Valve Adjustment Documentation?

[jinkside]

Having availed myself of the search function, mega-welcome, etc, and found nothing, I'm still certain somebody has documentation somewhere for adjusting the valve clearances on a 450. Could somebody point me in the right direction?

Also, I've got most of one of my carbs sitting in Berryman's at the moment. The plan is:

1. Finish carb cleaning
2. Reinstall carbs
3. Start bike, make sure nothing explodes.... too much.
4. Adjust valve clearances
5. Synchronize carbs

That seems to be the accepted order, but if somebody older and/or wiser has any suggested changes, I'm happy to hear them.

[BassCliff]

Hi,

I found this on some guy's website:


------------------------------
Valve Adjustment Video

Kerry Burton of GStwin.com has put together a very informative video chronicling the process of valve adjustment on his GS500. The procedure will be the same for all GS twins. The principle is the same for all 2-valve GS motors.

CLICK HERE to go to the Google video.
-------------------------------

That same website also has a Haynes and a Clymer manual for the GS450 and a carb rebuild guide.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[BassCliff]

Greetings and Salutations!!

Hi,

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Here is your very own magical, mystical, mythical, mind-expanding "mega-welcome". Please take notice of the "Top 10 Common Issues", "Top 15 Tips For GS Happiness", the Carb Cleanup Series, and the Stator Papers. All of these tasks must be addressed in order to have a safe, reliable machine. This is what NOT to do: Top 10 Newbie Mistakes. Now let me roll out the welcome mat for you...



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Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[jinkside]

Thanks a bunch!

[jinkside]

Well, I never thought I would manage it - feel free to laugh, those of you who do this for fun every other weekend - but the carbs have been dipped and reassembled and there aren't any parts left over!

Should I remount the carbs before or after adjusting the valves? I'd really like to avoid having to take the carbs off and putting them back on again if I can avoid it, but it seems like I should make sure it starts with the carbs the way they are now...

[tom203]

Yeah, remount carbs, but don't test run yet- get to the valves. There will be plenty of carb fiddling later to excite you. You do have new cam cover gasket standing by, in case you need it?

[cowboyup3371]

Have you emailed Steve yet for his spreadsheet? That's his name and username and you'll want that spreadsheet for tracking everything you have as well as the work you've done.

[Steve]

Have you emailed Steve yet for his spreadsheet? That's his name and username and you'll want that spreadsheet for tracking everything you have as well as the work you've done.

Here, I'll make it easy for you. Info is down there.

.

[koolaid_kid]

Before you remount the carbs, did you do a bench test for the needle and seats? You need to connect a fuel source and see if they seal or not. Much better to test on the bench rather than having to remove them again to correct a leaky needle and seat.

[jinkside]

Have you emailed Steve yet for his spreadsheet? That's his name and username and you'll want that spreadsheet for tracking everything you have as well as the work you've done.

Steve sent me his spreadsheet earlier this week, so I've got this one covered.

Yeah, remount carbs, but don't test run yet- get to the valves. There will be plenty of carb fiddling later to excite you. You do have new cam cover gasket standing by, in case you need it?

No carb fiddling would be the perfect amount. And no, I didn't even know there was a cam cover gasket. Z1, then?

Before you remount the carbs, did you do a bench test for the needle and seats? You need to connect a fuel source and see if they seal or not. Much better to test on the bench rather than having to remove them again to correct a leaky needle and seat.

I haven't seen any references to bench testing the needle and/or seats before. I bench synced them to make sure the butterfly valves were open more or less the same amount (they were). Near the end of the carb teardown tutorial by Nessism, he's got the carb hooked up to test the floats - same test?

I found the tutorial by Flaming Chainsaws much easier to follow. Of course, it's for a 450 and I have a 450, so that goes without saying. Surprisingly, the hardest part of the whole process so far was trying to reassemble the choke lever's screws. The thing has, what, six washers? I'm glad I took pictures during disassembly.

I'm hoping to take her out this weekend. I live in Vancouver, WA, and, well, a whole weekend without rain? That's like winning the lottery.

[jinkside]

Welp, I put the carbs back in and secured, checked the that everything was as close to it was before as I could get it. Set it to prime for a minute or two, got fuel to leak out. Forgot to attach the vacuum plug tube.

Attach. Prime, wait a minute, give it a start. I get one normal, non-igniting turnover, before there's a light clack. I immediately let go of the Start button, check to make sure nothing else untoward is going on, and give it another shot.

Annnnd... Another clack, and a thick cloud of white smoke comes from just behind the airbox.

Want to guess who just burned out his starter motor? Or something? I don't know, really. I mean, it couldn't have been active for more than 5 seconds. Maybe I seized the engine?

[surviverguy]

White smoke can be from a misfire. White smoke in airbox could have been from misfire.

[jinkside]

So... I should just try to start it again?

[surviverguy]

Heck yeah. Give it a go. Don't let a couple pops scare you... If it continues popping- I'd confirm my ignition timing and coil connections to be sure they haven't been wired wrong. My GS450 has coil connections which can't be mixed up. Yours may be similar.

[koolaid_kid]

Welp, I put the carbs back in and secured, checked the that everything was as close to it was before as I could get it. Set it to prime for a minute or two, got fuel to leak out. Forgot to attach the vacuum plug tube.

Attach. Prime, wait a minute, give it a start. I get one normal, non-igniting turnover, before there's a light clack. I immediately let go of the Start button, check to make sure nothing else untoward is going on, and give it another shot.

Annnnd... Another clack, and a thick cloud of white smoke comes from just behind the airbox.

Want to guess who just burned out his starter motor? Or something? I don't know, really. I mean, it couldn't have been active for more than 5 seconds. Maybe I seized the engine?

This is slightly confusing. Where did the fuel leak out from?