adjusting valves???????????

[quader400]

i know that there is a thing in the tech articles but does anyone have experience doing it themselves. is there any advice you want to give me before i do it. i just got feeler gauges and im going to do it either tomorrow or thursday.

[hawiianpwr]

Its easy just take your time. Remember to double check your clarences after you tighten them down because they can change alittle from tightening them down.

[quader400]

when you tigten them down do you do it down hard on the guage or do you do it just until it touches it?

[KY Woods Rider]

Originally posted by quader400
when you tigten them down do you do it down hard on the guage or do you do it just until it touches it?

When you feel a slight drag on the gauge they're fine (you shouldn't have to force the gauge, but you should feel a drag on it). You can check by trying the next bigger size gauge, they should be tight enough that you can't get the next size gauge to slide under them (the tip of the next size should just barely start and then hang up).

When you get them all adjusted, turn the motor over by hand once or twice, bring it back to TDC on the compression stroke, and recheck the clearances just to be sure.

Adjusting the valves isn't really that hard to do, so just relax and take your time. Actually, it takes as long or longer to get everything off as it does to do the adjusting, and the hardest part of the whole process is trying to get that darn plastic heat shield out of the way so that you can get to the top of the motor:D

[Mr_Bub400ex]

ya its pretty easy. make sure u put oil on the o-rings, to help it seal better. dont use a ratchet either cause it will spin when the piston hits tdc. what i did was print off the instructions off of hear. its also pretty obvious what comes off and how to do it etc. hope i helped a bit

[Diedrich]

its not hard at all just take your time

[White_Knuckles]

It helps to put a little off-set in your feeler gauge. The bike shops sell trick ones with the off-set built in but you can mod an automotive style by hand bending the tip a little about a 1/2" back. Makes it easy to find the right one next time, it has the bend in it. :p

[Doibugu2]

All the above tips are very good. Its not hard like they said. It's not a bad idea to have a second set of hands around. Setting the gap and tightening the screw and holding the feeler is kind of hard for one person, but can be done. Tightening them down is the only hard part and its only hard because there not a lot of room.

Like they said take your time, and you'll be fine. Just think your saving $150 so if it takes awhile your still money ahead.

[quader400]

what is tdc and then the only thing i dont get is what to move when it says move the engine counterclock wise i think it is do you move the tires or what?

[KY Woods Rider]

Originally posted by quader400
what is tdc and then the only thing i dont get is what to move when it says move the engine counterclock wise i think it is do you move the tires or what?

TDC means Top Dead Center. The motor must be at TDC on the compression stroke when adjusting the valves. You can tell when it is on the compression stroke by verifying that the rocker arms have just a bit of up and down wiggle. If the rocker arms are tight (no wiggle), then you must turn the motor another round until it gets back to TDC and check to see if it is on the compression stroke (rocker arms will have up and down wiggle).

As for turning the motor over, there are two Allen head plugs on the left side of the motor (shifter side). Under the big plug there is a 17mm bolt that you can put a socket on and use a ratchet to turn over the motor. You must only turn the motor counter-clockwise when adjusting the valves, if you miss the T-mark (tells you where TDC is) you must go around again to avoid turning the motor in the wrong direction.

[400exdad]

Dissolving feeler gauge! You would place the chip in there and tighten the adjustment screw until a certain tightness in the screw is felt. Then tighten the locknut down. As soon as full spring tension was on the "wafer", it would crush and "go away".

[thejeepdude]

Originally posted by 400exdad
Dissolving feeler gauge! You would place the chip in there and tighten the adjustment screw until a certain tightness in the screw is felt. Then tighten the locknut down. As soon as full spring tension was on the "wafer", it would crush and "go away".

This would be a cool idea, except the material would have to be as hard as the steel which was tightened upon it or else your readings would be off... and I don't know of any materials that are that hard that would just dissolve at the shake of a magic wand. :p Besides, pulling the gauge out after it's adjusted is not the hard part! :)

[Crawl69]

You could also use shim stock if you can get any. That way you can trim it to fit.

[cals400ex]

i also wondered how tight they need adjusted. the local dealer told me that the correct size should barely fit in the rocker and subrocker arms. he said the feeler guage should just about bend before it goes slides between the rocker/subrocker arms. this was tighter than i thought but i had no clue.

[blingbling]

doing the valves was easy...but getting the feeler gauge out of the engine was NOT. i dropped my feeler gauge down into the engine after adjusting one of my valves. i could barely see it, but it was all the way down at the bottom. I couldn't reach it with any conventional tool, finally I was able to rig up a magnet on a string and was able to "FISH" it out of there. Thank god it was steel. i was so happy to get it back i kissed it.

So...make sure your oil soaked fingers don't lose their grip, or you to will be in the same situation i was in.

[300exOH]

Don't forget to do it with the engine COLD! The point of adjusting valves is to allow for heat expansion. If you have a hard time getting the guage out then it is too tight. Good luck

[thejeepdude]

Originally posted by 300exOH
Don't forget to do it with the engine COLD! The point of adjusting valves is to allow for heat expansion. If you have a hard time getting the guage out then it is too tight. Good luck

That brings up a good point... I know you should adjust them "cold" which means not to warm up the engine first, but what about ambient temperature? Right now it's about 105F here during the day. So, to set the gap 'perfectly' should I adjust them in the day time temp I'll be riding in, or is it ok to save sweat and do it while it's 70F at night? And summer seems to end abruptly here, with the temps dropping to the 30's or 40's over a short period of time... should I readjust the valves at that time even if I just adjusted them a month earlier? Or does a 50F + or - make no difference? My guess is it would be negligable and not worth worrying about, but something to contemplate anyhow...

[300exOH]

I never thought about that. I'd do it at night just to be safe. I'd guess that you should do it at around the average temp for wherever you live.