36 Vl 80'' problems

[46CHF]

Just built vl motor, 35 cases with 80" wheels and jugs when tighting the valve covers (screw type) they are pulling the top cover off of the valve guide seat about .060. I am using a .090 spacer plus upper and lower gasket under the jugs. What is the remedy for this...

[vride5]

valve covers

aren't the top parts for a U model just a little longer

[Sargehere]

Everyone first hears that "the plumbers' nightmare (1930-38) valve covers were identical."
Actually, U cylinders with 9-bolt heads, first used on 36VLHs) are significantly taller than V cylinders.
The upper covers PN 173-30 (page 8 in the 1941 "Spare Parts") for the VL are shorter than PN 173-37 by about a quarter or 3/16".

So the '37 and '38 U's have a special 2-year-only upper valve cover. The other parts are identical to the V-models.

[harleytoprock]

How could part# 173-37 come on a 1936 VLH?

[46CHF]

thats what i was thinking

Everyone first hears that "the plumbers' nightmare (1930-38) valve covers were identical."
Actually, U cylinders with 9-bolt heads, first used on 36VLHs) are significantly taller than V cylinders.
The upper covers PN 173-30 (page 8 in the 1941 "Spare Parts") for the VL are shorter than PN 173-37 by about a quarter or 3/16".

So the '37 and '38 U's have a special 2-year-only upper valve cover. The other parts are identical to the V-models.

Thanks for the reply Gerry,
that was what I was thinking Now I guess I just need to find a supplier for the 173-37 upper cover

[Steve Slocombe]

There were no taller top valve covers in 1936, so the factory must have just made them fit. The VLH has the crankpin 1/8" nearer the edge of the flywheels, so getting 1/4" extra stroke to make it 4 1/4" x 3 7/16". Oddly the UL was 4 1/4" x 3 5/16", a longer stoke 74 compared with the VL, with the ULH 4 1/4" x 3 7/16". So the VL got 80 cubic inches with stroking, while the UL got 80 cubic inches by boring (and thus using the VL pistons). Of the 1/8" gap we have to contend with to get the VLH valve covers on, it is the 0.090" spacer plate that counts, with the rest taken up by the pistons being slightly closer to the tops of the cylinders. I've built several VLH motors recently and always managed to get the valve covers installed without too much wrestling.