Valve Question!

[IndyGunner]

Ok, ive asked several people on KR about the sewing machine sound and im pretty sure it IS the valves, but I made this video just so you guys know exactly what im talking about.

history: I got my bike around 14,500mi now im at 16,000 and I dont know the mechanical history of this bike. It might not have ever had a valve tune for all I know.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=BsDYsR1uH1Q

Thanks for the help!

[lucifers_ride]

valve adjustments are not too hard especially since you have adjusters and not shims like the old 600s...... If your doing it yourself, you'll need the adjuster tool. I got mine at Woodson's for a little bit of nothing.

That being said..... my old Kat was worse.... I adjusted them and had one so far out of spec that I couldn't even get it into spec with the largest shim avalible. I got it as close as possible and rode it. Its still running strong (little bro has it).

[steves]

These bikes are kinda loud. A valve adjustment may help a little bit, but you'll always have some of the "sewing machine" noise.

[The CyberPoet]

I hear what sounds like two valves out of spec and a carb in need of a carb sync to me.
I don't hear the dreaded singer-sewing machine noise.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[IndyGunner]

so i need to do valves and carbs!!!!


drat

do you think it will hurt if i keep riding?

Im trying to meet up with teddy and do the valves together so it will probably be a few months from now.

[arsenic]

you always have to do valves and carbs. The carbs are synchronized to your valves. Most shops depend on you not knowing that, and they don't do it.

[brooder]

Hmm...that's what my bike sounds like. At least I know what needs to be done now.

[The CyberPoet]

do you think it will hurt if i keep riding?

If I can hear that they're out of spec enough to give you a specific number of valves, then, yes, it may well hurt it to keep piling on miles without addressing the issue.

Strip the bike's plastics on Friday, do the valve adjustment Saturday.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[Brian_M]

A valve adjustment really isn't that difficult. I did my first one last summer on my bike and the hardest part was getting to the valves which wasn't all that difficult anyways.

[arsenic]

I agree it's really easy. For someone that doesn't know a brake rotor from a carburetor, it's damn near impossible. Just take your time, stay organized, and everything that came off has to go back on. If you end up with spare parts, they are not extras

[IndyGunner]

Im not to worried about doing the job. I just dont have the tools, and im one of those people who like a second opinion from someone who has some experience.

Ive herd its bad for the engine and ive herd it wont do anything but just get more out of tune...... so which one is it

Still waiting on teddy to get back to me.

oh and chris.... ive had extra parts before hahaha

[FloridaKat]

I was fortunate enough to have CP walk me through my first one, then.....when it came time to fly solo....I just made sure I referenced our archived documentation (and memory).

The most time consuming part is getting to the valves, not the actual adjustment. I think I spent about 10-15 minutes doing the actual valve inspection/adjustment (triple checked each valve).

[The CyberPoet]

Ive herd its bad for the engine and ive herd it wont do anything but just get more out of tune...... so which one is it

There is an range of "acceptible" measurements; beyond this range, things can start getting permanently damaged. If it's at the edge of the range, I usually can't hear it in a video, but by the same token, nothing will suddenly go bad. If I can hear it in a video, it's usually out-of-range all-together, and it really should be addressed.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[GytRDunKat]

It's really not that hard. I worked myself all up about it for like 2 weeks before doing it. Then after reading here, it went without a hitch. For the Tappet tool, I just took a wooded dowel and put a square headed screw in it. It was about 3 inches long. I got that off of kr as well. I would, however, suggest to either borrow a carb sync tool or buy one, my carbs were really far off.

Also, I would mark the wires, which isn't needed, but it gave me piece of mind. I wasn't sure if the coil wires could get switched up or not, so I marked them anyway.