Topic: Tune up lessons

[starkmojo]

did my first tune up on the bike- and it was an eye-opener. All the valves were WAY loose- intakes were .004, and the exhausts were .006 (that the same as a vw bus BTW). Now wonder it was so clacky on startup (after readjusting they are still clacky but less so). and in order to get the bike to run the timing was pretty advanced. Sounds like some one though they were smarter than the engineers. So loose that I am going to recheck today after running for ten miles. One intake cover hole was stripped. I am going to get a replacement before messing with it. I see some liquid wrench and vice-grips in my future. Anyone has some better ideas I am open to listening.

Also the battery was dying, and boy that made a difference in how it started- (the guy at the bike shop "Its holding ten volts. I can sell you a 40 dollar battery now or 50 dollar electric parts every three months. You choose."). the battery was dated 03-02- Not a bad life for a car battery much less a bike battery.

I looked at the coil replacement- and all the bolts are going to be tough to get off. Winter is coming I think I will do it then... it is running so much better now I can wait.

The stock seat looks hott (ok to me) and with all that extra power I almost slid off the back of the duck tail 

[SohcCBs]

I set all mine at .004.  Don't have to check them as often, and I don't care if they make a tad more clatter....much better than gettin' lazy and burning an intake.

[starkmojo]

the exhaust were closer to .006 thats twice the spec.  If you over loosen a valve too much the cyl wont clear. Like I said enough that the timing had to be advanced to start- advanced timing will burn a valve too- all things in balance.

Mine were a "loose" .003- a .004 would fit with some resistance, a .005 wouldn't. The intakes a "loose" .002.

I have adjusted 1000's of valves, and i know that three competent people can set the same valve differently- but as long as they are close its all good.

Also it never gets as hot here as it does in san antonio.

Also the oil change made everything smoother- shifting especially.

[SohcCBs]

You're right about the heat effecting it all, but I've found one of my exhaust valve at .005 after running it up to red line....had no problem.  That's with 836 and mild high lift long duration cam.  This and the GL1000 engines are famous for being very tough engines with tollerance to spare.  I've been running both for about....the '76 SS since 2001 and '77 GL since 2003.  I can attest they're both very tough engines.

I'm not saying you should let them get out spec, especially valves too tight, but a bit too loose hasn't shown me any trouble, beside a bit of clatter.  Of course they're both at about 69k miles.  They'll last me the rest of my life.

Really every bike will be different.  I use to set mine at .002 and .003, but I found that a couple of my intakes would always close up a bit.....after spending a good deal of time checking them every day and logging their clearance changes what I found was that two of my intakes valves, if you set them under .003 they'd tighten down to about .0015 in 4-5 days, and if I set them about .003 they'd end up at .004 anyway, so I started leaving them at .004 and they don't change.  They stay there without adjustment for a year or more.  It was about the same deal with the exhaust, and every single valve is different in that reguard.  I literally logged the changes in valve clearance every day for nearly 4 months.

So what I've done is just find a place where the valves on my ol' bike like to stay....longer than any other setting I could put them at.  I've run the heck out the bike that way for several years.

...in San Antonio from 25 degrees to 110 (on the freeway) degrees.