Indeed, good for you. :) The first time takes the longest. The next time you will be done much more quickly. :tup:

I agree wholeheartedly with Spud, worked on a friends over the weekend and the 2nd check took less than half the time once I figured out how to hold the radiators (bungees) and send my arm between the front forks.

This bike keeps impressing me. Zongshen makes great bikes!

Thanks Jay and All,
Turning crank counter clockwise was the trick. My first time ever and with ya'lls help a total success. The 2nd time in this wknd I only pulled left radiator out of the way with a bungee.
1st time I must have had it on the exhaust stroke. Big difference huh?

Last week I installed heated grips @ BikeMaster and Enduro Engineering CSC's grip guards. Ready for winter riding now!
Thanks to you for being there for this rank novice.
Even Gerry at CSC wrote me back. And on a Sunday morning?

Yes, that definitely makes a difference. ;)

Ugh. I have the valve covers off and 3 valves seem too tight but I can't seem to budge the valve lock nuts. Using an 8mm combo wrench. Just what direction should I be turning looking down from the top?

The tappets have a conventional thread. Looking from the top, turn counter-clockwise (left) to loosen the lock nuts.

Good luck with your valve adjustment. :) Be patient, and take your time. The job will certainly go much faster the next time you do it. I'll be checking in periodically to see if you have more questions. ;)

Woodland sprite... I'm sure you've got it covered, but wanted to just say it (just in case) that all load be off the valve before you try to loosen the locking nut. (i.e. you should be able to wiggle the valve tappet slightly.)

Spud is correct... "lefty loosey, righty tight." It may be a bit tough to loosen, but if having difficulty, using another wrench (or hammer) on the wrench to tap lightly will help to loosen. Just don't round-off the nut!

Good luck!

Sprite, it you're using a combo wrench then you're not able to generate enough torque to overcome the production tightening. You should be able to get a socket on the nut, then use a breaker bar to loosen. Do not use a breaker bar to tighten, use a torque wrench if possible or get a feel for the torque on another nut then use your socket set to replicate. Good luck.

TDC indication.
 

I'd gotten tired of looking in to the hole in the alternator cover for the mark and remembered that the cam timing marks are easily viewed through the screw plugs in the head. :doh:

By watching for the "L" mark in the rear (intake) hole, you know you are just about to see the "R" mark in about 90 degrees crank rotation.

http://www.chinariders.net/showpost....16&postcount=5

Third picture down. Note,,,,,,, they're not really yellow.

Thanks everyone
I thought for a while I was going to have to come in here and post a plea to try to bribe AZRider into giving me a hand :P

Managed to get my hands a little dirty today without breaking a nail ;)

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5636/...f4c86271f1.jpg

Got the bike apart, managed to dribble gasoline all over various things while the tank was upside down (didn't manage to siphon it completely dry) - luckily I remembered to buy vacuum caps so I could flip it back over after plugging the gas lines outputs.

I did manage to break the retaining tab on the bigger electrical connector - could not get it to release, then when I tried to "encourage" it by prying it up a little, it snapped. The connector seems to fit fairly snugly, so I didn't do anything to try to secure it better (I suppose I could have deployed some self fusing tape).

I wound up taking the feelergages out of the housing because they were a right pain in the you know what trying to get to the valves at the front of the bike. Speaking of which, those were THE WORST to try to get to what with the radiators constantly getting in the way.

I did not reseat the valve cover bolts with a torque wrench, but I did try to tighten them relatively snugly...the rear ones went on easily with a T handled wrench, the front ones...I managed to finally get a socket on them. As for the valve lock nuts, I was never able to get a socket on the front ones - the rear ones were reachable with the t-handled wrench if I remember right - I was seriously worried I was going to round them off the way it was going!

If anything, my valves might be a hair loose now, but I *think* 3 of them were on the tight side - either that or I was having issues with the feeler gauges catching on something. buttoned the bike back up and made sure it started ;) didn't get a chance to take it out for a ride - husband noted there was a lot of traffic (and likely distracted drivers) out this afternoon, so I didn't go for a test drive after I put everything back together.

Here's the proof that I finally got inside the bike ;)
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5757/...9ab20766dd.jpg

Thanks again for being so helpful and supportive - it was an interesting day getting intimate with my zong ;) :hehe:

Brava!
 

Ya done good, Kiddo!

Thanks Jay :) I just hope I had the engine turned right - I didn't read through the tips about checking the tappets to see if they jiggled or not - had a heck of a time seeing the mark through the view cap - was so happy when I finally spotted it I went straight to the valves. I guess I'll find out if it sounds rather tappy - when I fired it up, it didn't sound significantly different than I did before I took it apart, so I'm assuming it's done alright...

just for my reference in the future, which ones are the exhaust valves?

Well done, Woodlandsprite! Sounds like you did it properly. If you didn't line up the marks properly, you'd likely have A LOT of valve noise as the gaps would have been too wide. (Ask me how I know!)

The exhaust valves are the "pain in the patoiee" ones to reach. (i.e. The valves at the front of the bike.)

The exhaust valves are the ones where the exhaust pipe lives.

The valve covers do not need the bolts very tight, just enough to make the rubber seal and the bolts to not back out.

That lock tab on the fuel pump connector is far too close to the mount bolt to suit me, too. You are probably right about it being such a snug fit that the tab isn't needed. Just in case, keep that fact in the back of your mind in case some day the engine quits for no reason. If it does, just peek in there to see if it has popped out.

I agree that valve adjustment on the RX-3 is a nuisance, but it's the only complaint I have about the bike.

That's the way to do it. :tup: It is not only easier, but you will never make a mistake by adjusting the valves on the exhaust stroke, instead of the compression stroke. ;)

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/q...pskghfuotu.jpg