maxim-x liquid cooled valve adjusment with pics.

Here we go I already had my bike part way apart before I grabbed the camera so any questions let me know or corrections jump right in.

Get a service manual!!! read through the procedure before you start.
I already had the Tank removed for other reasons but I highly recommend removing it for more room to work. The Horns and coils and Carbs are off as well for preseason cleaning and touchup. Wow looking at these pics my bike is filthy I promise I will clean it up guys after partial assembly as to not drop things into the motor. I couldn't use all the pics I took as I have hit the limit and had to narow them down. I can't stress enough to read through the manaul for the procedure it will save you some aggrevation(sp?).

Tools You will need a thin set of feeler guages either the ones that taper down or a 3/8" wide set. I looked everywhere and could not find either so I borrowed the wife's "good" scissors and cut the ones down I needed SSshhhh she doesn't know. There is NO WAY AROUND THIS FACT there just isn't enough room on the intake side to get a regulare feeler in there.

Ball end allen wrenches help but not necessary. A #3 phillips, 10,12 and 19mm wrenches and 10mm socket,ext, and ratchet as well.
Then the normal stuff for removing the carbs. if you see the need it def made it easier to get at the Tensioner bolt.

Put the bike up on the center stand on level ground most will know this but hey got to throw it out there.

This job isn't bad at all just time consuming my bike has 244??miles on it and the valves were all tight I could not get a .004" feeler under any of the Intake lobes to check the clearance. So if you have one of these bikes with oh lets say 15K plus on it please check them before this riding season.

 

ok now they are in the right order :lol: if you guys have any questions I will get pics to you or answer what I can from the service manual. I have not gotten the new pads yet so reassemlby has not begun. I also am debating getting all the carb seals and breaking the rack or putting them back on cleaned and sync'd.

 

deleted I fixed it up

 

Execlent work so far, I have the same task ahead of me. XJCD is on the way but nothing can beat actual pics and advice/tips for someone who has done it before. Reverse order of the pics is not a big deal. (Correct order for re-assembly ) Good job.

 

That's pretty much it... upload the attachments in reverse order. I imagine you could edit the post, delete the attachments, and reupload.

Tell you what I can do... send the pictures to my gmail account, along with the descriptions for each; I can make a handy .pdf file out of it so you can stick it somewhere and link to it just like I did with my writeups.

I'd do mine from scratch, except mine isn't close to needing to be done yet.

 

Get a Photobucket account (free) upload your pics there and imbed them. That's how I did/do all my photo how-tos.

Nice job, makes the airheads look EASY.

 

good thoguth Fitz I do have one of those but i doubt i know the password anymore LOL!

 

I have a question about the valve clarances... My cam shaft rotates once complete rotation for every two turns of the motor. In other words, if I stop at T once, the "lobe" is sort of up on the right. If I turn to T once more, the lobes are down and to the left. I assume we want to measure with the lobes up and right?

Also, do we measure all valves once the #1 piston is TDC? Or do we have to turn the engine more to measure others?

I'm a bit confused. The service manual isn't clear on these points, either.

 

You turn the engine. The lobe needs to be pointed directly away from the valve you're measuring.

 

85MaximXX, thanks for this write up! It's the next job I'll be working on and will be the my first time ever!

 

I know this is an old post, but thanks for the write-up!!!! I'll be doing this soon without a hard copy of the manual and it's hard to find good info on these bikes. Thanks again!

 

This what I have been looking for. Thank for the write up and pics!

 

was a PDF file ever created for this procedure?

Thanks

 

I will do valve adjustment and on my XJ700XS, and I wonder where you guys buy shim pads? They'd cost a fortune if I'd order them from my local Yamaha dealer.

 

I forget what I paid for mine at my local dealer, but I was actually surprised that a) they had them, and b) they were reasonably priced. Don't know if that was just because my dealer had them left over, or if you would have the same situation in Norway, but it would be worth asking if you haven't already.
One thing to be aware of, is that the stamped thicknesses on the pads have been known to be wrong. Check the thicknesses of the old ones and the replacements with a micrometer to be sure you are getting the adjustment that you expect. It sucks when you remove the cams, swap the shims, replace the cams, remeasure the clearances ... and then have to do it all over again because one of your shims was marked wrong.