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Valve Adjustment (Long mechanically oriented)



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    I just completed the valve adjustment. Here is what I found. Inlet =
valves, measured in thousandths, from left to right; .005, .006, .006, =
.006, .006, .003, .004; The requirement is .004 to .006. Exhaust .008, =
.007, .007, .007, .006, .005; The requirement is .006 to .008.
    The bike had 6,084 miles on it when I did the adjustment. I found it =
quite interesting that only the right hand cylinder had valves that were =
out of adjustment or close to the limit. I changed shims on all four of =
those cylinders since the two nearest the cam chain were on the verge of =
being out and I was already working on that cylinder. I used the Triumph =
valve shim removal tool for the job and it worked reasonably well. It is =
made up of a top plate and two arms that hold the valve buckets down. =
The arms must are bolted to the top plate in different positions (four =
positions) for various valve positions, the tool then bolts to two of =
the camshaft caps. This means if you don't have access to shims, you =
have to remove a shim, measure, put it back in, then change the tool =
configuration for another location. I think this setup is less than =
ideal. Rotating the engine requires you to put the transmission in high =
gear and turn the rear wheel. Find a big strapping youngster for this =
part, my 52 year old desk bound body is complaining. I will look for =
another way to rotate the engine next time. I think removal of the =
camshafts would have been easier than the factory tool, my only problem =
was the first step for that was to drain the oil, I just had the 6,000 =
mile service done by the dealer so I didn't want to lose $45 worth of =
oil. Please, no smart questions on why I would have the dealer do the =
service and then do the valves myself. The second problem with the =
camshaft removal was step number 5. in the shop manual, "Place a =
suitable wedge between the tensioner blade and the crankcase, to hold =
the cam chain taut during removal of the tensioner." The manual does not =
offer any pictorial view of the blade/crankcase area they are referring =
to or any indication of what they mean by a suitable wedge. If anyone on =
the list could help me out in this area I would appreciate it because I =
think camshaft removal is really the best way to go.=20
    I had some problems with shim measurement also. Only one shim that I =
removed had any measurement markings left on it, that one was marked =
2.722, which does not exist according to the shop manual. My micrometer =
is pretty old and was a cheap one when new, not high quality and not =
real good for measuring shims. The manual has everything marked in =
metric which means every time I do a measurement I run into the house, =
convert the measurement using the convert program on the PC then try to =
calculate what I really need. Needless to say I made a few bad =
measurements with the micrometer, but I was smart enough to buy a few =
extra shims at the dealer. The shims were $6.12 each by the way, and the =
closest dealer to me would not sell them. They said maybe the service =
department would swap some if I brought them in, not too easy to do =
unless you remove the camshaft. I also have to wonder if some =
Honda/Kawasaki/Yamaha shims might not work, I have done valve =
adjustments those bikes previously and the shims look pretty similar. It =
would be nice to have other options for purchase rather than the 75 mile =
drive in my case.
    Some other things I noticed, the wiring running along the inside of =
the frame really complicates the valve cover removal and installation. =
If the wiring loom on the right hand side was on the left, the cover =
would slide right out no problem. It takes quite a while to get all the =
body work off and those fairing brackets that folks have talked about =
bending up in crashes are susceptible to getting bent when you are =
working on the valves, wonder how I figured that out. The front sensor =
on the airbox has a connector with  a release mechanism totally =
different than anything else on the bike, a wire clip that needs to be =
removed as opposed to a plastic push lock. The chain guard is positioned =
perfectly for taking triangular divots out of your left middle digit =
when you are rotating the tire, although when you get two of them just =
so it looks more like an arrow head. I guess we are going to have an =
easy way to identify the folks doing their own maintenance. The rear =
hugger is a good idea, there was a lot of gravel and trash laying around =
on the rear engine swingarm area from before I put mine on. After using =
the shop manual for a few things I really have to say I think it falls =
short for the general home user, nice information but not enough, and =
the pictorial breakouts at the beginning of each section don't give you =
the name of each part, so you can't relate to what the manual is talking =
about when you are reading it. If you are working in 'english' =
measurements the manual is a real pain. I am going to put the valve =
charts in an excel spreadsheet in metric and inch equivalents. If anyone =
wants them let me know off line and I can send them out to you.
    I'm glad I went through this little drill, since I had 2 valves that =
were out and 2 that probably would have been prior to the 12,000 mile =
checkup. I think I would recommend that if you are mechanically adept =
you should check them at 6,000, they are not hard to check, and the tool =
is not required unless you need to change one. If your dealer is doing =
your service maybe ask him to check until there is a good enough history =
to say if it is required or not.

