Rocker is not contacting valve properly

[Patrick199]

I recently picked up a BF45 with more than 7000 hours. I ran it this past weekend and it seems to run well but a little on the rough side. After a couple hours of trolling and running around the lake at high speeds it makes a slight ticking noise so I figured the valve lash needs adjustment. No problem. I drove a VW for years so I know how to do a valve adjustment.
Today I pulled the cover off and noticed a problem with the #2 rocker on the right side - I haven't looked closely enough to figure out if this is the intake or the exhaust... I think its the intake... Anyway, the rocker does not make contact squarely with the valve stem.

Upon closer inspection I noticed the spacer below the rocker had sunken into the part that holds the rocker shaft so the rocker was riding low as well.

The previous owner was very good about changing the engine oil, gear oil, and spark plugs but I only found one record of the valves ever being adjusted.
It looks like this particular valve had gotten pretty loose or was never adjusted correctly and caused the spacer to bury itself in the part that holds the rocker shaft in place.
That's what it looks like to me, at least. I restore furniture. I'm not a mechanic.

I just want to make sure I am on the right track before I start searching for parts and trying to fix it. I don't want to sink a boat load of money into this thing.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Any advice or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[JB]

Re: Rocker is not contacting valve properly

I saw that happen twice back in the 50s, Patrick. Once on a DeSoto FireDome and once on an Olds 88.

In both cases the pushrod had punched through a bad rocker arm surface so that the valve was either not opened enough or not opened at all.

Both were easy (and very profitable) fixes. I had bought both cars for scrap prices.

Hope yours is as simple. Good luck.

 

[Jlawsen]

Re: Rocker is not contacting valve properly

Your diaganosis is really good. It's time to run the rack on that puppy. I'm old school so i still call it a rocker rack. In a car they lay horizontal but in an outboard they're vertical hence the need for the spacers on one side and springs on the other.
That however, is not normal wear and tear... They should never look that good after 7000 hours unless that was a typo.

All the parts are still available and you can rebuild it in about an hour. If that rocker has a wear spot on it from the edge of the valve stem you should replace it too. If the valve stem is worn on one side you don't have to replace but you should check it often since it will wear quicker and need to be adjusted. Odds are it's not worn at all. That stainless is pretty hard stuff.

 

[Patrick199]

Re: Rocker is not contacting valve properly

It wasn't a typo. The engine is a '94 and belonged to a fishing guide at Lake Almanor. It has more than 7300 hours on it.
The valve stem is beat up all the way around the edge but appears solid. It doesn't have a flat spot that I can see.

The lash on some of the valves was way out of spec. The #3 looks like it is dropping a bit too.

I have not been able to find the parts online. If anyone knows a good source, please share.

Thanks.

 

[Jlawsen]

Re: Rocker is not contacting valve properly

Which Guide, most of them guide up at Eagle too. I might know of them.

Assuming you've tried here already, give the parts department at Gone Fishin Marine 707-678-1600 a call. They're in Dixon and if they can't get the parts for you, I'm pretty sure they can tell you the best place to find them.

 

[Patrick199]

Re: Rocker is not contacting valve properly

His name is Mark Jimenez. Nice guy. I don't think he guides at Eagle Lake but I know he was up there fishing with a friend recently.

I adjusted all of the valves and I'm going to keep running it until I find the parts or it suffers catastrophic failure. If it fails, I still have the Honda 40 (remote controls) that I took off the boat.
I switched engines because I wanted the 5 extra horsepower and the tiller controls.
Removing the steering console opened up a lot of space in my little whaler.

 

[Jlawsen]

Re: Rocker is not contacting valve properly

Nice rig. Yep, I agree, fix what needs fixing and run the heck out of it. There's no doubt about that motors ability to survive. I'm not familiar with the Guides Name, I've never fished Almanor but I go past it 2 or 3 times a year on my way up to Eagle. Too bad Eagle is in such bad shape this year. Your either very good or very lucky if you get one over 3 lbs but since there's nothing but Tui Chub up in the north bays the trout are plentiful. I fished it for a couple of weeks in June and brought home 4 nice fish. I probably caught 100 or more but I can't keep a 2lb ELT it just doesn't seem right after 40+ years of catching big fish.

They're down to 1, single lane, launch ramp at the south end now. That's going to be a confusing mess come October so I may just go up and use a Float Tube with my friend Val Aubrey, (Eaglelakefishing.net). Its a good thing for the lake that the usual crowd is small now and the pressure is off the fish but a really bad thing for the local economies. I've been trying to help out my friends up there when I can.

Best of luck with your motor and fishing, enjoy!