Honda-SOHC

Thanks Trigger - glad it's not just me ! 

Anyone else had tappet covers seize and if so is there a trick to get them free ?  Most of them behaved, but I've managed to round off 2 that don't want to play - bloody ally caps are as soft as cheese !

Tried to get some purchase with a screw driver on the wide edge of the cover, but I'm now breaking the cap into pieces.  Is this familiar to anyone ?  I'm starting an engine rebuild (first) so how important is it to loosen tappets before lifting the rocker cover ? 

Thanks for any help / guidance !

Andy

Hi all !  New to the forum following a recent 400/4 purchase and enthusiatic start to a restoration ! Very little bike experience, so there's a good chance that this is a stupid question and likely to be followed by a lot of others !

Removed the steering column the other day and discarded the old head brgs, but now have what appears to be the outer race still on the bottom yoke column with a rubber seal beneath it ?  Is it actually the inner race and therefore needs to be removed before I replace with taper brgs ?  Just thought that I had better check before I attack it !

Also had fun removing the centre stand as the stand had seized to the pivot pin and it was the pin rotating in the frame mounts. Managed to get enough space to cut the pin and then get the stand off, but now assuming I'll need some help with someone with a press to get the remainder of the pin out ?  New pins available ? Anyone else had similar fun ?

Just need to sort the above and seek some advice on repair to a split weld on the swinging arm, and I can get these parts blasted and painted /  powdered ( still undecided on that bit !)

Looking forward to your thoughts, help and enlightenment !

Andy