I have been undergoing replacing my AP1 retainers and keepers with AP2 hardware. Replacing the retainers was not a problem. However I ran into a great struggle with reinstalling the rocker arm assembly. The rocker arms tend to flop around and give you quite a bit of difficulty getting them on top of the valves retainers where the should be rather than underneath the assembly. I used string to hold them in place to get it installed. After I got it installed and was putting the cam caps back on I realized that the rocker arm shafts were not positioned correctly for the center bolts to fasten. I found several posts on S2Ki about using a tapered dowl rod or screw driver to rotate the rocker arm shaft. I AM AN IDOT!! and scratched the shafts at the first and second cam cap on the intake side. The scratches are small but significant enough to cause resistance when removing the shaft and when rotating it. You can get a finger nail on it which I feel is too deep to leave alone. So I am wonder how to correct the mistake that I have made. I could come at the marks with some 320 grit sand paper to improve the marks to the point where they do not hang up or drag. Would anyone out there have any recommendations of the BEST way to fix this or if it is as big of a concern as I am making it out to be? Attached are pictures. I would greatly appreciate any help in fixing my idiotic mistake.

After reading the mechanics shop manual it specifies putting 4 center cam cap fasteners in the assembly to align it properly. Do not do what I did! Hope this helps others in the future as well.

 

DO not use 320 ! much finer paper is available,even 2000 with oil on a flat edge
machine shop ?
or wait for a better suggestion

 

You can still use the rod. As long as the rocker rocks freely on it. The rod itself is not supposed to be rotating. The bolt grooves act as anchors/dowels when the bolt is in place.

Plastic chop sticks are my bolt alignment tool of choice.

 

You could use a very fine sand stone (the white Arkansas one?) with oil and / or very fine sanding paper to gradually remove the scratches. No Problem at all. Just take your time and start with the fine grit, you can allways use the coarser one if you like. 320 is much to coarse. 320 ANSI i guess? Use a 600 first. When you have access to a Lathe and know what you are doing (This is a very dangerous task!) you could put the shafts in the Lathe and polish them.

 

I wouldnt try to get the whole scratch out very fine sand paper 1200 + just to take the material that has been pushed up ( head of material ) down to shaft size if that makes sense

 

Thank you all for the quick responses. I inspected the rocker arms for scoring. It looks like they are in good shape as well as the part of the rocker shaft that the rockers rotate on. Knowing more now that the rocker shaft does not rotate and the location of the damage. I feel comfortable about knocking down the burs of the scratches with a very fine sand paper, cleaning, and reinstalling. I'll share the pictures with my preferred shop as well seeing that the vehicle will be there for state inspection. If they feel it is worth taking it apart to put on a lathe or replace the part I may go that route.

Never thought I would say this but plastic chop sticks are now a part of my tool box.

For those doing this job themselves I would recommend putting the bolts of the cam caps in to align the shaft like the image above.

Thanks all.