Doing the valve clearances

Message

fatboy · #16 Post by **fatboy** » Mon Feb 13, 2017 7:01 pm

spiderwheels wrote:
fatboy wrote:The more I read the less I want to get into this..
I'll chuck mine in for a major service and mot
Where's the fun in that?

All the work I do on my bike is 'al fresco' so there is no fun in it at all this time of year

spiderwheels · #17 Post by **spiderwheels** » Mon Feb 13, 2017 8:30 pm

fatboy wrote:
spiderwheels wrote:
fatboy wrote:The more I read the less I want to get into this..
I'll chuck mine in for a major service and mot
Where's the fun in that?
All the work I do on my bike is 'al fresco' so there is no fun in it at all this time of year :smt009

Fair doos. I used to hate working on them outside - my mum was never too happy about having a 2-stroke stripped down all over the kitchen.

I just like tinkering and learning new things. This is the 5th different bike I've done the valves on and so far the most difficult (the sv650 I did over Christmas was a doddle) but it's good fun in a weird and twisted way!

old git · #18 Post by **old git** » Wed Feb 15, 2017 8:46 pm

Hi SPiderwheels, I did the falco & futura the other year, I took the gears off and did as mango said, zip-tied the chains on (and used tipex as well)
It was scary being 1st time, but actually once done, it was not as difficult as it sounds when you read ( and re-read) the methods posted by others in the past.
I think if I can do it, most will be able to.
I got a whole shim set (think it was £70) so that when they were opened up, whatever sizes i needed i had them to hand.
Only changed 2 overall, so lots of spares for next time.

Get it opened up, take your time ( I did each one over a whole weekend each) and it will be fine, slow, careful and check everything twice (then check again)
After completing it, ride like you stole it.
Good luck,
OG

fatboy · #19 Post by **fatboy** » Thu Feb 16, 2017 7:12 pm

I do like your very sensible advice Mr OG.
Is there any other way to ride it ?

spiderwheels · #20 Post by **spiderwheels** » Tue Feb 28, 2017 7:58 pm

All done!

Most of the time was spent waiting for the shims to arrive - it would have been nice to have the £70 kit but that's a lot of money and in the end I only needed 5 shims that cost me around £18

This was by far the longest shim job I've ever had to do - the work on the rear head complicated by the balance shaft and having to remove both cam gears and the front head being so restricted for space. In the end I left the front cylinder tensioner in place and removed the cam gear on the inlet shaft that allowed me enough slack to remove the exhaust cam and gear in one piece.

Now I know what I'm doing I could probably do the whole lot in about 4 hours :)

fatboy · #21 Post by **fatboy** » Wed Mar 01, 2017 7:25 pm

That is good to know that you are confident that experience will get it done in a few hours....
My local bike shop charges £300for a major service, clearances, oil ,plugs and all filters changed.
I have a K&N and iridium plugs so they lucked out there, mmm, might see if they will chuck in an MOT for that price

spiderwheels · #22 Post by **spiderwheels** » Wed Mar 01, 2017 7:52 pm

Does that include adjusting the clearances or just checking them?

old git · #23 Post by **old git** » Sun Mar 05, 2017 5:17 pm

spiderwheels wrote:All done!

Most of the time was spent waiting for the shims to arrive - it would have been nice to have the £70 kit but that's a lot of money and in the end I only needed 5 shims that cost me around £18

This was by far the longest shim job I've ever had to do - the work on the rear head complicated by the balance shaft and having to remove both cam gears and the front head being so restricted for space. In the end I left the front cylinder tensioner in place and removed the cam gear on the inlet shaft that allowed me enough slack to remove the exhaust cam and gear in one piece.

Now I know what I'm doing I could probably do the whole lot in about 4 hours :)

Well done for doing the 'complicated' job yourself, I found a great deal of satisfaction ( sad I know) in doing it my self and it still running after....
Not alot you can't do now, so onward and upward.

fatboy · #24 Post by **fatboy** » Mon Mar 06, 2017 7:07 pm

spiderwheels wrote:Does that include adjusting the clearances or just checking them?

That includes check and adjust, so you can see why I don't want to get stuck into this, working outside in this fickle weather

spiderwheels · #25 Post by **spiderwheels** » Tue Mar 07, 2017 10:37 am

old git wrote:
spiderwheels wrote:All done!

Most of the time was spent waiting for the shims to arrive - it would have been nice to have the £70 kit but that's a lot of money and in the end I only needed 5 shims that cost me around £18

This was by far the longest shim job I've ever had to do - the work on the rear head complicated by the balance shaft and having to remove both cam gears and the front head being so restricted for space. In the end I left the front cylinder tensioner in place and removed the cam gear on the inlet shaft that allowed me enough slack to remove the exhaust cam and gear in one piece.

Now I know what I'm doing I could probably do the whole lot in about 4 hours :)
Well done for doing the 'complicated' job yourself, I found a great deal of satisfaction ( sad I know) in doing it my self and it still running after....
Not alot you can't do now, so onward and upward.

Yes there is a great deal of satisfaction in it. Also I know that they have definitely been done - I have always had mixed results with the local garages to the point where I'd never be sure if they really did the work or not.

spiderwheels · #26 Post by **spiderwheels** » Tue Mar 07, 2017 10:43 am

fatboy wrote:
spiderwheels wrote:Does that include adjusting the clearances or just checking them?
That includes check and adjust, so you can see why I don't want to get stuck into this, working outside in this fickle weather

Fair enough. It is most definitely not an outside job. I would say you could borrow my garage but it's a long way.

fatboy · #27 Post by **fatboy** » Tue Mar 07, 2017 7:26 pm

spiderwheels wrote:
fatboy wrote:
spiderwheels wrote:Does that include adjusting the clearances or just checking them?
That includes check and adjust, so you can see why I don't want to get stuck into this, working outside in this fickle weather
Fair enough. It is most definitely not an outside job. I would say you could borrow my garage but it's a long way.

Thanks for the offer !
When it goes in for the service and test it will come out serviced, tested and tweaked, John will say 'We did this, we did that, put a new spring on the stand, adjusted the throttle cables,replaced the bleed nipple covers ect all for the original price.
Yes he is a bloody good bloke who loves his bikes