Tappet rotation (not)

[Horsepoor]

Does anyone know for certain the "best" orientation for the tappet oil hole? Does it matter? I suspect facing oil hole towrads the back of the engine would allow reflected oil splash to access the tappet shaft for maximum effect. Your thoughts please.

[XYZER]

BruceM,
I don't know where my oil hole is located anymore. I think a regularly used engine it would not matter. I also have thought of drilling another hole just to be sure. Both of my Oids required the rotate guide and reclamp to see if I get tappet rotation. Once I found it I left it. Maybe one should file a timing mark for future reference..... I would tend to say the hole goes tworads the action.

[Horsepoor]

Ok, today I got tappet motivated and dug out my box of spares to see what inventory exists. I found 4 intake and 4 exhaust spare tappets. Now I remember that back in 2006, I removed one of the exhaust tappets from my twin due to a failure to rotate under any conditions. So that translates into 3 and 4 usable spares. As I recall, the mark I placed on the side of the defective unit was to remind me it was off center drilled.

My friend Chris (CUJET) has a process he described on the old forum where he chucks up the tappet in his lathe and air die grinds the flat surface flat with a .003 in concave angle. He has offered to grind my tappets on my new Metro 6/1, which I hope will be next Wednesday. We'll see how his schedule shapes up. Hey, I'll send him a link to this thread as an invite.

Today, I wrapped some very fine Emory cloth around a wooden dowel using masking tape to attach the edge of the Emory cloth to the actual dowel. I chucked the dowel / emory cloth up in a drill press and polished the inside of all my tappet housings: Just enough to ensure a nice smooth surface, very little pressure or metal removed. Then, I noticed the extremely rough cuts inside some of the grease cups. I added a little valve-grinding compound, chucked up the push rods in a drill press and polished each by hand: Got a nice smooth and shiny surface, then cleaned everything up. When I get tappet face squared off, I should have a good chance at having rotating tappets, if not, I will try turning them a few degrees to compensate for flaws. Those on my twin spin very well and do not slobber. I hope to duplicate the effort again, I hope.

[WGB]

I used a tool post grinder on a lathe, to face tappets.
Also polished the push rod cups.
Cleaned the guides.
Made a bushing to align the rocker arms

Before and after.

[mike90045]

I've heard not to get them too polished, or they wont hold any oil.  Hopefully in June, I'll get my factory ones out, and a "polished set" installed, leaving me a spare, rotating set (they rotate while cranking) to polish up over the winter.  Now I have to figure out if the rocker arms are aligned. (In June, I'll be at my site, off grid for 2 weeks)

[WGB]

I've heard not to get them too polished, or they wont hold any oil.  Hopefully in June, I'll get my factory ones out, and a "polished set" installed, leaving me a spare, rotating set (they rotate while cranking) to polish up over the winter.  Now I have to figure out if the rocker arms are aligned. (In June, I'll be at my site, off grid for 2 weeks)

Thats a ground finish on mine Mike they spin really nice! Should hold oil well.
I didn't do the .003 thing though