Not as scary as I thought.....

I put off pulling my valve cover, to check my valve clearance, for fear of what was inside. I'm fairly handy, but I've been known to make a simple job harder than it is. Busting bolts, putting things back together and realizing there were extra parts. etc...etc...

I had never pulled the tank off since I was afraid gas would pour out all over the floor, I'd bust the petcock, or drop the tank and crack it.

Last week my new handy dandy bucket holding tool came in the mail. I was under the impression that this thing made it easy to hold the bucket down to get at the valve shims. However using the tool was in itself a difficult task. I understood that it had to be "just so" to catch the edge of the bucket, and not miss, or also catch the shim.

Not to mention I was certain my valve cover would disintegrate into a million little pieces and fall into the internal abyss of the engine. Only later to surface as blockage in the oil ports. Starving the engine of the life giving oil and shattering my hopes and dreams.

Yesterday I picked up my fresh package of mm feeler gauges. My new bucket hold down, and a handful of tissues for the disappointment I was sure to impart.

I started with something easy. removing the side engine cover to get to the crank rotating nut. After 30 minutes I stripped one bolt, and hadn't moved the remaining 3 at all. I almost gave up. Things starting out this poorly were surely signs of things to come.

After a bit of mental preparation, I decided to go on with the chore. I cut a slot to get a flat screwdriver into, and with a tap,tap of the hammer it broke free and I had made progress. I was encouraged, but somewhat skeptical about removing the 3 remaining bolts. I mean it only took me just shy of an hour to remove one, but It was still before lunch and I had all day to get the other 3 out.

To my surprise, the tap,tap of the hammer was enough for all but the last bolt. The last bolt required tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap before it finally gave up and let me in. In about an equal amount of time it took me to get the first one, I removed the last 3. Only damaging that first one. Not too bad, but I figured this was the easy part.

I moved up to the valve cover gasket bolts. I expected these to give me even more trouble. I turned the first one and it broke easily. My first thought was it actually broke, but no it just broke free. One after the other they all came out with little effort. I wanted to take this as a good sign, but in the back of my head I felt the gremlins were waiting.

The valve cover came off with the gasket remaining in one piece and attached to the cover. I didn't have to fish the remnants out of the abyss after all. I was pretty happy at this point.

I rotated the crank and watched the inner workings go round and round. Then it was time. My gut feeling was that exhaust ports were off a fair bit. I have no real reasoning or understanding of why I though that. A slight tap coming from the front of the engine. An exhaust that "smelled wrong." A spit and sputter that I couldn't "tune out" at the carbs....

I began my investigation. the first valve I checked was the #4 exhaust valve. (#4 according to the tag on the plug wire.) .100, well I know that is not right, but I couldn't recall what right was. I moved on to Exhaust port #3 and found .130. that might be close I thought. after the horror stories of peoples valves being so tight they couldn't get any reading, I was pleased I could get something.

So my intakes of #4 and #3 came in at .150 and .150. I knew one set was supposed to be around .170 and the other around .130, but I couldn't remember what was what. So I pulled up Fit's wonderful post and soon realized my exhaust were off, and intakes were borderline. I felt my exhausts ports were WAY off. I went back and double checked. Rotating the cam a little this way and that to see if it made a difference. It didn't, but I felt like it could have.

I checked #1 (.150) and #2 (.130) exhaust ports. Then intakes. My final tally was all the exhausts were under spec, and intakes were at the top end of their limits.
As sitting on the bike
.100 .130 .130 .150
.150 .150 .150 .150

So now it was time to check the shims. Since I hadn't ruined anything yet..... I figured this is where I'd rotate the crank the wrong way and bust the bolt hole the bucket tool was mounted in. Drop a screwdriver into the oil ports. Drop a shim and watch it crack. Hit the allen wrench on the frame and my garage would explode. I didn't know, I was just sure something would go wrong.

To my surprise my first attempt grabbed the bucket and held it down. My little screwdriver popped the shim out, and my tweezers grabbed it and it came out without a giant sink hole swallowing my neighborhood. I read all of the exhaust shims and recorded the data. I refered to the chart in Fit's post again and got the shim size I needed.
.100 .130 .130 .150 exh gap
.275 .270 .270 .280 shim
.270 .265 .265 .275 shim needed

.150 .150 .150 .150 int gap (These should be good right?)

So with my work almost done here, I was ready to put it all back together. Cover, bolts, horns, cover, tank all went back together with no issues. I didn't find any extra parts laying around, and other than a oily rag from cleaning off my feeler gauges, no internal fluids from the bike or myself covered the ground.

I put the seat back on, turned the key, hit the started and she fired up as usual. I enjoyed a nice ride around the block and came home satisfied I had taken a giant step towards knowing my bike. Now I just have to get the order in to XJ4ever for the new gaskets and shims and stuff.


So to make a long story short. I checked my valves and put the bike back together. It wasn't a hard job at all. Using the $8 bucket hold down tool was a piece of cake. The universe doesn't have to collapse when I work on my bike.

 

I enjoyed reading that 8O ,thought I was the only one to feel that way,I can't help you with your clearances but an Impact driver will stop the drama's with reluctant screws.
Thanks for the laugh.

 

Glad you enjoyed it. I thought about running to the store to get an impact driver, but stupidity won out.

 

Good to know nothing went totally wrong.

