lyka valve guide bar

has anybody else had problems with the lyka valve guide LK0924 i can set it up so one side is perfect a small shim under the left hand side
the other side fits nowhere i have elongated the cylinder mounting holes to see if that eases it and i have reamed the olite bushes
stw are mega helpful and say send it back im not an expert measurer to give them precise figures has anybody struggled with their bar
thanks tony

I had alignment issues and had to “true” up the main engine support structural rectangular tube by filing the surfaces. I cover this here on my blog: http://210doghouse.blogspot.com/2018/10/lyka-kit-14-engine-part-3a.html?m=1

Hope this helps.
Grier

Hi Tony,
Yes, I have had the same problems with the valve guide bar as you have had - almost identical in fact!! My solution was to do exactly as you have done and eventually I fitted it - but I am not satisfied with the outcome!! There is too much play/slack in the guides. So, I decided to come back to it once the whole engine/car was finished and the engine was running with the view to then redoing/refitting it. If STW are mega helpful as you say (they always are) then I shall call on there help as well. I'm not worrying at the moment!!
Regards

Greg

Had the same problem too, but at least STW mentioned in the instructions it was going to generate posterior pain. And warnings in big letters that unless you get it right, Earth as we know it will cease to exist.

After mounting and unmounting the guide bar and other bits many times, the answer seemed to be to take a few microns off the place where the bar mates with the central bar (if you'll excuse the expression), then a bit off all the parts where friction occurs, little by little each time.

Eventually, settled on getting both sides almost right, before tightening down to see what happens -- i.e. does it flow smoothly or not; then a gentle emery-polishing the valve guide shafts, then a tiny bit off the oilite bushes (Dremel polisher and superfine circular sander), then a tad off the other end of the valve guides and their bushes, then try it all again, trying to see where the dragging is occurring most and focusing on that each time.Then more of the same until it was still a rather tight fit, but just about turnable by hand with rubber gloves (for added grip) and a huge groan.
Just tried the engine with compressed air and loads of oil over everything, especially the valve guide parts, for the first time last week and it went like a (stationary) rocket, even with the compressed air attached to only one cylinder at a time.
Whether all that kerfuffle with the valve guide bar will have been enough to ensure the engine is sufficiently durable, only time will tell, I guess. Great fun actually seeing the engine actually chugging though.