figured out correctly here?  This explains the slot on the one side of the shoulder of the shaft (indexing for oil hole alignment).

 

Terry Wiegand

Out Doo Dah Way

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You are correct Terry.  There are only holes on one side of the shaft and the shaft is also stuffed with a wicking material.  I have never seen this run so I have no idea how lubricant gets to the other side of the rocker arms. There are no holes inside the rocker arm going to the valves.

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Morgan,

This page in my 1921 Reference manual says to insert oil can and use motor oil to fill the rocker arm bracket. see item number 6.  There are no threads in the hole and no cups installed to fill.  So I guess one is supposed to insert the oil can spout into the bracket center hole until in won't soak up any more oil. Doesn't give a frequency but  this manual says to change the oil frequently and rebuild the motor at least once a year which should include disassembly and cleaning.  Looks like Buick stamped some manual procedure changes into this manual. 

lube page of refernce manual.jpg

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Mark,

My 1916 has screw-down grease cups all over the chassis.  For the 1920 models, Buick went to the pin type Alemite fittings.  This was a great improvement to my thinking because there was positive lubrication getting to where it needed to be.  All of the grease cups on this car will have been removed and cleaned.  I will then insert an Alemite fitting and apply fresh chassis grease to that location.  The grease cup will be filled with the same chassis grease and then be re-installed.  Restoration Supply sells a grease cup with a zerk fitting that is covered with the screw down cover.  That's cheating in my way of thinking🤣.  Plus, those fittings are not exactly on the most economical side of things either.  I'll know when I have them all done, but I'm thinking that there is close to 50 of those cups scattered all over the car.  We're having fun aren't we?!😊.

 

Terry Wiegand

South Hutchinson, Kansas

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And .....  lots of people failed to remove the valve cover in 19 20 21 and 22 and lube the rockers so in 23 they added the three little swing cover doors to the valve cover to lube the three rocker wells with the valve cover in place  Only one year until full time pressurized overhead lube in 1924 but they still added the little doors. An indication of the severity of the issue in the field to make the change for one remaining year and how long it took to wear out the rockers and get the feedback to Flint. 

 

I believe I am correct that valve covers were added in 1919.  Someone correct me if I’m wrong. 

 

 

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