valve spring buckets WILL NOT GO BACK IN....

[ERM83]

I'm almost done with this rebuild, and now I can't get ANY of these buckets to fit back in. I didn't mix them up, and this is making me IRATE. any suggestions???

[3Phase]

Erm,

Add plenty of oil, set the bucket in the hole and then gently turn it until it lines up and drops into place. Don't force it.

Edit: If they really won't go back, put them in the freezer for a while so they shrink and set the head someplace warm.

[ERM83]

i'm going to give that a shot now. I've been screwing with these things for two hours now. I got so pissed that I threw my screwdriver across the garage. I keep running into one thing after another with this build. If people openly used expletives on this forum, my original post would've had PLENTY, haha. time for a beer break...

[ERM83]

first attempt was not successful. i'm gonna leave the heat gun on it for a little...see if that works.

[Ken Talbot]

I've never had trouble getting buckets to slide back in, but I would have to add a vote to tossing them in the freezer for a while to shrink them.

[ERM83]

tried the freezer trick, didn't work. tried it on every one of these. what the hell am I doing wrong?! they came out just fine. I'm pissed off beyond belief right now. I've now spent six hours trying EVERYTHING to get these back in. spinning them didn't work, because oil gets everywhere. no grip. i'd start to spin them (using PLENTY of oil), and then it would just get bound, try to grip, oil would make my hands slip, it comes out of the start of the hole; repeat. i'm about to just say to hell with it, and get a new head. the hell I've gone through with this thing is honestly making me lose my mind. I just want to ride it for the rest of this season. AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH.....

[ERM83]

Man, I gotta make a rebuild thread. Also, I meant to make one about scoring a garage-kept (but not ridden) 80 special for 600$! it's ALL original, and I think i'm going to keep it that way. Has compression...that's all I was worried about. I can clean it up easily. HOWEVER, back to the 79'...these buckets seem like they're too big. I've seriously tried EVERYTHING. they will not go back in. THEN, I tried to pull the head back off to make it maybe a bit more feasible to get the damned things in there, and now the head won't come off. broke a couple of pieces of fins as well. SO FRIGGIN' BUMMED. ANY input on this would be appreciated. I don't know why these things won't go back in....I think the head is just screwed. It ran (roughly) when I got it...I don't get it, and i'm frustrated to the point of being delusional. there's been two nights (days) so far, where I've literally worked on this thing for 24 hours straight. I CAN'T STOP until this thing is running. I know what to do as soon as these buckets are in...need to get them in there, though!

[red bandit]

If the hole & the buckets are clean and you didn't damage (ding) them after you removed them, then you don't have the bucket lined up straight with the hole. It can be tricky sometimes. If you start getting mad..........walk away for a bit.

[Prothec]

... and now the head won't come off. broke a couple of pieces of fins as well. SO FRIGGIN' BUMMED. ANY input on this would be appreciated.

I'm sure you remembered to remove the nuts on the studs on the front and rear underside of the head, right? The cam chain adjuster needs to be removed to get the front one off. I just pulled the head from my '79 SF. When a couple whacks with the mallet didn't budge it, I realized I forgot those.

A couple more carefully placed whacks with the rubber mallet and I was good to go. Every head I've pulled has come off easily this way.

[Prothec]

If the hole & the buckets are clean and you didn't damage (ding) them after you removed them, then you don't have the bucket lined up straight with the hole. It can be tricky sometimes. If you start getting mad..........walk away for a bit.

+1 on this, especially the walking away part

[trbig]

The buckets can be a bit tricky to get lined up right, but eyeballing it, you can see which way they get cocked in the hole. Tap on the opposite side of the bucket with a wooden/plastic handle and it should drop just a bit, then tap on opposite side, back and forth and eventually it will slide home. If you tap too hard and it gets jammed, just tap it on the side of the bucket until it straightens. Don't go all ape on it with the hitting to where you scar the head where the buckets slide, but you aren't going to hurt those buckets. Very hard steel.

[sthomag]

I'm reassembling my engine and had the same problem a couple of days ago. Here's what I found.

First, use motor oil for lube, not assembly lube. Assembly lube is stickier and doesn't work as well.

Second, use a syringe or something to completely coat the walls of the valve spring tunnel with oil.

Third, pour a little oil into a cup or something and dip the lifter in it so that the bottom is completely coated with it.

After doing those things, they just slid right in. In this case, as in love, a lot of lube makes things work better.

[mack]

Big thing

to remember with these bikes. If it doesn't fit in right away, your the mistake or your technique. These are machined for low tolerance but extremely well engineered. I've learned that if it doesn't slide/ fit right in, I'm doing something wrong.

[IanDMacDonald]

if it doesn't slide/ fit right in, I'm doing something wrong.

That's what she said!