850 Head Removal

rvich said:

On grinding down box end wrenches. Start with a good quality wrench unless you plan to throw it away later. You want good steel in it. Then grind slowly so you don't over heat it. Quench it often in oil. If you get it too hot it will soften it. You can read up on tempering steel that has been annealed but it is a lot easier if you just don't ruin it to begin with.

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+1 to all the above.
I would add that in my opinion a combination spanner is best as it applies the torque directly on the nut, unlike a cranked ring spanner which adds a twisting motion and can slip off more easily.
JohnT

Remember this nut is only 30ftlb's. I got a 1/4w wrench from RGM and did not need to grind anything. If you have a good fitting open end, it will loosen without damage.

As far and cleaning, I would not go too anal with it. It doesn't look particularly carboned up.
The important thing is flatness of both surfaces.

Annealed copper! 2 coats of spray coppercoat in each side.

I used a 1/4 W from Rolson and ground it down with a dremel. Took about 15 minutes and looks like it took off about 1/2 the OD. LIke you said still plenty of thickness and torque is relatively low. Cleaned up the surfaces with scotchbrite and flapped the combustion chamber and pistons (very lightly) with 80 grit.

Regarding the gasket i would recommend the flame ring gasket similar to the one you took off and DON"T put anything on it...also don't ask how I know!

I won't ask. I bought the flame ring and figured if I asked which gasket to use it would be like starting a thread on oil. I didn't want to go there.

Need a little more help. Have the head back on with new gasket intact and push rods correctly located in head, that is the intake rods and exhaust rods are in the right position and correctly oriented, cup side up. I haven't tightened the head down yet and there is a 1/2 in. gap between the head and barrel seating surface. First is this normal and should I push the head down further or is it even possible? I did note that as I loosened the front stud the head lifted as indicated in the manual. Also, I'm trying to align the pushrods to the rockers and can't figure out how to check the inlet rockers/rods since they don't appear to be visible. I can see the exhaust pushrods/rocker alignment but the inlets appear totally obscured by the rockers.

Is there something I'm doing wrong? Or do I need to pull the head down using the center stud/nut while I'm aligning the exhaust push rods/rockers and how do I ensure that the inlet push rods/rockers are aligned if I can't see them? Don't want to screw it up since I've come this far.

You can see if both the intake and exhaust are in position from the exhaust covers.

At least one or 2 valves will be open and under pressure from the springs.

You MUST make sure the pushrods remain in the rocker by lifting the adjuster side so that all are cupped as you bring the center bolt down. If you don't, you will surely miss one and will need to reverse the process.

Some put assembly lube in there because it helps them remain in contact.

I can see the exhaust but can't see the intake since obscured by rocker. Pistons are at TDC. Do I need to rotate the engine while doing this? Sorry if this seems elementary just would hate to screw it up.

JimR said:

I can see the exhaust but can't see the intake since obscured by rocker. Pistons are at TDC. Do I need to rotate the engine while doing this? Sorry if this seems elementary just would hate to screw it up.

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You do realize that the intake and exhaust pushrods are close to each other all the time, so if you can see one you should be able to see the other, If you cannot see it then you are not looking in the right place or it is out of position.

pete.v said:

JimR said:

I can see the exhaust but can't see the intake since obscured by rocker. Pistons are at TDC. Do I need to rotate the engine while doing this? Sorry if this seems elementary just would hate to screw it up.

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You do realize that the intake and exhaust pushrods are close to each other all the time, so if you can see one you should be able to see the other, If you cannot see it then you are not looking in the right place or it is out of position.

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+1

Have you considered joining a British motorcycle club? Maybe Northern New England Norton Owners (http://nneno.org/), go to a meeting and see if someone can give you some help. Lots of club have a Bring out your dead day where the other members help out.

Thanks to what I initially thought was a sarcastic comment about the pushrods being very close together I now see what I didn't see before. I was following the manual and illustration and should have understood from the arrangement of the rods that I could see both under the exhaust rocker cover. Seriously, I was looking for the inlet pushrod under the intake rocker cover. Obviously from the arrangement and angle that would be impossible.

Thanks for setting me straight.

Excellent! I am glad you got it sorted.

And by the way, I am often very sarcastic, sometime condescending, and even on a rare occasion, belligerent. But only to those I feel have it coming. Gotta keep em guessin.

When I realized what a stupid question I'd asked I agreed the sarcasm was warranted. Everything together nicely.