Doing a valve adjustment... any warnings or precautions?

[Boriqua]

This weekend is valve adjustment time and I have never done one so I am a little nervous. Read several threads here and have read my clymer and even watched a video or 2 but is there anything that you would warn someone about so I can look out for it? Doesn't sound extremely difficult and I have the day set aside to do nothing but valve adjustment but still.

At the moment my biggest fear is getting the cover back on and not over torquing the screws. I have a clicking torque wrench that has served me well but it only goes down to 10 lbs and I have a beam model but I really dont love it or trust myself with it and usually only use it on things getting a significant torque.

Anything else to be aware of?

 

[Guest]

I'm sure someone will scream bloody murder for saying this, but I use a 1/4 drive ratchet and just use two fingers and my thumb at the ratchet head to tighten the valve cover bolts .

You didn't mention what bike you have. there are two types for GSs, shim over tappet or screw and lock nut. If you doing the shim type get an empty egg carton to store anything you remove as to not mix anything up by accident. Right everything down for reference and future use. Most manuals say to shoot for the middle of the range, but most guys here will say to go for the loose side if it's possible. just remember they constantly tighten so looser is better unless you find out you really like doing this.

 

[dorkburger]

82 750e.
Do you have a valve cover gasket on hand for the likelihood of it not coming off in one piece?

 

[Boriqua]

I did buy a new gasket and it appears to be a nice thick well made piece. I was going to put a skim coat of white lithium on the motor side, install the gasket and put another skim on the valve cover side.

 

[Burque73]

I'm not sure if it made a difference in being able to reuse the gasket but I drenched mine with WD-40 and have taken it apart and put it back together twice using the same gasket.

 

[Rijko]

best advice i can think of is - take your time.

Not a complicated job, but the first time is always unnerving.
When you're done, remove the spark plug caps and spin the engine
a couple of seconds on the starter and measure again.
Just to be sure you feel it's done right.

I often hear people complaining that 'those old Suzuki's tend to leak
from the valve cover gasket'.
If they do, the mechanic probably did a bad job.
Last time i had to clean old gasket remains off the head and cover it took
several hours.
Just make sure the surfaces are perfectly clean, one tiny bit of old gasket
remaining can cause a leak.
Be patient and take care not to scratch the metal while removing the gasket.

Asking for advice, watching videos and recognizing things that could go wrong tells me you're the right person for the job, so now go do it and enjoy it !

 

[dorkburger]

If it's one of those thick silicone gaskets, they have been known to cause failure if the cam / tachometer gear due to improper meshing of the gears.

 

[GSXR7ED]

Welcome and thanks for the thread start. Here's my adventure with the adjustment I did on my "T".

http://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...T-Valve-Cover-Adjustment-with-Pics&highlight=


Ed

EDIT: you'll need a tappet set and two feeler gauges.

 

[Guest]

82 750e.
Do you have a valve cover gasket on hand for the likelihood of it not coming off in one piece?

I never take it for granted by whats in a sig, but I also didn't see it listed there.

 

[Steve]

Make "the tool" beforehand that you will need to do the actual adjustment. You likely already have the box-end wrench to loosen the locknut, but "the tool" can be made with a square-drive drywall screw that is screwed into a short dowel.

I have also heard it said that it is best to use TWO sets of feeler gauges and use both of them at the same time. That keeps the rocker arm from canting sideways when you check the clearance on one valve.

Unlike changing shims and being stuck with what you get, you can pick your clearance and turn the screw adjusters to that, then lock it down. Set the clearance on the looser side of the middle of the range.

.

 

[Boriqua]

so Part 1 went fine. Everything came off readily. The breather cover was a little stuck but a piece of wooden dowel and a light tap from a plastic hammer and it was free. The valve cover came off clean as a whistle and I probably could have reused the gasket but since I already bought a new one I will be installing a new gasket for the valve cover and the breather. I checked all the valves and they were all within spec. The Previous owner didn't work on his own bikes but had a friend help and said something to the effect of ... "yea he even did that thing where you know you turn the big nut under there and adjust the camshafts." I kind of took that for a valve adjustment at the time of purchase but wanted to check with my own eyes.

I will leave reassembly for tomorrow. I dont have sealing washers for the 4 Phillips screws so I am thinking about making 4 washers from gasket stock. Looks like the ones that were in there have a rubber center with a metal washer. The rubber shredded on removal.

I checked out the robertsons at Lowes but the problem is they only have them in boxes of like 50 or more. I right now have 73 sealing washers because I needed two at my petcock screws. I freagin hate square drive so I will and up with 8 bucks worth of screws to use 2 so I would like to just buy the official tool for next time.

