Dump oil when doing Valve clearances???

[bjcrown]

Need some advise here please...

I changed my oil / oil filter about 2 weeks ago and now I'm looking into doing the valve clearances myself.

Does the oil need dumping when doing the valve clearances?

[dnargsiefil]

No you don't have to touch the oil. you are in the clear taking of the valve cover.

[Black_peter]

Remember the valves are adjusted stone cold. Like in the morning. In fact Pirsig (Zen and the art of...) was so anal about that he mentions leaving the bike in the shade..

[StevieB]

Does anybody here know why you adjust the valves cold? (I do, this is a test...)

[Black_peter]

Does anybody here know why you adjust the valves cold? (I do, this is a test...)

Ohh ohhh Pick me!! I know! I know! Pick me!!!

[emtmike]

because the shrink and expand from hot to cold

[Black_peter]

because the shrink and expand from hot to cold

Close!

Can I tell the answer Stevie?!?!? Can I ??

If you're really fast you really want to adjust the valves hot.
However! If the engine is warm or hot, while you are doing the adjustment the engine will cool and the clearances will increase. So you want the engine at a stable temp so no matter how long the job takes the clearances are the same.

On hot valves the clearance could be say 0.006".. and all of them could be the same. But by the time you work your way to the end the parts have cooled, now the clearance is 0.008". So the only way to be sure that the engine doesn't expand or contract is to have it cold and keep it at the same temp while working. There is a bit of "truth" to working on it in the shade. I'm just not sure that the expansion of the valve train from 50F to 110F is relevant.

[dnargsiefil]

I'm just not sure that the expansion of the valve train from 50F to 110F is relevant.

Hey Peter how long does the take you do adjust the valves... 6h?
This should be done within 1h and I know you do not live in an area of the US where we warm up from 50 to 110 in 1h... especially with this years weather here in MN...Right now we would be happy to see 70...

[Black_peter]

Hey Peter how long does the take you do adjust the valves... 6h?

On an average Texas summer day and a black engine I could see it.

[The CyberPoet]

If you're really fast you really want to adjust the valves hot.

But you have to be so fast that you don't burn yourself AND have a 0.000 shim to use to measure the clearance, right?



Note about doing the valve adjustment with oil in the crankcases: put a drain pan under the signal generator cover before removing the cover.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[Black_peter]

But you have to be so fast that you don't burn yourself AND have a 0.000 shim to use to measure the clearance, right?

Hey!!
No fair injecting reality!

[The CyberPoet]

I find it's much harder to adjustment them when the engine is still running...

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[bjcrown]

Thanks guys... saved me $50 !!!