m30 rocker arm shaft orientation

[kljfamily]

1983 533I

Hello,

I'm halfway thru my head rebuilding and I had my rocker arms shafts nicely laid out exactly as I removed them. Thanks to my Labrador the table they were on went flying and now I'm trying to figure out their orientation in the head. I though they were all the same at first hence why I didnt take a pic and didn't label them (My huge mistake and I know better).

From what I can find out they are individually unique. They have 4 different part numbers and orient as front exhaust, rear exhaust ect.etc.

I see that two are long and two are short..passed that im stuck.. Can someone let me know how to figure out where each goes?

From what I can tell:
1. The tapped threaded ends of course face out
2. The notches need to line up with the head bolts
3. The keepers (Small c ring that wrap around the bar)...need to line up to the rocker arm placement to the valves.

I think I am close but don't want to install them just be wrong and have to fight them out again...

[Mike W.]

Lay them out and it will make sense. I've done a bunch of heads and I just have to look every time. The cutouts for the head bolts are one indicator, but you will also see oil holes for the rockers. Those should be positioned where the valve is and you should be able to ID which one goes where.

When assembling, there's a few bits and pieces and you have to be careful to them in the correct order or else you'll be taking it apart again. You've got the spring, the washer, the collar they all have to go on in sequence. The circlip later of course.

[kljfamily]

Thanks

I did get it today just before I saw your post. I looked up the parts on autohouz parts and their pictures were u inquest to the part. I matched up the parts in my hand to the pics and figured out the layout

Thanks

[Shawn D.]

I know I will be corrected on this if I'm incorrect (it's been multiple years since I've had an M30 head apart), but IIRC the shafts on the forward side of the engine have plugs in the forward end. So, those absolutely can't go in the rear part of the head and they have to be installed with the plugs at front.