Tappet Cover Studs

[A_Starkz]

Hi,
Sorry for the probably stupid question, but I am stuck. I just finished putting the engine back together for my 1972 XS2 and while putting the tappet covers back on, I realized the the previous owner didn't screw the studs in all the way. Therefore, when I try to put the acorn nut on, it doesn't fully seat against the cover. I cant get the stud to budge and I am worried about using pliers in the case that I ruin the threads.

If anyone has any advice, I would REALLY appreciate it.
Thanks for your time

 

[weekendrider]

You have the flat and split ring washers? Maybe two flats?
Welcome to the forum.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

The manuals aren't real clear on this, but XS1-XS2's used a thick gasket under the valve covers. Then changed to o-rings with slightly shorter studs. Long studs with o-ring covers could be the problem...

 

[gggGary]

Couple of notes BEFORE you attempt to tighten them further! Remove them check/measure how deep they CAN go before they bottom in the hole. use a bottoming tap to chase threads in the head. Be very careful the threads are in aluminum and are kind of fragile. It helps to put the cover on with the other studs, to act as a guide and keep the tap straight.The bottom stud on the RH exhaust cover is notorious for stripping out. To tighten or remove studs get a pair of good quality metric nuts, tighten them against each other on the stud, now you can tighten loosen the stud with a wrench. You may need to heat the studs a bit, this is a place where threadlocker compound is often used.

 

[Michaelo]

To tighten or remove studs get a pair of good quality metric nuts, tighten them against each other on the stud, now you can tighten loosen the stud with a wrench. You may need to heat the studs a bit, this is a place where threadlocker compound is often used.

That's the way to do it, I knew someone would get there...I've been a tad slack today.....

 

[fredintoon]

Hi,
Sorry for the probably stupid question, but I am stuck. I just finished putting the engine back together for my 1972 XS2 and while putting the tappet covers back on, I realized the the previous owner didn't screw the studs in all the way. Therefore, when I try to put the acorn nut on, it doesn't fully seat against the cover. I cant get the stud to budge and I am worried about using pliers in the case that I ruin the threads.
If anyone has any advice, I would REALLY appreciate it.
Thanks for your time

Hi A Starkz and welcome,
did you ever have the thing running or was it's engine already apart when you got it?
Can you see threads on the studs where they screw into the head to indicate they ain't fully home?
There's deep dome acorn nuts and there's shallow dome ones too, which ones have you got?
Easiest fix is to either stack plain washers under the acorn nuts or use Nylok nuts instead.

 

[A_Starkz]

Hey guys, thanks for all the welcomes and all the good gouge!
Weekendrider: I think I might be a little OCD to just go with that fix. Dad always said, "If you're gunna do something, do it right"
Twomanyxs1bs: it's definitely the gasket covers. I took the old gaskets off and regasketed all the covers.
gggGary: That's some good gouge. I've never heard of the two nuts trick. You wouldn't happen to know what kind of nut to get to fit those small studs, do you?
Fredintoon: I got the bike all together, but it wouldn't start (however the engine wasn't seized either). I've been needing a hobby so I decided to take the top end apart and clean the insides. To your stud question, yes, I can see some of the threads that aresupposed to be screwed into the head and I believe I have shallow acorn nuts. As far as the double washer trick, I'd like to keep that as a last resort. I'd like to fix this thing right.

Thanks again for all the views and comments guys, this community is really great. Can you guys tell I'm a newbie on my first build. Lol

 

[weekendrider]

Your picture shows no washer. Is that how you are trying to do it?

 

[A_Starkz]

Weekendrider, so I was just putting them on without washers for the moment. I have all new hardware from Mike's XS. I was just using the old nuts to hold the covers on while I clean and pain the engine, and then I was going to put the brand new washers and acorn nuts on after the paint job
Good plan or bad plan?
All the other acorn nuts seemed to meet the tappet covers without needing the washers

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Your pictures also don't show the thick gaskets...

 

[Michaelo]

Looking at the picture, the stud is not all the way home, check with ruler on the other side cover.

As gggGary pointed out, remove the stud, check the hole to see if previous owner has not sheared off a stud and wound that one in on top!

Blind tap (presuming the hole is clear) etc.....

Check the threaded parts of the stud, make sure you are screwing a decent stud back in, replace if needed.

 

[A_Starkz]

Awesome, thanks for the advice
And the gasket set I got from Mike's XS didn't come with gaskets for the tappet covers so I assumed I was to make my own permatex gasket. Which I did

 

[fredintoon]

Hi A -Starkz,
your photo shows an acorn nut with it's dome semi-punched through by an over-long stud so yeah, that particular stud needs to be threaded further in.
So long as it ain't blocked by down-hole debris or it's a too-long replacement or both.
The photos also show the head with the remains of a black paint job.
Wrongo!
Only the '83 & '84 Heritage Specials had blacked out engines, yours should be silver.
And the '72 should have a left-side exhaust valve cover with four M8 retaining studs and an extension to mount the decompression mechanism.

 

[A_Starkz]

I was actually curious about that. I believe the previous owner did a half assed paint job to the engine. I believe my engine number matches to the XS2?
And I do have a left exhaust 4 bolt cover, but nowhere for the decompression cam that I saw in the climbers manual
This build has got me feeling like a knucklehead
Thanks for all the help guys
I just picked up some M6 nuts to try to get the stud loose, but haven't had any luck yet

 

[Michaelo]

Don't forget the heat, no heat might result in a disaster

 

[A_Starkz]

Can I use just a standard torch?

 

[Michaelo]

Picture would be good, we call them a butane torch here, enough to heat the area around the stud. I would put the two nuts on, a plain one first then your acorn nut and belt a few times with BFH..

 

[Michaelo]

Then do the two nuts locked up on the threads like gggGary has said....remember plenty of heat in the area around the stud, don't melt the bloody thing though

 

[fredintoon]

I was actually curious about that. I believe the previous owner did a half assed paint job to the engine. I believe my engine number matches to the XS2?
And I do have a left exhaust 4 bolt cover, but nowhere for the decompression cam that I saw in the climbers manual
This build has got me feeling like a knucklehead
Thanks for all the help guys
I just picked up some M6 nuts to try to get the stud loose, but haven't had any luck yet

Hi A_Starkz,
The '72s came with a decompressor package:-
A half-size clutch lever/starter switch combo on the bars and a 4-stud valve cover with an extension to hold the decompressor cam & operating cable.
They gave up on the decompressor the next year but they kept using the decompressor-compatible rockers until they ran out of them some years later.
Back then folks thought the package looked daft so they simply removed the whole set-up and swapped in the later model plain square valve cover and starter button.
These days the decompressor system is viewed as a quaint reminder of times gone by and is a desirable feature.