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[Jezyorkshire]

My girlfriend and i went last week to ride the North Coast 500, both on Electra's and got almost to John o Groats after travelling up the west coast when my girlfriends Electra came to an abrupt halt, finally worked out that the exhaust cam follower had broke after removing the cover plate, the push rod was hanging loose and the ball socket on end of cam follower stem was broke in half.
Cant see the broken off metal visually so I'm assuming it may be lodged under the decompresser lifter or maybe gone down what looks like an oil drain hole on the inlet side?
Any advice very welcome, am i right in assuming that the cam follower can be removed just by removing the guide with the tool ? thanks , Jez

[jefrs]

Bad luck - but it could be worse. Replace the cam follower and delve around with a magnet-on-a-stick to find the debris. Lodged in an oil-way exit is likely because that is where the oil flow would take it, you don't want it in there.

Believe me, replacing a cam follower on a side-valve is far more difficult because it's all at the bottom end, complete strip-down.



Likely cause of failure is probably just metal fatigue on a stress point, not anything diabolical to worry about happening again. You should check whether the valve has jammed as another possible cause. If the valve is ok then it's a side of road repair. H can get you the new part(s) by next day and you're off to JoG again.

[jefrs]

I've been up there. I would get me to a hotel and phone Hitchcocks for advice and parts to be sent there asap. If you have not done so, phone them now! Good luck

[jefrs]

Diagram of one of the Electra heads http://www.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/pa ... d_&_Barrel



There are other models but part 10 broken where part 32 smites it?

[Mark M]

I think Jez is talking about the earlier (circa 2003) Electra? From his description it is the bottom of the engine where the fault lies, not the top as indicated by Jefrs. This version of the Electra has the old Bullet style cam follower which would be difficult to remove at the side of the road but it could just about be done if you're a confident mechanic and you have a few days to get the spares together. I've done similar difficulty tasks in a lay by before now. Good luck!

REgards, Mark

[Jezyorkshire]

Hi Jefrs, the Electra is an 05 plate, the broken part is at the other end of what you have linked to, its described as the Tappet in the parts diagram, the ball socket at the top of it is sheared across, where the pushrod adjuster ball end sit in to it, so the pushrod is just hanging loose, so the part thats broken can be seen poking up through the Tappet guide when the Tappet cover is removed, i described it as the cam follower as its seemed thats what it is? but its the Tappet in the parts book.
The bike is now in the garage at home so i can repair at leisure, took 4 relays to get it home to West Yorkshire and i drove 450miles home in 17hrs on my Electra, felt ill the next day!

[Gwilly]

Glad you got it home ok, quite an adventure..

If i'm right you will need to remove the head and barrel to gain access/clearance for the extractor to operate..

Not the sort of op to undertake at the side of the road.. Only aussies change pistons miles from civilisation..

I think the follower or tappet as they call it was thiner than the older 02 bullet, and thus a weak point..

Does herself know that there's another 4 gears after 1st.......

Only joking Best of luck with it..

[Gwilly]

I found this video which gives you some idea..

Bit like a Mumbai telephone conversation but you see whats required...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jw1JWTCvomo

[Jezyorkshire]

Thanks Mark and Gwilly, the tappet is still moving smoothly in the guide so looks like the guide is still ok, going to take the rocker covers off later and refit the exhaust pushrod, it will still sit in the broken tappet end just and will turn engineer with kickstart and see if the exhaust valve is still operating as normal before i start removing the head and barrel, cheers, Jez

[sofiaspin]

Shame you lost your holiday and the NC 500 to boot. Hell of a journey back too. Pity this site does not have a 'Help, really stuck' urgent section to call on the aid of Enners owners length and breadth of the UK. We might have been able to help on the right side of the border.