hydro Cali stubborn rocker arm shaft

[johnpaulcim]

So... I have a 2003 California EV - a hydro model with all relevant recall work done. It had started seeping a bit of oil from the head gasket area, so when I changed the oil today I decided to retorque the head bolts and see if that didn't solve the seepage issue. To get to the head bolts on these bikes, you have to remove the rocker arms. Easy enough. All went swimmingly until I tried to reinsert the rocker arm shaft through the rocker arm. It wouldn't go through. I figure that retorqueing the head bolts squashed the head gasket enough to throw off the valve spacing such that the bit don't line up just right.... On a mechanically adjusted valve bike, I'd just back off the valve adjuster a bit and refit it all and the readjust the valves. But this is a hydro, and the valves are not adjustable. So... What now? I'm sure that there is an easy solution, but I don't see it yet.... Any help from the wiser gustisti out there is much appreciated.

[guzzisteve]

When at TDC you have to collapse the tappet, push down on pushrods till oil is out of both & hold till you reinsert pins.
You need 5 hands & 3 arms to get done.
Head gaskets usually don't fail BUT the orings on the 4 long studs do, they are under the rocker tower.

[John Croucher]

The valves are adjustable.  Loosen the nuts, back the screw out.  Reset the screw at 1-1/2 turns in after touching push rod. 

Inspect the rocker arms for wear at the foot that touches the valve.  Most likely they are worn.  I have rebuilt 3 hydro engines.  All had worn rocker arms.  I rounded the surface of with a stone and reinstalled and adjusted. 

Pull the hydraulic tappets out and clean them.  Flush the old oil out.  Then drop in a cup with oil and pump back up. You can put a pin in the end to open check valve to pump down. 

The tappets are a common size use in many types of engines. 

[guzzisteve]

If you don't have nuts on the rocker arms you do not have the final fix, there were 3 before they got it right. If you have the break-off adjusters, do as John says.

[johnpaulcim]

If you don't have nuts on the rocker arms you do not have the final fix, there were 3 before they got it right. If you have the break-off adjusters, do as John says.

I've got nuts on the rocker arms, and the tops are snapped off. I had thought that the tops were snapped off because we were meant to leave them be after they were adjusted, so I was reluctant to try and adjust them. I'll try each of you all's suggestions when I have a chance to get back to it. Thanks for your guidance.

[johnpaulcim]

The valves are adjustable.  Loosen the nuts, back the screw out.  Reset the screw at 1-1/2 turns in after touching push rod. 

Inspect the rocker arms for wear at the foot that touches the valve.  Most likely they are worn.  I have rebuilt 3 hydro engines.  All had worn rocker arms.  I rounded the surface of with a stone and reinstalled and adjusted. 

Pull the hydraulic tappets out and clean them.  Flush the old oil out.  Then drop in a cup with oil and pump back up. You can put a pin in the end to open check valve to pump down. 

The tappets are a common size use in many types of engines.

Thanks for this info. Very helpful.