#1 cylinder is the first on the left hand side when sitting on the bike, not the opposite, but let's assume your #4 exhaust valve is the one with the 0.100 mm reading. Only thing you didn't do right (you were close!) is that you didn't put the right shim in for this exhaust valve.

Putting a 270 in replacement of a 275 gives you only 0.05 mm more clearance, bringing your clearance at 0.150 mm, still a bit out of specs. You should have put an 265 shim (so the chart says) which should have resulted in a 0.200 mm clearance, on the loose end of the specs, but within specs.

 

Yep, you are correct.

As far as cylinder numbering goes, I'll have to double check to see what the plug wire says. I was thinking it said #4 but I'm going by a defunct memory system.

If it does say #4 I'll have to check the routing of all the plugs from the coil. I wouldn't think my bike would run near as well as it does if the firing order was backwards like that. But what do I know? I can barely read a chart incorrectly right. :roll:

 

One of your coil fires #1 and #4 at the same time, so even if these plug wires are mixed up, the firing order is not "backwards" and it doesn't affect the engine performance in any manner.

#1 cylinder fires when it is the right time in the cycle to do so and the simultaneous spark in the #4 cylinder is "wasted". The other coil fires #2 and #3 the same way.

 

Ahhh, so now my head makes the connection of 2 pick-ups (under that stubborn cover), 2 coils, and 2 firing times.

I'll double check my wires, and change them around. If nothing else for sanity's sake.

 

You may find #4 plug wire is a bit short to plug on #1 sprk plug or vice versa.

 

Thanks for the good read! By the way, do you own an impact driver?

 

Now, after all of that, did you see this: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=14827.html ???

Sounds like you've gotten it done right though.

Wanna talk brakes?

 

Haha fun read!

Couple tips, I'd replace the ignition cover bolts with Allen head stainless steel bolts, work great!

Plus hit up Dave (hogfiddles here on the forum) and tell him I sent ya. He'll get you set up with the right valve shims that you need!


Ride on!

 

Agreed. Nice write up. I have waited for the sinkhole to swallow me many late nights in the garage with my knuckles bleeding and smudges from head to toe. Not with my XJ but I've been there.

I would only add that when your valves are 'right' you will hear a nice 'tap tap tap' at idle coming from them-totally normal and preferable as the tappets are appropriately away from the shims before they 'kiss' and noise ensues.

+1 to the SS Allen head bolts. Simplicity in itself and they look way better.

 

Fitz, I did see that, and that is what guided me through the process. I even mentioned it in my original post. Of course I said Fit's instead of Fitz'. My bad.

Brakes..... You mean this sticky TOPIC with the big yellow icon? Completed and no delamination found. Rebuilding the front brake components and replacing the brake lines is on the "to do" list. (several post saved for that task)

Carbs, forks, steering bearings, etc...etc.... I don't get much time to work on my bike. Work, kids, wife..... Not to mention I'm still learning how to do all this stuff, so what takes some 20 minutes, will take me 2 hours.


I like the idea of the allen head bolts for replacing the cover bolts, and while I don't have an impact driver yet, you can bet I will be getting one!

 

Yep, they were run "backwards". I have to say that it did make a difference. Once warmed up I had been getting a clack-ity-clack from the #4 cylinder. Not bad, but it was heard above the normal engine sounds. Since swapping the wires around, that sounds has all but stopped.

If something that simple makes that kind of change, I can't wait to get my valves and carb parts so I can actually ruin in spec.

 

been there, done that. lol. thanks for sharing.


get yourself an impact driver!

 

http://www.mcmaster.com/#socket-head-cap-screws/=n4sfgj

M6 X 1 X ?
8-18 stainless
+ buffer = bling

 

Thanks for this post... it has given me the push of confidence i need to check my clearences... i know they are out of wack thoe... so i am going to get in there, get the numbers + shims, than put it back together. so like 2 weeks without the bike

 

Next thing you know, you're gonna be collecting them, restoring them, parting them out, hosting carb clinics....................

My first bike wasa 650 maxim. I got it 12 yrs ago and didn't know even one thing about them. Hey, it was a bike, and it was mine. I didn't even know THIS group existed. I had to figure out how to take the carbs off so that I could take them somewhere to be cleaned. It only took me all day to get them off. I felt pretty good.Then I figured out how to get the rear wheel off.......that took only an afternoon.

Obviuosly, now its minutes. Point is, you're off to a GREAT start!

Dave Fox

 

A very entertaining read. Thanks for sharing that

 

A very entertaining read. Thanks for sharing that

 

So to make a long story short.
luv that... :wink:

 

i thoroughly enjoyed that post, lol sinkhole! so true lol

 

Ditto -
That was a good read. :lol:

 

.....used a small vise grip on the outside edge of the screws instead of an impact driver

 

I enjoyed reading your post. I've been working on cars for over 30 years and can fully empathize with the dread of a broken bolt. I am the third owner of my 1981 XJ650 and the guy I bought it from hadn't taken very good care of it. One thing I did early on was to replace all the rusty cover screws with brand new stainless steel socket head caps screws. I found that the best source for these is Fastenal. They will sell fasteners in whatever quantity you need whether it's one or one-hundred. Anyhow, I just went over my valve clearances this afternoon and I've got some adjustments to make. I wish you the best of luck with your bike!