Getting those rocker shafts out??

[antares]

Started by putting No.1 to TDC with my ongoing leaking rockershaft project with engine still in car. Began with the intake rocker. Had to cut both ends off my 8mm hex wrench and just a little off the handle of my 5mm. There is only room to get the 8mm into the end of the rocker shaft. Have room to fit and loosen the 5mm bolt. Removed bolt and shank. Removed 8mm by punching a short piece of plastic from other end. Now, how the @*#! do I get the shaft out! The chain housing is in the way to get a straight shot at it. How have any of you guys removed it. Looks like I'll have to use a flexible heavy plastic or rubber rod?? Same condition on No.4 intake on the right side. No.3 intake has the forward engine metal in the way to get that rocker punched out and intake No.6 has the engine oil cooler in the way. Any suggestions and tricks would be very appreciated.

Antares
fatnwide

[Jim Sims]

See my e-mail message. Jim

[boyt911sc]

Anrates,
There is a simple trick in getting the rocker shafts out from your engine. Since you have already removed the 5 allen bolt and 8 mm expansion nut next step will be easy. Use a longer 5 mm bolt with nut. The idea is to be able to have the end of the bolt (puller) expose and use it to pull the rocker shaft out.

I used a long nose plier to hold the bolt and tap it to slide the rocker shaft. For cylinder #1, slide the RS towards cylinder #2. Slide the RS towards the center cylinder.
Hope this will help.

[marcesq]

This is going to sound stupid but you have loosened the valve adjuster on each valve right. When I did mine, I set the engine to Z1 and then loosened all of the valve adjusters. Did each cylinder one by one so as not to mix up shafts. The shafts all came out by hand and went in (with RSR seals) by hand. Remember to install shafts DRY torque them down to at least 2x spec and then oil shaft through hole in rocker arm.

My local 911 shop said to tighten the shafts down as tight as you can with out stripping the 8mm side (bolt starts to come through and pushes the 8mm wrench out of nut.

[antares]

I want to thank everyone for responding to my distress call. I used a little bit of everyone's advice. I discovered that Applied Heat is the master when it comes to getting out the rocker.
Using a 1/4-inch threaded rod 2-1/2 inches long slipped through the rocker and with nuts on both ends provided a means of prying the rocker out. But the medicine for the cure is to apply heat. No. 1 just would not come out. Pry, push or pray as you like it would not move. I took my mapp gas (propane) tank and attached a long rubber hose with nozzle tip. This allows movement within the engine compartment. Wrapped wetted cloth towels around the immediate working area and applied heat for 1-minute to each cam tower aluminum journal but not the rocker shaft itself and otherwise unmoveable rocker shafts cam out. Used my threaded pry tool as an aid. Some I did not even need to pry to get out. Tech Tip: Apply heat to journals before reinstalling and retorquing 5mm. No leak if torqued when hot for when it cools it will still be tight!
Antares
fatnwide