Dropped Valve repair

davem201m38 · Post by **davem201m38** » Tue Oct 24, 2017 5:14 am

Hi all,
I've managed to 'drop a valve' on the rear cylinder. This is the first time I've ever done this with a flat head motor.

Do you guys have a method of fixing this without taking the head off?
Many thanks,
Cheers,
Dave

Post by **wesk** » Tue Oct 24, 2017 10:22 am

Air pressure applied to the spark plug hole at around 90 to 120 lbs may keep it closed while re-installing the keeper if you are very gentle with the side valve spring compressor or you can feed a piece of rope or wedge thru the spark plug hole over to the valve head pocket that will keep the valve from lifting a lot then use the side valve spring compressor and re-install the keepers.

davem201m38 · Post by **davem201m38** » Wed Oct 25, 2017 9:50 am

Thank Wes,
I'll try a version of that, side valve spring compressors about as common as rocky horse poo over here. Only $25 dollars on ebay but $75 by the time shipping, customs and post office are finished.
WE may try making a pair.

Cheers, Dave.

4x4M38 · Post by **4x4M38** » Wed Oct 25, 2017 12:55 pm

Dave!
With all of the antique vehicles on the islands there has to
be a trove of those things around!

Maybe try an antique car club and see if you can borrow
one!

Take care,

davem201m38 · Post by **davem201m38** » Thu Oct 26, 2017 3:49 am

Sadly no, been looking and had half an eye out, on and off for a pair of these for many years.
Totally different automotive culture. Side valve engines were 'out of date and old fashioned' in the UK while US manufacturers continued to make them for years. A bit like we never built with V8 engines the way the US did. If there were a pair of those at an auto jumble over here they would be around a hundred years old.
For example, I think Henry Ford knocked out about 4,000,000 Model As in 3 years, it took Land Rover 50 years to produce a 1,000,000 Land Rovers - but that could be total production!
We don't have the culture of 'hoarding' and we don't have the 'homestead' and 'barn' culture or space. Technology and tools roll over a lot faster than your side of the pond. Hence things vanish faster. There is now a HUGE trade bringing US 'barn find' Triumph, Norton, BSA etc bikes coming back from the US to the UK because they survived in garage, barns etc in the US.
Last I checked ebay there wasn't even a pair for sale in Europe! but they were everywhere on US Ebay. I may try 'new' somebody is bound to make a modern version for a similar job. Or we may just make a pair. Different automotive cultures.

davem201m38 · Post by **davem201m38** » Thu Oct 26, 2017 4:02 am

Bloody $&%. FOUND A PAIR!
Yee Har!

4x4M38 · Post by **4x4M38** » Thu Oct 26, 2017 6:51 am

Attaboy!

Better lock them up when your pals are around!