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I have a pretty bad oil leak on the left side cam cover (the one that reads "250"). I have removed the hex bolts, but I'm not able to remove the cover to replace the gasket. Any tricks or ideas? I have a '66 250.

Steve

Okay, so I have to completely strip the head. I was hoping that I could do it in place.

Thanks,
Steve M

I used to take a rubber mallet and hit the top corners rotating it back and forth on the cam. Then you can lightly tap the inside corners at each side until it loosens.

I put an old spoke through from the opposite side - the cam's hollow - and tap it out.

Like Nick said. I use a piece of a wire clothes hanger. Super easy.

Some bikes have the drive end of the cam blocked with a roll pin, this is to make the oil flow more to the cam lobes, which otherwise only get oil centrifuged out , and not much at all at low rpm.

Nick wrote:I put an old spoke through from the opposite side - the cam's hollow - and tap it out.

Great idea! Is it better to warm up the cover before trying to tap it out since the bearing outer race try to hold the cover back?

Not mean to hi-jack, but the valve covers of my 125 Sport have the embedded rubber dividers right above the rocker pivot shafts, and I thought they were for keeping more oil in the cam chamber. True or fault? Could someone elaborate on this little thing?

Regards,
Brian

BDang wrote: Is it better to warm up the cover before trying to tap it out since the bearing outer race try to hold the cover back?

When I've removed them, the bearing always came out with the cap.
Heating it might actually make it expand more than the head, making it more difficult to remove.

My preference would be to try lightly tapping a long thin bar if there's a hole through the camshaft. If that fails use the factory suggestion (from 750GT workshop manual) using a plastic faced hammer. Note that in the photo, the mechanic is supporting the other side of the flange with his free hand.
I've seen many butchered camshaft caps.