Airheads,,,which way does the engine rotate??

Steve G. · 11-23-2012, 08:12 PM

I'm setting my valves, using an allen key to spin the engine. Just occured to me that I don't know which way it spins while running,,,,

Steve

ME 109 · 11-23-2012, 08:24 PM

I would opt to not undo the rotor bolt.

Airhead Wrangler · 11-23-2012, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ME 109

I would opt to not undo the rotor bolt.

In other words, clockwise looking at the rotor.

Bill Harris · 11-23-2012, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ME 109

I would opt to not undo the rotor bolt.

I like the way you put that...

--Bill

robtg · 11-23-2012, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Airhead Wrangler

In other words, clockwise looking at the rotor.

Come on, you guys gave it away too soon. Before the internet I had to put it in gear and turn the rear wheel in the forward direction and look and see which way the engine turned.

Steve G. · 11-23-2012, 08:56 PM

Thanks guys. I'm upgrading the charging system as well, so if it comes loose, all the better.

BTW, I've just re & I'd the heads to fix leaky pushrod seals. I've commited a very stupid thing, this being the very first time i've pulled apart my GS. What did I do? I failed to re-install the pushrods in the same holes/position that they were in before. So am I going to end up buggering the pushrods/rocker adjusters/cam followers??
Steve

eepeqez · 11-23-2012, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve G.

I'm setting my valves, using an allen key to spin the engine. Just occured to me that I don't know which way it spins while running,,,,

Steve

Imagine it has an old style starter handle sticking out the front, like my first few cars.

Remembering that most of us are right handed, which direction does the handle go to start the motor?

ME 109 · 11-23-2012, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robtg

Come on, you guys gave it away too soon. Before the internet I had to put it in gear and turn the rear wheel in the forward direction and look and see which way the engine turned.

Geez Rob, you must have 6' long arms!
Bloody handy at times I 'spose.
Wait a minute, how long is your neck?

Steve, don't worry about the push rods. It isn't a perfect world.

robtg · 11-23-2012, 09:14 PM

"Geez Rob, you must have 6' long arms!
Bloody handy at times I 'spose."

Yes it is.

Airhead Wrangler · 11-24-2012, 06:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve G.

I failed to re-install the pushrods in the same holes/position that they were in before. So am I going to end up buggering the pushrods/rocker adjusters/cam followers??

Some people obsess over keeping pushrods matched to the same follower, but I can't really see how it'd make ANY difference at all. I'd just reassemble and check your valve clearances. They probably will need adjusting as I'm guessing your pushrods will vary in length +/- a couple thousandths.

disston · 11-24-2012, 07:08 AM

It's not usually a big deal to mix the parts. If time and space permit I keep things together. Do this on V8 engines if I can but sometimes everything just goes in one box. On reassembly the Airhead push rods and cam followers you will be cleaning and checking them. That's probably more important than keeping the individual pieces together.

Use assembly lube.

Steve G. · 11-24-2012, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Airhead Wrangler

Some people obsess over keeping pushrods matched to the same follower, but I can't really see how it'd make ANY difference at all. I'd just reassemble and check your valve clearances. They probably will need adjusting as I'm guessing your pushrods will vary in length +/- a couple thousandths.

Yeah, when I pulled the heads off, first thing I did was spin all the adjusters loose. When I put it back together I used liberal quantities of Iskendarian engine assembly lube on all the rockers & pushrod ends.

I remember pulling big ol' V8's apart, grabbing the pushrods and wrapping them in rubber band, never keeping track of them.

Picked up fresh sparkplugs, [Bosch W7DC is now 7900] and will fire the girl up Sunday, hopefully no banging or smashing, just typical airhead burbling.

ME 109 · 11-24-2012, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve G.

Picked up fresh sparkplugs, [Bosch W7DC is now 7900] and will fire the girl up Sunday, hopefully no banging or smashing, just typical airhead burbling.

Turn the engine over by hand without the plugs in, and make sure everything goes as it should.

disston · 11-24-2012, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ME 109

I would opt to not undo the rotor bolt.

Isn't ME 109 one of the NooBies? They aren't supposed to show up the Old Timers with things that sound Wise.

Steve G. · 11-24-2012, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ME 109

Turn the engine over by hand without the plugs in, and make sure everything goes as it should.

Did just as you said after work this afternoon. Spins very nicely with no resistance or inconsistant spinning resistance. New plugs in, tappet covers off just to see if oil is being delivered to the rockers and make sure the pushrods are spinning well. It fired up as it usually does right away, and within 10 seconds oil was being delivered through the pushrods as well as the rockers shafts, a very good site.

Now for that Duralast charging system,,,,,,,

11-23-2012, 08:12 PM	#1
Steve G. ^OP Beastly Adventurer Joined: Oct 2004 Location: British Columbia Oddometer: 5,912	Airheads,,,which way does the engine rotate?? I'm setting my valves, using an allen key to spin the engine. Just occured to me that I don't know which way it spins while running,,,, Steve __________________ Garage Residents: '72 Norton 750 Combat, '74 Honda CT70, '74 Norton 850 Interstate, '81 Laverda Jota '89 Honda RC30, '91 BMW R100GS '08 BMW R1200GS

11-23-2012, 08:24 PM	#2
ME 109 Studly Adventurer Joined: Jun 2009 Location: Albury Australia Oddometer: 612	I would opt to not undo the rotor bolt. __________________ Lord of the Bings

11-23-2012, 08:56 PM	#6
Steve G. ^OP Beastly Adventurer Joined: Oct 2004 Location: British Columbia Oddometer: 5,912	Thanks guys. I'm upgrading the charging system as well, so if it comes loose, all the better. BTW, I've just re & I'd the heads to fix leaky pushrod seals. I've commited a very stupid thing, this being the very first time i've pulled apart my GS. What did I do? I failed to re-install the pushrods in the same holes/position that they were in before. So am I going to end up buggering the pushrods/rocker adjusters/cam followers?? Steve __________________ Garage Residents: '72 Norton 750 Combat, '74 Honda CT70, '74 Norton 850 Interstate, '81 Laverda Jota '89 Honda RC30, '91 BMW R100GS '08 BMW R1200GS

11-24-2012, 07:08 AM	#11
disston ShadeTreeExpert Joined: Mar 2011 Location: Silver Spring, Md Oddometer: 5,020	It's not usually a big deal to mix the parts. If time and space permit I keep things together. Do this on V8 engines if I can but sometimes everything just goes in one box. On reassembly the Airhead push rods and cam followers you will be cleaning and checking them. That's probably more important than keeping the individual pieces together. Use assembly lube. __________________ Never memorize something you can look up. ---Albert Einstein

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11-23-2012, 09:14 PM	#9
robtg Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Jun 2007 Location: san jose Oddometer: 359	"Geez Rob, you must have 6' long arms! Bloody handy at times I 'spose." Yes it is.