Rocker Shaft Direction

[grb008]

Just want to make sure the rocker shaft is the same on both sides. Replacing the current one with a new one along with the adjusting screw on the rocker and RSR seals.

I didn't see any difference on the shaft sides.

[proporsche]

yes it is the same..just make sure you will be placing it to the right spot-position with the smaller allen size..and alignment.

Ivan

[PeteKz]

Think about how you will have to get them out. I installed mine so that the 5mm Allen head is on the side where it's easier to get at. The ones at the front of the engine are hardest to reach, so you need to put the 8mm end towards the front, and the 5mm end facing to the back. you want to pull the shafts into the largest space between the bores. It sounds harder than it is, just look at the setup and think about how to make it easier for you to get in there if you have to.

Also visualize centering the rocker on the shaft, and then placing the shaft in the bore so that the rocker will be centered. This results in the shaft being about 1/3 inch inside the longer side bore, and just sticking out of the narrow side bore, so that you can see the Allen head, but the polished part of the shaft is just inside the bore. There are some other threads that show what this looks like.

I'm about 3/4 of the way through pulling all my rocker shafts and putting RSR O-rings on them to stop oil leaks around those rocker shafts, and then reinstalling them. It's a PITA with the engine still in the car.

Tip: you want to pull the rocker shafts out the narrow bore side, because the long side gets dirt and crap in the recessed part of the bore, so pushing it out against the crap can make it much harder and score the bore, which will lead to leaks.

[grb008]

Thanks. I have the shaft out. Cylinder 5. Pulled it short side. Screw was in long side toward number 6 so had plenty of room with 1/4 torque wrench . Bought all new hardware and seals. Will put back via short side. Tighten to 18 lbs.

[grb008]

I have the polished part in the bore. The nut is outside the bore is this ok. All the other nuts are flush with bore

[PeteKz]

On the short side, the nuts should not be flush with the bore. They should stick out about 2 fingernail thicknesses. The shaft should be fully in the bore so that when you tighten the nut, it expands inside the bore to seize in it and to seal it.

One of the pro's (Ivan?) posted a picture of what it's supposed to look like about a week ago, I just can't find that right now. Since I'm working on mine, I'll see if I can get a picture up later today.

[proporsche]

here..is the pic

[grb008]

Thanks I have the nut protruding a little outside the bore. Interesting though all of the nuts are flush

[Walt Fricke]

What you want to do is take a free shaft and lay it over the part of the cam carrier where a shaft goes. Then look at where the slits at each end are. As long as they are within the bores (and neither are in where the rocker goes), things should be good. As a matter of good practice, you try to get them so the distance from the slits to the edge of where the rocker goes is equal on both sides. You can note where this relates to the short side of the cam carrier. Porsche's service manual would have you running feeler gauges on each side of an installed rocker (before tightening anything) to insure you didn't have a slit too far in. But there is some wiggle room here. That way you can visualize all this, and form your own conclusion on just how you want the shaft (and nut) to appear on the short side.

The main issue here is not expanding the shaft inside the end of the rocker.

If the shaft is flush, you are good. If the nut is flush, I think you will see that you are also good.
Which way you install the hardware sort of depends on how much you care about being able to retighten the shaft bolts with an installed engine, or to remove a rocker from such an engine. And if you are doing this as part of a full top end rebuild or full rebuild or not.

Me, on a rebuild I install all the rockers with the Allen end facing the flywheel, because I can tighten all of them with socket extensions, starting with #1 and 4, and working backwards, using a 3/8" torque wrench. The engine tin and oil cooler are off at that stage of reassembly, and it is very efficient. But this makes getting the #3 and 6 out should the need arise pretty difficult with an installed engine. So you have to make a choice. If you have a small head 1/4" torque wrench, leaving those two facing away from the flywheel less of a practical issue. I may have this a bit wrong side to side as to the left side - for some reason my in situ experience has been with the right bank. The general post-install issue has to do with clearance from what covers the two ends of the engine.