08-450 valve adjust - question: what if i did it wrong?

It prolly wouldn't start.. And you might have had to turn the screws a lot.

This might help. . .

TDC is where you find it, by Creeper
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=94861


I adjust 1/8-1/6th of a turn from LIGHTLY SEATED. Lightly seated meaning you have only tightened the screw with a thumb and forefinger on a skinny screwdriver until it stops. (I use a long flathead screwbit) Any more than that and you are screwing the spring down and possibly opening the valve.

Best to physically check for a minute amount of slack by trying to move the rocker arm up and down with your fingers.
Check before and after you adjust the valves. It will have very little slack, but it's enough that you can just feel it.

jeffk95z said:

my one concern was i couldn't get my (crappy) feeler gauges in/under... even with the smaller .008 one.

Click to expand...

It's no wonder that you couldn't get a 0.008" gauge to fit, as the 1/6 Turn Method yields 0.005" clearance. Done properly, the 1/6 Turn Method is very accurate, plus it takes into account and negates any 'cupping' issues between the valve stem and the rocker tip.

So... What if I did it right and now it won't start...

I adjusted my valves on the new bike. It was 30 hours since the last valve check. 95 hours total.

Buttoned it back up and the pos wouldn't start.

Got it to start with choke, and cracking the throttle open. Normally it starts the first of second time the plug fires. (with no choke)

Figured the cam follower bearings are worn. Funny, cause I did find when I adjusted them 48 hours ago that the intake was loose and needed a whole turn of the screw.

Usually valves tighten not loosen.

Anewho.. I adjusted again and torqued the nuts down. Then while holding the kill button down, pressed the starter and turned it over a dozen times. Then found TDC, then checked for the feint slack that was present at TDC just moments earlier. Now it has no slack.

Then again, I turned it over a dozen times. Note the spark plug was out and inspection caps off still. Found TDC again and checked for slack. A shttonne of slack.

Swapped complete rocker arms out with my other bike and adjusted valves. Check slack, minute amount of play.. Perfect!

Turned it over again a few times and I've got the same amount (very little) of slack.
Time for a ride, and starts right away. Then a 3 mile warmup ride and do the oil and filter(s)


On a side note, I've realized after a few dozen valve checks that I've been doing it the hard way all this time. I was using a small short screwdriver.

I bought a long narrow screwdriver and a longer narrow screwdriver. They go here, and here, and make the job much easier if you have fat fingers and big hands. Leaves lots of room to get the wrench in there.





Same deal on the other side..

That's a 10mm 3/8 drive socket with rubber tape on it in the pic. It helps to snug the nut down, but then you have to switch to an offset wrench to torque it down.

When adjusting the valves using TDC, note that TDC must be on the compression stroke with all valves closed.

Most definitely ^^

As long as the valves are closed, what does it matter. it's not timing.
I use the gauge and just bent it 90 degrees, nothing to it. :|

As long as the valves are closed and the valve lifter is on the base of the cam and not on the opening or closing ramp it does not matter.