Valve clearance checking procedure

[skids]

Like I was saying...sometimes converting units EVEN WITHIN the bastard system can be tough. It's OK Ken, I know what you meant!

Originally posted by Ken Talbot
Torque setting is actually 7 lb*ft (84 inch*ft) This is fresh in my mind as I've been working on this exact step on 'the winter project'. The manual also suggests getting to that torque in two stages. I set my wrench for 50 inch*ft for the first pass, then at 84 for the final pass. Sequence is 3,4,2,5,1 (with 1 being the cap on the left side of the head, 5 being the cap on the right side of the head)

[Goin Commando]

Wow, I dont think that I have ever seen Randy write so much in a post/thread before. I must of cheesed him off a little. Nice cam replacement description.
I like the tool that you have to bolt down, it didnt work at first but all i had to do was shape the holes a little with a round file, works fine now. I didnt care for the little pry-bar with the ball on the end and the wedge thingy, that I had first. that was a suck@ss way to get your shims out.
I can adjust the valves with the tool faster than I can remove and replace the cams. But that might just be me.

[Ken Talbot]

Dang, I hate it when that happens. Yes, Sid, that would have been 84 inch*pounds, otherwise known as 7 foot*pounds. I believe tht's pretty close to 89 cm*kgs too.

[LoHo]

At the risk of being exiled to the "Other Bike" gulag, the ZX750 I'm working on requires the cams to be pulled to get to the shims, and it is more complex than doing the "silly little tool" dance. Zip-tie the cams to the chain at a couple of points to keep the timing, if you insist on popping the cams.

I had zero clearance on three valves on the ZX, so I calculated the change needed to get it into range. I switched out the shims, put everything together, and she still ran ragged. Comp check showed zero psi in #3. Damn! My neighbor (and motorcycle mentor) wandered over and looked things over as I related my sad tale of frustrated genius. He puffed his pipe and asked, "So, all of the clearances were in spec after you put the cams back?" Uh...duh...I didn't check them again, I just assumed....

Check them again after you put things back together!

[prometheus578]

It hit me about five minutes ago that tightening down the cams would give me more slack in the chain. ThanXS

Removing the cam chain tensioner helps, too.
LoHo mentioned zip-tying the chain to the sprocket to keep your place.
I too pull the cams if I have more than a coupl'a shims to change. I just use fingernail polish to mark a link, and a corresponding spot on the gear.
Ruby Red shows up nicely, and doesn't clash with my shoes and handbag.

[TopCatGr58]

Originally posted by LoHo
At the risk of being exiled to the "Other Bike" gulag, the ZX750 I'm working on requires the cams to be pulled to get to the shims.
<snip>
He puffed his pipe and asked, "So, all of the clearances were in spec after you put the cams back?" Uh...duh...I didn't check them again, I just assumed....

Check them again after you put things back together!

Hey LoHo,

With Bonehead mechanic work like that, and you wonder why you get banished to the "GULAG"!!

Jessie, an addendum to Randy's fine tretise: After you put the cams back in, and have verified the timing marks alignment, and the chain adjuster tightened, you'll want to rotate the engine around a few turns to RE-compress the oil out from under the shims in the buckets BEFORE you recheck your clearances!!

Also, IF you feel any abnormal resistance they say to STOP, reverse and recheck the alignment. However I accidentally bent a valve with the head OFF of the engine years ago due to turning the cams in the head independently, cause I had put BOTH cams in at the same time, didn't realize the intake valve to exhaust valve clearance for a cylinder wasn't enough to allow BOTH to be sticking out at the same time, bent one with the other while turning the cams to reseat the shims!!

I know better now! T.C.

[81xsproject]

I got it all together and started to check them last night. I am held up though because my feeler doesn't have much variaty of thins. So, I need to go get another.


For my first experiment I decided to try the '80's intake with the '70's exhaust.

[prometheus578]

you'll want to rotate the engine around a few turns to RE-compress the oil out from under the shims in the buckets BEFORE you recheck your clearances

A good point often forgotten, T.C.

[skids]

Hmmm...if you pull out that tensioner, you might as well check the remaining "adjustibility" of it. Also, it does not matter if you mark the chain and sprocket if the chain slips around the sprocket of the crank, because that would cause trouble. Maybe it isn't slack enough to do that but if so, you might want to rig a bungy cord to help keep the slack out of the bottom! (Great idea about marking it)

Originally posted by prometheus578
Removing the cam chain tensioner helps, too.
LoHo mentioned zip-tying the chain to the sprocket to keep your place.

[mro]

originally posted by 81xsproject
I am held up though because my feeler doesn't have much variaty of thins. So, I need to go get another.

"variety"???
Can combine two of the gauges to make about any thickness.

For my first experiment I decided to try the '80's intake with the '70's exhaust.

So..............Just what's that mean?

Exhaust too tight, run the risk of burning valves.

mro

[81xsproject]

That is the problem there is a .13 and a .25 and those are the smallest two in the set.

What I mean is an 80's intake came and a 70's exhaust cam.