79 850 valve adjustment (cam lobe direction: again!)

[Guest]

79 850 G

From reading other posts about valve adjustments, I'm getting the idea that the procedure outlined in the Cylmer manual (measuring the cam lobes perpendicular to the cylinder head) isn't the best way to do these adjustments on GS bikes.

I've got the tools and the basic idea, I just need to make sure I've got the cam lobes pointing in the right direction on this bike, when I make the adjustments.

Sorry for asking the same questions as other posts, but I want to be sure before I begin. Thanks

[Anonymous]

I don't know a thing about the cam lobe problem, but it's cool to run into someone else who's read <u>ZATAOMM</u>. I wonder how many folks on these boards have read that?

[Guy]

The cams should be perpendicular to or parallel with the cylinder head and not directly opposite the valves.

[mark]

A quality thank you

Thats it. Now I get it... thank you. As for ZATAOMM I guess its my feeling that most on this forum already regard the difficulties and struggles of working on these old bikes a great way to connect to other people and maybe even a power greater than themselves. After all, "on the seventh day, God went for a ride on his GS" (or something like that). Sounds like someone trying to find Quality to me.

[Anonymous]

I've thought it would be great to ride the route in the book. If I remember right, they left from Minnesota, right? I live in Iowa, so I was thinking I would try to pick out the route described. I've travelled through SD and Montana many times (in a cage or on a train), and it would be a great ride, I think.

[mark]

Yeah, across North Dakota, then down to Red Lodge and over that amazing pass into Yellowstone, then back to Bozeman, then down over Highway 12 into Oregon, out to Bend, down to Klamath Falls and over to the coast through Grants Pass, to Crecent City, down the Pacific Coast Hwy, through Arcata and then south where the "fog clears" so to speak. This is all from my bad memory and might not be perfectly accurate.

What would be really amazing is to do the trip on his bike which was I believe an earily sixties Honda Dream. There are (or at least were a couple of years ago) websites about Pirsig and his bike with pictures to double-check this.

And then take the trip of trying to live what he's actually talking about. Oh Gosh, now I'll have to read the book again!

[Anonymous]

Yeah! Isn't that amazing? He says it's a 28 hp bike. And he's riding two-up with full gear. These days you need 1800 cc's to do that. Guess fiziks has gotten tougher since then. :roll:

I think the picture on the cover could be a honda dream... not that the illustrator would necessarily even know.

I so much identify with his mentality toward maintenance, though. I'm gonna read the book again now... he he.

[mark]

www.honda305.com/frames/zen-hld1.htm. I don't know if I did that right but that's the website with great pictures of the bike.

[Anonymous]

I've seen so many differant answers to cam position for adjusting the valves on GS's on this board that I don't think any one really knows.

Why would it be any differant on the side of the lobe than the bottom of the lobe. The base circle should be the same from the closing ramp until the opening ramp.

I always adjust valves on the center of the base circle.

Allan

[Anonymous]

Oh... now I understand the original question! Hah! I've adjusted airplane and car valves, but don't know beans about bikes, but I have to agree with eyball... don't see any way it could make a difference. You have maximum clearance (and that's what you are trying to get in spec) when the lobe is at the lowest point... so why not on the center of the base circle?

[Anonymous]

Mark, thanks for the link! Most excellent. Quality.

[Guy]

The base circle should be the same from the closing ramp until the opening ramp.

It isn't always so, that's why suzuki recommend it's checked in the two positions. If the clearance is correct in the centre of the base circle, it can be too tight in the other two positions.