E: Engine Timing cover quill out of line

[chark_mandler]

I've fitted the timing cover to my Comet cases only to find that the oil quill hole does not line up with the mainshaft, by enough to make the quill push hard against the mainshaft wall. Before I start machining I thought it best to ask opinions on the best method to correct this.
My thoughts are to machine out the existing quill hole and plug.
-Turn a pointer to fit in to the mainshaft that will pop a centre mark on the plug when almost closed.
-Bore and tap using the pop mark reference.
-Redrill the oil ways.
If this is the correct way of going about things there are a couple of questions
Should the plug have a top hat and if so on the inside (if room) or on the outside?
Push fit the plug with heavy duty loctite or screw in and loctite?
I have an accurate mill so machining is not a problem.
Thanks for any advice.

 

[Simon Dinsdale]

I had this problem on my Shadow as the timing cover I was using was not the original matching cover as I didn't have the original.
1st thing is when you fit the cover located by the dowels does the oil bango that goes through the cover into the oil filter chamber line up? You can have a bit of clearance here so not critical but on mine it clearly was offset slightly.
2nd thing is does the cover shape fit the crankcase shape. I know on matching covers the factory ground covers and cases to align. Again mine didn't and had a slight step.

What I discovered is if I removed the lower locating dowel from the cover and fitted the cover using just the upper dowel so I could pivot on that upper dowel and could move the timing cover sideways very slightly until it aligned best with the crankase shape and secure with a couple of timing cover screws which still fitted. Suddenly the oil quill went in easily and so did the rest if the timing cover screws. The problem was the location of the lower dowel in the timing cover was slightly out and rather than try and move the location hole I just made an offset dowel in the lathe using the 4 jaw and then loctited it into the cover. The quill is not showing any side rubbing after several thousand miles. It was only offset by approx 10 thou but cured the problem.

Simon

 

[Alyson]

I was going to say the same as Simon. Loosen fasteners, and try inserting the quill. Make sure everything is in place before final tighten. Hope this helps, Alyson

 

[vibrac]

I think every engine I have ever seen has a quill with more of the brass rubbed on one side than the other. we are dealing with 70 year old engineering methods.
Incidentally did not one J Surtees make a special plastic quill for his Flash but then was that not with a plain aluminium big end? A normal Vincent runs on a roller big end with a spoonfull of oil slurping in occasionally, we don't want those itsy bitsy rollers skidding instead of rolling do we?

 

[chark_mandler]

Thanks Simon that has sorted it. Just to make sure I turned down some steel rod to be a sliding fit in the crank, mounted the cover and then pushed the rod through and could position the cover concentric to the rod. Blueing up the quill there's nothing touching on a static engine.
Thanks again.