45 cam cover refurbishment

[JSB55]

Working on the cam cover on my 1954 servi car. The spring loaded "seal ring" was stuck. Got it worked free with Kroil, but it still doesn't depress easily or spring back. Found mention of it on another forum, but only with the comment that "it's a PITA to replace". Can someone enlighten me on how it comes off, and goes back on? Hoping I can clean it up, and buy a new spring.

UPDATE: a different brand of penetrating oil finally seems to have the seal ring working normally, although I'd still like to know how to replace it if I ever have to. Main issue now is the Flutter Valve. NOS are long gone, and I hate to pull a good one only to replace with Ted's.

Also, I tried blowing through the "flutter valve" (which is what the book actually says to do to test it). I *think* it is ok, but is there some other foolproof test?

There is a little piece in there that appears to be flat on two sides and round on the third. Using a pick, I can get it to move around, and even appear to tip the point between the flats slightly upward toward the inside of the cover. Mean anything?

Thanks!

[JSB55]

Welp, I finally found two videos in which experts rebuilding 45s stuck something down in there and said words to the effect "it's moving, so it must be good". Guessing that little flap I can see (under magnification) is the part that "flutters", and mine does.

[T. Cotten]

For what its worth, JSB,..

The 'fluttervalves' I got from Tedd appeared NOS, cosmo and all.

But that was a couple of decades ago.

(...Might be time to check inventory!)

....Cotten

[JSB55]

For what its worth, JSB,..

The 'fluttervalves' I got from Tedd appeared NOS, cosmo and all.

But that was a couple of decades ago.

(...Might be time to check inventory!)

....Cotten

Am I correct that the little flapper in there flapping means it's good? Never seen one of these before and can't find any info on how they work, except that it's a one way valve.

[T. Cotten]

I think we are safe to assume, JSB,..

That's at least better than stuck.

What little I can remember, it was like the Indian breather valve, in that it was only a steel wafer that open and shut with the pulse of the gearcase.

Indian's was a whole lot bigger though!

....Cotten

[JSB55]

SUCCESS! Testing that flutter valve by trying to blow through it is easy enough. Sucking not so much. If finally occured to me to cut a small piece of paper towel to lay over the valve, and then use a can of compressed air (computer cleaning tool) and insert the straw into the oil passage behind the valve. A little spritz of air and the paper fluttered away, proving to me that the valve flowed correctly.

[JSB55]

I think we are safe to assume, JSB,..

That's at least better than stuck.

What little I can remember, it was like the Indian breather valve, in that it was only a steel wafer that open and shut with the pulse of the gearcase.

Indian's was a whole lot bigger though!

....Cotten

Even Palmer doesn't describe the inner workings of that valve, but the concept is as you described. The pistons moving up creates a relative vacuum in the crankcase, sucking that valve open to deliver a few drops of oil to the crank from the breather tube chest. Increased pressure on the downstroke then pushes it closed. As you'll see from my other post, I finally figured out a way to test it.