XJ1100 No Donuts

[HalfCentury]

As the title says, the valve cover has no donuts. The valve cover screws just come out when loosened. Has an XJ1100 ever been shipped from the factory with no donuts?

If not, my assumption is that a PO has performed a valve clearance check and tossed the donuts.

[trbig]

OK, I'll bite. What's a donut?

[CatatonicBug]

Are you referring to a gasket? There is a single gasket that goes under the valve cover, but that's it. It's the same for all the XS/XJ bikes. The screws are supposed to come out when you unscrew them, but should not come out on their own. If they do, a little blue Loctite helps. I use "The Right Stuff" to make a gasket, and has the added benefit of squeezing into the screw spaces and "locking" the screws in place.

I wonder if you are looking for the little cardboard retainer pieces like what they put on screws for electrical outlets to keep the screws from running away. If so, there is no place on these bikes where that "technology" is utilized.

[HalfCentury]

My XJ650 had donuts that held the screws in place. The crews did not come out of the cover without a fight.

Thanks for the responses. I will start a thread about the clearances.

[Schming]

My XJ650 had donuts that held the screws in place. The crews did not come out of the cover without a fight.

Thanks for the responses. I will start a thread about the clearances.

Yes the smaller XJ's have bottoming bolts and one time use donut washers that seal the cam cover bolt holes.

The camcover on the XJ 1100 is the same as the XS 1100 and the bolts get torqued to 7.2 ft.lbs.