FE650 2004 Starting problem

If it's alway been difficult to start when did you last set the valve clearances?

Valve clearance for FC600

Hello
I have a 2004 FE650 that I’m having problems getting started too. Don’t know how long it has been sitting for before I got my hands on it!
I can’t get a feeler gauge in to check the valve clearances on the FE650, the engine sits too close to the frame, can barely fit my fingers in there!
I found this video, and I’ve done my valve clearances the same way this guy does it. Can someone comment on whether this a valid method or is it too inaccurate? Haven’t actually got mine started yet so can’t vouch for it
This is the video:

its about right. no need to move the nut just imagine 2 numbers on a clock face.
use a stepped ring spanner and use it to tighten AS WELL.

Taffmeisters golden rule;
morse code the tappets and if you can't hear them at the rear licence plate then cut some slack coz one of the valves is a tight 1/6th of a turn.

don't give them extra slack. that is just as bad.
unfortunately the spanner needs a good yank on it (pun unintentional) as you can see, even the nut wobbles!
must be at TDC exactly.
use the end out of a chubby.
making Ikea cabinets come with a 'Zig' M4 allen spanner. excellent for the rocker cover bolts.
put half the rocker cover in the vice and whack with a copper hammer to straighten the cover.
check the covers on the workshop window.
take the slack out of the rocker arm laterally but not enough that you can't do the morse code trick.

regards

Taffy

Morse code the tapets?

Thank you for your reply and sharing your knowledge Taffy!
Could you explain a bit more what you mean about morse coding the tappets?

Morse code is a series of taps some long some short it was how communication was done. SOS is ... --- ... anyway Taffy is telling You to listen for the tapping noise that your making

The guy in the video was kind of doing it but he had too much lateral float. er lateral means sideways....use the rocker end cap to put the squeeze on the rocker arm. not too much, let it be free enough to do its job

Taffy

Hi Taffy
Not sure what you mean here, should we be putting lateral pressure on the rocker arm while tightening up the lock nut after checking the valve clearance? That wouldn’t lock the rocker arm in it’s “natural” position?
Sorry I’m probably misunderstanding you?

Cheers

you should be sqeezing the gap by tapping the end cap in. his gap was 1mm.

how can you say that you set the tappets with 1mm of float left to right?

that's why some people even have an uneven idle.

Taffy