Problems: Gas tank + getting at the carb

[LarryA_Texas]

float pins

I


The other thing that got me was the float bowl pin. Mine's very short, so I guess I just need to pry it open with a small flathead screwdriver.

That's another high-risk area. If you haven't already done it, be very careful about hammering those pins out. The posts they go through are easy to break off and then you're in trouble. About the only solution is to get another carb body.

Tap lightly...and if it's giving you any resistance at all brace the posts on one side and cut a small dowel to put between them to brace the other.

[Bones]

The other thing that got me was the float bowl pin. Mine's very short, so I guess I just need to pry it open with a small flathead screwdriver.

I agree with Larry. I was dumb enough to use a small nail and a small hammer and now I have a big problem. I busted the post on my #3 carb and now I have to locate another body. (My connection flaked on me)

When you remove the float pin be very carefull!! If it is stuck in place (as mine were) spray some penetrating oil like WD40 and let it sit for a while. Then try what Larry said and tap them out CAREFULLY. I only wish I had thought of the "small dowl between the post" trick.

I hope this helps.

Bones

[Fenixgoon]

Just picked up a valve cover gasket, breather gasket, and tappet depressor tool

I probably won't get to the carbs again till Saturday

[darkstar757]

Good Work

Way to work this out bro!!!


I will be following you along your thread hard!!!

[Fenixgoon]

I got a little bit farther today in taking out the main jet and a few other things (it's cold so my time is limited before my hands freeze ). How necessary is it to get the air screws out? I'm going to use yamaha carb cleaner, which is supposed to be safe for plastics (though I might as well get out as much as I can). The only thing left besides the air screw is the float assembly. I tried letting some WD-40 sit but that didn't help. I'll probably have to (gently) bang it out.

[Fenixgoon]

Carb Attack tonight; now with valve adjustments!

First off, Merry Christmas everyone

I was able to defeat the float bowl pin with a hammer and a small screwdriver (and did not bust anything up). However, the needle seat has moved itself into my crosshairs as seen below. That little punk

http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/5341/dscn0232vr4.jpg

I may just go ahead and dunk it in carb cleaner (yamaha cleaner). I picked up a colander that's fine enough for the tiny pieces.

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/5223/dscn0233xv4.jpg

Armed with new tools from Christmas and orders from bikebandit and harborfreight, I started taking on the valve cover.

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/607/dscn0230ql6.jpg

As the guide said, the highway bars generally get in the way of removing the bolts on the ignition cover, so I took them off.

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/5143/dscn0234pa9.jpg

The main bolts were torqued heavily and the secondary ones had a most interesting design - two threaded sections with a smooth section between them. At first I was confused as to why they wouldn't come out, so I took some pliers and pulled. Surprise surprise

After that I loosened all of the bolts on the breather cover and the valve cover. The clymer manual says to remove the tach cable before taking off the valve cover. I removed the screw holding the cable in place and tried pulling and rotating the tach cable to get it out (not very hard so I wouldn't damage anything) but it didn't seem to budge. What is the proper way to remove it?

http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/2941/dscn0231nl6.jpg

Thanks

Fenixgoon

[Dave_17954]

I have the same motor. I unscrewed the cable from the tach drive gear assembly. Put your screw and the little holdown plate back on using your 8mm wrench or screwdriver then just unscrew the knurled knob at arrow and your cable should pull right out. Might turn a little hard to start with so turning counter clockwise use pliers with gentle pressure to losen then turn with fingers.

[Fenixgoon]

Alright, I pulled off the tach cable (was very easy with your advice, Dave), took off all of the valve/breather cover screws, and started going at it. I don't know how to get the metal circle things off on the ends of the cams. Here's the results so far:

Screwless valvecover w/ breather off:

http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/263/dscn0236zo9.jpg

What's left of the breather cover gasket from taking the breather off:

http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/1527/dscn0238gw0.jpg

The valvecover...covers(?) that I can't get off - any ideas for removing these guys? I'd think they'd come off easy but apparently not.

http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/3653/dscn0235dh7.jpg

Carb soaking in yamaha cleaner (I'm gonna have to flip it around in a few ours)

http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/7595/dscn0242tw2.jpg

[Big T]

I'm not that familiar with the 650's, but the chrome end caps either have 2 large screws holding them on, or a small hex(Allen) screw on the bottom side

Yours are probably hex heads -loosen it up and they come right off

[Dave_17954]

The valve cover will come off without taking the caps off first. so happens ive got my engine torn down for some serious maintenece this winter and I always take pix for reference. look close at my pic and you can see the screws still in the end caps....I used a small rubber mallet and "GENTLY" tapped all around the cover while kinda pulling at the same time with my other hand til it came loose.

[bwringer]

Eeeeeeeeewwwwww!

It looks like someone used evil hateful shonky silicone sealer on that valve cover. Don't repeat that mistake.

Scrape all that crap off, and when you re-install, just put a thin coat of grease on the new valve cover gasket. It'll seal up fine and you'll be able to re-use the gasket several times.

[Fenixgoon]

valve clearances ahoy!

I got the valve cover off and cleaned that up. Man, stuck gaskets are a pain! At least the valve cover gasket was easier than the breather gasket. I would have killed myself if it were worse!

http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/3226/dscn0244hz6.jpg

For measuring the valve clearances, I did the exhaust on cylinders 1 and 2 (I hope). My pictures are labeled (and probably wrong) so feel free to correct whatever I have written. Since I don't know which valves are which, I got confused and here I am.

Here are the cams on the LEFT side of the engine.

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/4554/leftcamcopypr4.jpg

On the left side of the above picture (intake side?) the cam in the foreground is horizontal towards the front of the bike while the cam in the background is vertical. On the right (exhaust?), the foreground cam is horizontal towards the back of the bike and the background cam is pointed down.

Here are the cams on the RIGHT side of the engine

http://img155.imageshack.us/my.php?image=rightcamcopyvg8.jpg

On the left side of this picture (exhaust?), the foreground cam is pointed towards the front and the background cam is vertical. On the right side (intake?) the foreground cam is pointing backwards and the background cam is pointing down.

So yeah, I'm really confused as to which cams/valves are which and where they should be to take the proper measurements

And here's my ugly mug turning the engine . Very cool since I've never done this before. I was so excited to hear the air move into the intake and out the exhaust .

http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/5601/dscn0255copywp3.jpg

[Dave_17954]

yea that silicone was a temp thing for bout a month coming into winter lol. on a good note it didnt leak a drop. holy crap thats the cleanest valve cover ive ever seen. Ok its almost january and your garage door is open and your in short sleeves and maryland yet to boot. whats wrong with that picture.....

[Fenixgoon]

yea that silicone was a temp thing for bout a month coming into winter lol. on a good note it didnt leak a drop. holy crap thats the cleanest valve cover ive ever seen. Ok its almost january and your garage door is open and your in short sleeves and maryland yet to boot. whats wrong with that picture.....

yeah, it was 70F out today!

i took some 200grit sandpaper to the valve cover after scraping off as much of the gasket as possible with a razor blade. i like my contact surfaces clean and smooth

[darkstar757]

Great work on the valve cover. I can not wait to ride with you bro!!!