AJS & Matchless Owners Club

Well i could really only hear it on the second video, was this the left hand side recording ? If my theory is correct, as it appears to be only one spring that is touching the tap would be at half engine speed. It would not be a large job to change the springs on the inlet valve round as it could be done with the head still in place. Set it to Tdc to avoid loosing the valve stem.

clive wrote:Well i could really only hear it on the second video, was this the left hand side recording ? If my theory is correct, as it appears to be only one spring that is touching the tap would be at half engine speed. It would not be a large job to change the springs on the inlet valve round as it could be done with the head still in place. Set it to Tdc to avoid loosing the valve stem.

Clive,

Yes agreed and it was the left side. As mentioned earlier, it's more noticeable from the left side as you say. Wondered if it would be possible to do the job in situ so pleased you can confirm that.

Maybe when the weather cools I will tackle it. I did install a/c and extra lighting in the garage, but you can't top natural light and fresh air.

Will def let y'all know how it goes.

Thanks again,

Steve

No guarantees on being able to do it in situ but theoretically I think it is so. Now I am intrigued by this issue and have done a bit of research in Christians archives. Looking at the Neill and Pitman books they both have a illustration of using the installation tool for the later tray. This seems to come from the AMC published owners handbook, along with the advice. No mention of which way round the springs should go HOWEVER the illustration does show them installed the same way on both valves. In both cases the spring with the inner loop is shown going on the tappet side. The spring with the outer loop is shown as being on the spark plug side. Looking at your head the exhaust side is fitted that way but the inlet side is the other way round. I have often wondered if there is a correct way to fit the springs. The final proof of the pudding will be when you do the work. Extra lighting and A/C indeed I have to work in the cold garage a mile and a half away and no power!

You can definitely do the job in situ. Remove spark plug and put soft rope into the combustion chamber while the piston is half way down the barrel on the firing stroke. Insert enough rope to fill the chamber when the piston is slowly raised to tdc but do not use undue force! The compressed rope will hold the valve in position whilst you remove the springs. Replace them in the correct position and then rotate the engine slowly back wards, carefully remove the rope and insert the spark plug, job done!

What great advice coming through.

You blokes are convincing me I should do the job just to see if it makes a difference for the better. Which of course is the aim of all of us offering advice. Just don't tell me it's a job best done at the side of the road.......in the rain........at night.

It's a job on the list.......after the ‘honey do' stuff. You know, kitchen, garden, car, three delivery van issues, a/c in the shop not working etc etc etc.



Thanks for the advice and encouragement.

Steve

clive wrote: Extra lighting and A/C indeed I have to work in the cold garage a mile and a half away and no power!

Oh how I miss that situation.

clive wrote:I could be onto something here. Your two valves are set up with the springs round a different way to each other in your photo. Change over the left hand set to match the right hand set.

The valve springs on my M18 are set up the same way as Expat's. The valve spring seats only fit one way round as there is 'dimple' on their underside that locates in a hole drilled into the head casting. The spring seats have wear marks on them which indicate which way round the springs were fitted. I put them back the way the wear marks indicated.

Clive, are you saying definitively that this is incorrect and if so which one (inlet or exhaust) should be fitted the other way around, please?

Does it matter which way round they are fitted? The workshop manual shows the springs fitted either way...
Fig. 21 shows them "swapped" whereas Fig. 13 has both "top" springs on the pushrod side:

Hi

For what it's worth, mine are fitted opposite to those of Expat - no collision with the rocker box - they just went back 'as found'.

Regards Mick

Blimey, what an interesting bucket of wriggly things this has turned out to be!

Interesting though.