Valve adjustment assistance

[SpudRider]

Thanks for adding your tips to the collective wisdom, Detours.

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by woodlandsprite

Oh good grief.

Thanks for posting your experience. Looks like I might need to go buy more tools...
Also I have a feeling the valve adjustment process is going to result in a lot of testing of my patience.

You can certainly do the job with the tools I listed in post #14 of this thread. At Harbor Freight you can purchase long screwdrivers to hold the exhaust tappets from above.

http://www.harborfreight.com/6-piece...set-92193.html

The first time you do the job is the toughest. After you learn the proper techniques, the job will be much easier to accomplish the next time. Be patient, and budget a good amount of time for the first job.

[woodlandsprite]

shopping mostly done - already have the combo wrench, was thinking I needed a T handle set after having all that difficulty with my regular socket/ratchet set with the oil change and those oil strainer bolts. Now I just need to see if I already have a long screwdriver or if I need to go buy some...

[detours]

Originally Posted by SpudRider

You can certainly do the job with the tools I listed in post #14 of this thread. At Harbor Freight you can purchase long screwdrivers to hold the exhaust tappets from above.

http://www.harborfreight.com/6-piece...set-92193.html

You will also need a good metric hex key set to remove the body panels and crankcase cover. I have this set of metric hex bits from Amazon. The small bits fit in a standard bit driver or the 1/4" bit holder. The large ones fit the 3/8" bit holder. They will work with either socket or T-handle wrenches.

This one from Harbor Freight is also good. It will require a 3/8" drive up to 10mm and 1/2" drive for the large bits.

[SpudRider]

The socket set of metric hex bits is an excellent investment. I have the Harbor Freight set you listed, and it works great for tight bolts.

http://www.harborfreight.com/9-piece...7880-7763.html

For the body panels, turning the crankshaft to reach TDC, and other bolts which are not so tight, I use a T-Handle Hex Key Set. I don't know what I would do without it.

http://www.harborfreight.com/10-pc-m...set-62172.html

[woodlandsprite]

I've a good variety of hex keys - the standard L ones, plus in interchangeable T handle set, and I think I also have some hex keys that fit on my 1/4" torque wrench

I'm contemplating breaker bar or impact wrench (battery operated) - breaker bar is obviously much more cost effective, but can be unwieldy - impact wrench....depends on how powerful it is I guess...

[Riceburner]

I have to say, you guys are great with all the help and info.

Just for giggles, when I went to my dealer last week I asked the mechanic (nice "young" fellow) about adjusting the valves on my bike (got the response I expected), it doesn't need to be done, it's self adjusting he said and very authoritative at that.

Plus I knew he didn't have the tools or experience to do the task.

Thanks to all of you I plan to tackle this task myself, I have the experience (not necessarily Zongshen) and most of the basic tools necessary.

I'm currently modifying my seat pan and doing my own foam shaping, just need the Typhoon rains to stop for a few days.

And since the dealers head mechanic can't figure out why my carb doesn't work properly and has not been able to fix it, guess I'll have to take it off and give it a good going over. Then of course "I" know what has been done and why and I can fix or correct things out on the trail when the time comes.

Thanks again for all you time and efforts.

Riceburner

[SpudRider]

Thank you for your kind words. We are glad to help, and we are glad you joined us. I enjoy hearing the experiences from people around the world who join our forums.

[jjn]

When you have a bolt that starts to feel like you are going to round off the head of it before it breaks loose try to use six point sockets if you can. A twelve point socket (or wrench) will round off bolt heads when a six point often won't.

[SpudRider]

Thanks for posting the good tip, Jon.

[Riceburner]

Once again I have to say this group is great, lots of good information.

I adjusted my valves yesterday, at 1,600 Km / aprox. 1,000 miles; all four were less than .002, couldn't get it to pass under (that's tight), set all to .003.

Bike seems happy.

I'll post the carb repair under my thread about the trouble I've been having.

Riceburner

[DanKearney]

Thanks to everyone who contributed their knowledge to this thread. I'm about to do my first valve tappet adjustment and this information is very good to have.

I'm curious to know, of everyone who has already done the adjustment, did you check the gap size before you made any adjustments? I'm curious to know how close to spec the gaps were before adjusting.

Cheers,

Dan K.

[DanKearney]

Need valve tappet adjustment advice:

I'm to the point where I need to line up the alternator scribe line (Manual pg. 52) with the index register in the viewing port. There appears to be "timing" marks in the window. One is a horizontal line and just below it by about 2mm is another mark that appears to look like the capital letter "T" rotated 90 degrees. The manual does not state which of these two marks is the alternator scribe line and the photo in the manual is not clear enough to tell. Can someone tell me which is the correct mark? Thanks.

[3banger]

Dan,

Either Mark will work. The reality is you are turning the engine over so the pointy part of the cam shaft is pointed away from the rocker arm. If you peek into the opening you can see this. Or another way to put it, cam shaft isn't doing anything at this point in the engine revolution there will be no difference a few degrees one way or the other. Also the engine is only at top dead center every other revolution and this it roughly where you need to make the measurment. If you watch what the cams are doing as you rotate the engine it pretty clear when this is.

[DanKearney]

Thanks 3Banger and Joel. I saw Joel's photo after I made my last post. All mine were a little loose as I could slide the .064mm gauge in easily. I set them so the .052mm gauge had a little drag and the .064 gauge was tight.

Cheers,

Dan K.