I just bought new rocker shafts and bushings for my 31 pickup. The instructions with the set said to press out the old bushings, press in the new ones and drill for the oil hole (for the wick/pushrod) and then ream the bushing to fit the shaft. What do I use to ream it with? Will a brake hone work? Any other tips on valve train rebuilding? Should I dress up the end of the rocker arm where it contacts the valve stem? Thanks, Dan

Dan,
It is best to use a reamer to resize the inside of the bushings. But you can use anything at hand including: brake cylinder hone, dowel rod with sand paper, round file. The key is to keep the inside as round as possible. You may find that you do not need to ream the bushings to fit, only clean the burrs off the edges of the oil hole.

It is indeed important to rearc the rocker arms. If they are not correct you will never be able to get the tick out of the top end. Most machine shops can economically resize the bearings and arc grind the rocker arm ends.

Hi Dan
I contacted Snap-On Tools several months ago and they assured me that all their valve refacers include the attachment for wet grinding Chevrolet rocker arms. They also sent Brochure No. VGA656G Rocker Arm Attachment Assembly and Operating Instructions. This is a part of the VG3000 Valve Refacer Brochure.
Herb

Did you ask Snap-on for the price?I am sure that it will be more than the car is worth.

Hi Gene,
I just raised the insurance on my 28 to more than 20 Grand but you are still probably right. Wasn`t there one car maker that used to say "If you have to ask the price you can't afford it" ?

However, my friendly machine shop in Lancaster,CA has a vintage model valve refacer with rocker arm attachment, and they did the job on my 28 for a price that any of us can afford (Less than a case of Colorado Cool Ade). Oops, sorry about that Skip.

Herb
PS - I just checked the catalog at http://www.snapon.com and the VG3000 price is just $5555.

Make sure to use lots of oil when you're reassembling the entire set. Actually when I did mine, I ran the oil pump with a drill for a couple of minutes until I saw oil flowing out of each rocker arm. Since there is so much strain on these surfaces, it makes sense to keep it fully lubricated during initial break-in!

Hey Bill, is it OK if I just pour a pint of oil all over the felt pad on my 28 ??
Herb

Yeah Herb, that will be fine! just wait till you are going to be driveing so it all don't run down on the garage floor!

Actually that's not a bad way to do it... when you fill the engine, add one less quart than you normally would. Then add one quart to the top, across all of the rockers and shafts.

But I still gotta say that running the oil pump with my drill was probably the best way that I ever got a new engine oiled. You can do the same thing by removing the spark plugs and turning the engine over for five minutes, or until your battery gives way!!!

Speaking of the felt oil pad, I understand that they were standard equiptment in early '31, but discontinued later in the year. Is it beneficial to use it? Any quieter or perhaps less oil splatter out the vents in the valve cover? Dan O'Day

The felt pads were an aftermarket item in 1931.