First valve adjust questions

[coffee_brake]

Do I really have to take the carbs off? I'm there now, is the Clymer's spot-on correct or can I skip some of this?

 

[davidon]

You need as much room as possible to do it without hassle..I even had rad off, battery case out

 

[coffee_brake]

Crap.







OK, thanks.
This is gonna be more than a 3-beer job, isn't it?

 

[maleko89]

Probably closer to a case if you have to change shims.

 

[coffee_brake]

A case?! At least I can't drive drunk if the bike's apart!

(Sigh) Another rewarding evening in the garage, guess the hubby's making supper tonight....

 

[maleko89]

Coffee, most of the time is writing down current shim, current clearance, desired shim, etc. Then, drive to the shop to swap shims.

 

[one2dmax]

I got my shim kit back if you want to borrow it. Costs about $15 to ship but it will have the tool in it also. Then ship it back when you are done.

Sean

 

[coffee_brake]

If I'd known you had the kit with the tool in it, I'd have done that. I thought your kit was just the shims. But I already bought the tool and have access to the dealer's shims.

Stupid lazy mechanic somewhere put the plastic manifold covers on with an impact. Took me over an hour to cut a slot for my own hand-held impact to get the bugger out.
I've just removed the carbs, will have to pick it up again this evening.

 

[one2dmax]

They get corroded in all the time. Don't use a hammer to get them out or you'll be buying a new intake.

Sean

 

[lankeeyankee]

They get corroded in all the time. Don't use a hammer to get them out or you'll be buying a new intake.

Sean

Permatex Anti Seeze is awesome stuff and cost under 6.00. Great investment.

 

[coffee_brake]

Permatex Anti Seeze is awesome stuff and cost under 6.00. Great investment.

I'll put that in the new bolts. They weren't corroded, just impacted in. Guess I can't swing a hammer hard enough, I got the bolt out and luckily didn't break anything.

Got the coolant hoses off this morning before work, pick it up again this afternoon.

Thanks for the antisieze tip. I'm going to hit up the fastener store to see if they have a hex head bolt with the collar on it to replace these.

 

[coffee_brake]

How are your folks removing the valve cover? I can't get the front one off. The heat shield is pulled out of the way, as is the radiator hose. It's hitting the fan motor bracket and I can't lift it high enough to clear the top of the cam chain. It's also hitting the housing for the cable for the Vboost, but that flexes enough that it shouldn't bind it, right?

Is it easier to remove it from the left or the right?

Are there any tricks to it? I'm really stuck here.

 

[maleko89]

I'm assuming you already drained the coolant? Remove both radiator side covers and then loosen radiator mounting bolts. It should just hang forward. You may want to remove hose that exists coolant manifold just forward of radiator cap...this should give you the clearance needed. For the vboost cable, loosen screw and remove small bracket holding cable to the bottom of the servo motor. They you can move the vboost cable out of the way when you lift the cover over the cam gears.

 

[coffee_brake]

OK thanks, really appreciate that. I just can't get the bolts that hold the Vboost loose. I do have decent tools and they're just stripping out anyway. I'll keep trying....

 

[maleko89]

You don't need to move the vboost motor, just the cable. Look for a "C" shaped bracket on the bottom holding the cable to bottom of motor.

 

[coffee_brake]

Ah-ha! Success! The front valve cover is off with no broken parts and no busted knuckles! Thanks very VERY much!

I'm leaving the back one until I can go buy a long allen wrench with the rounded end tomorrow.

 

[coffee_brake]

I need more help. Please.

The Clymer's is showing diagrams of a generic flywheel with the T1 and T2 marks and I don't see them. I only see the marks for the timing light. I can't figure out where to put the flywheel to check the clearances. When I just put the lobes pointing away from the lifter (like I do on my Concours), I can't fit any of the feelers under there.

Also, may I assume that the front two cylinders are numbers 1 and 2 (L to R) and the back are 3 and 4?

Sorry to ask questions like these, I've done the Concours valves lots of times but I've only ever done three different bikes' valves and none of them were shim-and-bucket. This is a different animal for me....

 

[one2dmax]

when sitting on the bike:

#1 Left Rear
#2 Left Front
#3 Right Rear
#4 Right Front

Look into the sight hole at an angle to see the numbers. They are there. As the engine wears the clearance gets tighter.

Sean

 

[hubeerjw]

Another thing that might help is when the cam lobes are either pointing towards one another like / \ or pointing away like \ / (this would be a side view) but, when they are pointed towards or away from one another, this is a good point to check the clearance since you know both valves are closed for that cylinder. I'm not sure if this makes sence or not?
Jeff

 

[coffee_brake]

Yes Jeff, it does make sense. I found the T1 just like Sean said, and that puts the lobes opposed to each other like you said. Now the feelers fit...but they aren't long enough! I guess a trip to the Craftsman aisle is in my future.

This job isn't even a case of beer job, it's more like a weekend binger!
Except the weekend is over and I'm barely started....

Oh well I know it will go much faster next time!