Removing cylinder head cover

[mark747eagle]

I still have AIS fitted, but I need to remove the cylinder head (valve) cover to rub down and paint it.  Does anyone know if I have to remove the AIS / radiator etc to do that?  Or willl the cover come out without disturbing AIS?

[sadlonelygit]

Or willl the cover come out without disturbing AIS?

Hahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.................plonk.

[mark747eagle]

is that a 'no' then?

[sadlonelygit]

apart from check tyre pressures, adjusting the chain.........ais is in the way is in the way of everything!

[mark747eagle]

oh well better roll my sleeves up and dig out an 8mm tap then.  Ta

[GrahamB]

Good luck with that. Make sure it's a good quality tap & I hope you got a spanner or something small enough to fit the end. You can hardly get on it for cylinders 1 & 4.  Not the nicest job I got to say. 

[mark747eagle]

I thought it might be.  Borrowed a set of Clarke taps from a mate.  I think I have BA spanners that will fit.  I was hoping I could get the cover off without all this but.....

[GrahamB]

You could always refit all the pipes once the cover is painted? You don't HAVE to ditch the AIS when you take it all off but I know where you're coming from in wanting to.

[mark747eagle]

That'll still mean removing the tank and draining ad removing the radiator?  I cant see how else to get the pipes off.  The manual was a bit confusing.  Suggested removing AIS pipes for better access to valve shims - which I thought meant you could get the cover off without taking the AIS pipes out - but I can't see how!

[eddie]

have a look here


http://www.cartestsoftware.com/fz1/airin...moval.html

[mark747eagle]

Thanks.  That's brilliant! 

[Falcon 269]

This is the tap you need.  Please don't try the job with anything other than a tapered tap or you'll likely be back here asking how to remove a broken one from the stub.

[VNA]

Good luck with that. Make sure it's a good quality tap & I hope you got a spanner or something small enough to fit the end. You can hardly get on it for cylinders 1 & 4.  Not the nicest job I got to say.  [img alt=]http://foc-u.co.uk/Smileys/efocicon/sad.gif[/img]

Ach it's not that difficult, not that difficult at all.

Yes you need to get the radiator out of the way.  Can't remember what I used on the end of the tap, either a small spanner (ring spanners are always nice if you can get em on) or a 4 inch shifter.

I might be trying to tell you how to suck eggs, but just in case.  As Mike says, start with the taper tap, make sure you get it in square, and once you have it established - turn it in a half or full turn at a time, then back it off and in again, work in gradually, bring it right back out now and again and clean all the crap off the tap.

1 and 4 are tight but it'll go.

Use a good quality tap.

These should be OK;

www.buckandhickman.com/find/keyword-is-m8+tap+taper/product-is-022624

Has the bike been Ivanised?

[mark747eagle]

Tanks guys - no the bike hasn't been Ivanised unfortunately.  I have borrowed a decent set of tapered taps, have used them before but a long time ago.  (as a hint - it was a BSA Starfire....) 

[VNA]

Well worth getting it Ivanised (if a former owner hasn't done it already)

It'll pull strong and clean from 2000rpm and is much much smoother once Ivanised, it rids the bike of surging at steady lower rpm running.

Mike (Falcon269) did mine along with 100's of others.

[mark747eagle]

Thanks for that - will look into Ivanising.  The tapping is noty proviing very sucessful - I think tap I have may be a bit worn as its taking huge pressure to cut (and I've checked it's straight) that I think if I try any harder it will snap..  So may have to go buy a good one or go for the Holeshot kit.  Or even an M7 which might cut itself in without tapping - a bit of a butcher job but with some loctite it isn't going anywhere.

[Falcon 269]

The correct tap is the one I showed above.  With that, the thread will cut like a hot knife through butter.  If the one you've tried isn't cutting like that, it's either knackered or there's something amiss with your technique.

At the risk of asking a dumb question, you are using grease on the tap ... ?

[mark747eagle]

Falcon

Yes using grease.  It's a tapered 8mm x 1.25  but made by Clarke.  I checked its alighnment - it will go in a few turns up to the end of the taper plus maybe a turn and then jam. Done the usual turning it back and forward but no joy.  I think I need a much better quality tap.   

[sadlonelygit]

if you have a shiney new tap (£6) it will glide down the spigots. foccing about with a 10 yo well used tap will end in tears.

[VNA]

I don't think I'd trust a Clarke tap for a job like that.

The Roebuck I linked to would be the minimum quality I would use.

Takes a wee bit of force to cut, but nothing major.