Exhaust lifter ?

[Hancock]

Morning, whilst taking the engine out I see I have an exhaust lifter with arm on the cylinder head.It's not connected . Sorry for question but what does it do.1962B40. Thanks

[Jon Cull]

Makes it very easy to start the engine ! And gives all the kickstart related components a much easier life. I have one fitted on my C15 trials bike and it makes starting a breeze. Well worth the effort of setting up a lever and cable when it goes back together.

[Hancock]

Thanks know how it work?

[B44R Victor]

Do you mean an exhaust valve lifter?  These are fitted standard to the B44R single on the rocker cover.  The reason for the valve lifter is the compression of the larger single cylinder engine makes it hard to kick-up.  I have one fitted to my B44R.  You turn the kick-start over until it reaches the compression stroke and it can't be kicked over any further.  Then you pull the exhaust valve lifter lever and kick over half a turn.  Then return the kick start to poised position and kick for good and the engine starts.  Well, it does about 3rd time!  They can be a problem as the valve lifter spindle turns within the rocker cover casing and has an oil seal at the back.  Over a number of years (50+ in my B44R's case) the hole in the rocker cover and oil seal wear and a nuisance of an oil drip results.

[ANDY HIGHAM]

My Rotax engined CCM had a valve lifter and another neat feature. A little window in the cam belt cover, angled downwards about 30 degrees which aligned with the inner rim of the cam pulley. When you could see white in the window the engine was in the correct position for kick starting.
A less inteligent idea was the kickstart on the left of the engine

[berniej]

They are definitely useful - I haven't yet tries the one on my B40 as it's still being rebuilt but on my M21s it's just about impossible to get the engine over TDC without using the lifter to get it just past and then get a good long, firm kick in to get it over next turn.

Be sure that they are adjusted correctly though as an over-tight one will prevent the exhaust valve closing completely resulting in valve burn-out.

Cheers,
Bernie

[ANDY HIGHAM]

The valve lifter on my B31 is used in a different way.
I pull the lifter lever, press the red button on the handlebar then when the engine is spinning release the lifter, the engine then bursts into life

[Mark B]

That's cheating!

[Jon Cull]

That's cheating!

It may be, but its much kinder to all the transmission parts - And your leg.
Going back a couple of posts, it was mentioned that the hole in the rocker box can wear resulting in an oil leak. This can be drilled out and a small bush fitted,Dave,(AKA Rupert Ratio) did this on my C15 and it works a treat.