Can someone confirm that this is it. It is a square drive and I like the large knob but I dont know if it is the right size square drive for my 1982 GS750E.
https://www.discountbikespares.co.u...0-GSF650-GSF600-GSX750F-GSX600F-GSXR1100.html
Pt # 09917-14910

last question for now .. Is there a bolt tightening pattern I should do? My Triumph was REAL sensitive to bolt pattern tightening on the valve cover. Screw up and leaks.

 

[Boriqua]

Just for anyone coming and reading this later .. I had 6 pcs 40mm screws and the rest were 35mm. On my 1982 gs750 4 long screws went at the holes in the valve cover just surrounding the breather and the two others went into the holes that have the locating dowels.

 

[steve murdoch]

Probably too late but i use a bit of anti-seize on the cam cover bolts when re-installing.
Makes for no broken bolts the next time you have the top off.

 

[Boriqua]

Probably too late but i use a bit of anti-seize on the cam cover bolts when re-installing.
Makes for no broken bolts the next time you have the top off.

I didnt have anti seize but I did put white lithium on all the screws while I was putting it together. The screw length differences I didnt notice until i was almost done putting in all the screws and had to pull them all one at a time to check length. Its a small enough difference not to notice when you just have a cup full of screws.

 

[bobgroger]

so Part 1 went fine. Everything came off readily. The breather cover was a little stuck but a piece of wooden dowel and a light tap from a plastic hammer and it was free. The valve cover came off clean as a whistle and I probably could have reused the gasket but since I already bought a new one I will be installing a new gasket for the valve cover and the breather. I checked all the valves and they were all within spec. The Previous owner didn't work on his own bikes but had a friend help and said something to the effect of ... "yea he even did that thing where you know you turn the big nut under there and adjust the camshafts." I kind of took that for a valve adjustment at the time of purchase but wanted to check with my own eyes.

I will leave reassembly for tomorrow. I dont have sealing washers for the 4 Phillips screws so I am thinking about making 4 washers from gasket stock. Looks like the ones that were in there have a rubber center with a metal washer. The rubber shredded on removal.

I checked out the robertsons at Lowes but the problem is they only have them in boxes of like 50 or more. I right now have 73 sealing washers because I needed two at my petcock screws. I freagin hate square drive so I will and up with 8 bucks worth of screws to use 2 so I would like to just buy the official tool for next time.

Can someone confirm that this is it. It is a square drive and I like the large knob but I dont know if it is the right size square drive for my 1982 GS750E.
https://www.discountbikespares.co.u...0-GSF650-GSF600-GSX750F-GSX600F-GSXR1100.html
Pt # 09917-14910

last question for now .. Is there a bolt tightening pattern I should do? My Triumph was REAL sensitive to bolt pattern tightening on the valve cover. Screw up and leaks.

That is the OEM adjuster. I prefer the one with the built in wrench https://www.motionpro.com/product/08-0583
Start in the middle and work outward, not too tight, and do it twice....

 

[Boriqua]

Bob that tool looks great. Let me make sure I got it. The adjuster goes down through the wrench so you turn the adjuster and then just tighten the nut. If that is the case .. that is bad A** and that is the one I will need for my future adventures.

Funny thing about the stupid valve cover. I was in the service a while, grew up in a terrible crime ridden housing project and have been through and done some scary things and yet .. it took me two hours and several wiping of the sweaty brow tightening those damn screws. I was terrified! I started at the inside right next to the breather and while I had to walk back and forth between the left side and right I crisscrossed to the left and right outward. I then did as you suggested and came back around to just snug up using only a couple of fingers on a 1/4 drive.

 

[bobgroger]

Bob that tool looks great. Let me make sure I got it. The adjuster goes down through the wrench so you turn the adjuster and then just tighten the nut. If that is the case .. that is bad A** and that is the one I will need for my future adventures.

Funny thing about the stupid valve cover. I was in the service a while, grew up in a terrible crime ridden housing project and have been through and done some scary things and yet .. it took me two hours and several wiping of the sweaty brow tightening those damn screws. I was terrified! I started at the inside right next to the breather and while I had to walk back and forth between the left side and right I crisscrossed to the left and right outward. I then did as you suggested and came back around to just snug up using only a couple of fingers on a 1/4 drive.

That is the way that tool works. Adjust the gap with the top knob, hold it in place while tightening the wrench part. I love it. All I can say about the gasket is that it will leak if it is too tight, or too loose. So start too loose because you can't go back. The harder gaskets like OEM or Vesrah seem to be better than the soft cardboard like ones you find on Ebay for $12.

 

[Boriqua]

Hooray!! No leaks, misting or greasyness anywhere around my valve cover after a 30 mile ride in 100 degree weather!! Check another item off the list.

 

[steve murdoch]

Congrats.
Now you can offer advice to the next first-timer.