Paul & Dee Steinbacher
1999 Sprint ST
1997 Buell M2

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<HTML><HEAD>
<META content=3D"text/html; charset=3Diso-8859-1" =
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<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I just completed the valve =
adjustment. Here=20
is what I found. Inlet valves, measured in thousandths, from left to =
right;=20
.005, .006, .006, .006, .006, .003, .004; The requirement is .004 to =
.006.=20
Exhaust .008, .007, .007, .007, .006, .005; The requirement is .006 to=20
.008.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The bike had 6,084 miles on it =
when I did=20
the adjustment. I found it quite interesting that only the right hand =
cylinder=20
had valves that were out of adjustment or close to the limit. I changed =
shims on=20
all four of those cylinders since the two nearest the cam chain were on =
the=20
verge of being out and I was already working on that cylinder. I used =
the=20
Triumph valve shim removal tool for the job and it worked reasonably =
well. It is=20
made up of a top plate and two arms that hold the valve buckets down. =
The arms=20
must are bolted to the top plate in different positions (four positions) =
for=20
various valve positions, the tool then bolts to two of the camshaft =
caps. This=20
means if you don't have access to shims, you have to remove a shim, =
measure, put=20
it back in, then change the tool configuration for another location. I =
think=20
this setup is less than ideal. Rotating the engine requires you to put =
the=20
transmission in high gear and turn the rear wheel. Find a big strapping=20
youngster for this part, my 52 year old desk bound body is complaining. =
I will=20
look for another way to rotate the engine next time. I think removal of =
the=20
camshafts would have been easier than the factory tool, my only problem =
was the=20
first step for that was to drain the oil, I just had the 6,000 mile =
service done=20
by the dealer so I didn't want to lose $45 worth of oil. Please, no =
smart=20
questions on why I would have the dealer do the service and then do the =
valves=20
myself. The second problem with the camshaft removal was step number 5. =
in the=20
shop manual, "Place a suitable wedge between the tensioner blade and the =

crankcase, to hold the cam chain taut during removal of the tensioner." =
The=20
manual does not offer any&nbsp;pictorial view of the blade/crankcase =
area they=20
are referring to or any indication of what they mean by a suitable =
wedge. If=20
anyone on the list could help me out in this area I would appreciate it =
because=20
I think camshaft removal is really the best way to go. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I had some problems with shim =
measurement=20
also. Only one shim that I removed had any measurement markings left on =
it, that=20
one was marked 2.722, which does not exist according to the shop manual. =
My=20
micrometer is pretty old and was a cheap one when new, not high quality =
and not=20
real good for measuring shims. The manual has everything marked in =
metric which=20
means every time I do a measurement I run into the house, convert the=20
measurement using the convert program on the PC then try to calculate =
what I=20
really need. Needless to say I made a few bad measurements with the =
micrometer,=20
but I was smart enough to buy a few extra shims at the dealer. The shims =
were=20
$6.12 each by the way, and the closest dealer to me would not sell them. =
They=20
said maybe the service department would swap some if I brought them in, =
not too=20
easy to do unless you remove the camshaft. I also have to wonder if some =

Honda/Kawasaki/Yamaha shims might not work, I have done valve =
adjustments those=20
bikes previously and the shims look pretty similar. It would be nice to =
have=20
other options for purchase rather than the 75 mile drive in my=20
case.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Some other things I noticed, the =
wiring=20
running along the inside of the frame really complicates the valve cover =
removal=20
and installation. If the wiring loom on the right hand side was on the =
left, the=20
cover would slide right out no problem. It takes quite a while to get =
all the=20
body work off and those fairing brackets that folks have talked about =
bending up=20
in crashes are susceptible to getting bent when you are working on the =
valves,=20
wonder how I figured that out. The front sensor on the airbox has a =
connector=20
with&nbsp; a release mechanism totally different than anything else on =
the bike,=20
a wire clip that needs to be removed as opposed to a plastic push lock. =
The=20
chain guard is positioned perfectly for taking triangular divots out of =
your=20
left middle digit when you are rotating the tire, although when you get =
two of=20
them just so it looks more like an arrow head. I guess we are going to =
have an=20
easy way to identify the folks doing their own maintenance. The rear =
hugger is a=20
good idea, there was a lot of gravel and trash laying around on the rear =
engine=20
swingarm area from before I put mine on. After using the shop manual for =
a few=20
things I really have to say I think it falls short for the general home =
user,=20
nice information but not enough, and the pictorial breakouts at the =
beginning of=20
each section don't give you the name of each part, so you can't relate =
to what=20
the manual is talking about when you are reading it. If you are working =
in=20
'english' measurements the manual is a real pain. I am going to put the =
valve=20
charts in an excel spreadsheet in metric and inch equivalents. If anyone =
wants=20
them let me know off line and I can send them out to you.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I'm glad I went through this =
little drill,=20
since I had 2 valves that were out and 2 that probably would have been =
prior to=20
the 12,000 mile checkup. I think I would recommend that if you are =
mechanically=20
adept you should check them at 6,000, they are not hard to check, and =
the tool=20
is not required unless you need to change one. If your dealer is doing =
your=20
service maybe ask him to check until there is a good enough history to =
say if it=20
is required or not.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Paul &amp; Dee Steinbacher<BR>1999 Sprint ST<BR>1997 =
Buell=20
M2</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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