do we really need to keep our tires inflated?

[mtnbikerfred@yahoo.com]

Let's make sure we are clear here... I own a NEW bike, that is undwer warranty. If i take it in and the mechanic says it's fine, than I don't think I'll take it upon my self to do anything more. I will check it if I notice something. but I take it in for major service, at least the first ones, (500,3000,6000) after that I'm on my own, and I'll "play it by ear"

[LawsonCL@aol.com]

mtnbikerfred@... writes:

> I'll check the valves if they get noisy, and the balancer chain > tension, if It vibrates too much. other than, I'm not going to "look" > for any problems.

Until a few years ago, I, too, thought valve clatter was the audible clue that it was adjustment time. However, a tongue-in-cheek bumper sticker I saw at a BMW motorcycle rally prompted me to ask a few questions. "Loud Valves Save Lives" was not just a poke at the Harley straight-pipe, life-saving excuse. The "lives," in this case, referred to the wellbeing of aircooled BMW flat twins. The problem with valves is not that they are too loose, it is that they are too tight. And quiet. But you think all is well because there's no clatter. Why is tight valve clearance a problem? As I understand it, tight valves do not close fully. This reduces compression and, more significantly, permits hot exhaust gasses to continually flow past exhaust valves and seats. The result can be burned valves and pitted seats. And, from recent experience when a dealership's mechanic set the valves on my KLR650 too tight, poor starting when the engine is hot. Chris Lawson

[Williams Fred]

Do you think that the seats receed making them tight, or do the tappets wear down making them loose? If they wear "tight" i'll just check them evey 5000 mi or so. if not, i'll have to listen foor them.. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Photos - 35mm Quality Prints, Now Get 15 Free! http://photos.yahoo.com/

[LawsonCL@aol.com]

mtnbikerfred@... writes:

> Do you think that the seats receed making them tight, > or do the tappets wear down making them loose? > > If they wear "tight" i'll just check them evey 5000 mi > or so. if not, i'll have to listen foor them..

Fred, I'm don't really know for sure on the KLR. With the screw-adjustable Beemer valves, the componentry wears, resulting in tightness. However, in the early 80s, aircooled Beemers had problems with valve recession from unleaded gasoline burned in the US. Hardened, higher-temp resistant seats were the cure. Now that you've asked the question, I'll bet somebody who's more astute on KLRs will provide the right answer. Chris Lawson

[k650dsn@aol.com]

I'm not being lazy, just realistic. Why do people insist on treating motorcycle engines, especially those of the past 20 years, like they are made out of crystal? I see this on the ZRX list also. Guys that feel they have to pull their engine every 3000 miles to make sure everything is okay. What ever floats your boat. I'd rather be riding myself. Gino

--- In DSN_klr650@egroups.com, "Bill E Goat" wrote: > > I'll check the valves if they get noisy, and the balancer chain > > tension, if It vibrates too much. other than, I'm not going > to "look" > > for any problems. > > It's when they get too quiet that you're going to realize you should > have checked 'em and Mark Weaver put it correctly about knowing your > machine. > > Where is the real benefit to being lazy? Inquiring minds want to > know.

[Backroad Bill]

--- In DSN_klr650@egroups.com, Williams Fred wrote:

> Do you think that the seats receed making them tight, > or do the tappets wear down making them loose?

The stems wear.

[Backroad Bill]

> I own a NEW bike, that is undwer warranty. If i take it in and the > mechanic says it's fine, than I don't think I'll take it upon my

self

> to do anything more. I will check it if I notice something. but I > take it in for major service, at least the first ones,

(500,3000,6000) I foolishly went by that principle and paid for three services before I checked the so-called 'adjusted valves' I had paid for. There was .001 clearance on one of the exhaust valves, and the rest were also too tight. Kawasaki shops are not generally places for blind faith if you want your machine to last.

[Backroad Bill]

--- In DSN_klr650@egroups.com, "Backroad Bill" wrote:

> --- In DSN_klr650@egroups.com, Williams Fred > wrote: > > Do you think that the seats receed making them tight, > > or do the tappets wear down making them loose? > > > The stems wear.

and the seat/valve face interface. Pardon me. I fart sometimes, too.

[Weaver, Mark]

i don't know everything, but my understanding is that the valve and seats wear, which lets the valve seat up further, which moves the other end of the valve closer to the cam, tightening the clearance. i have observed a definite tightening trend in the 13k miles (3 valve checks) during which i've had my a14. the first two checks (at 3k and 6k) every valve tightened up about .01 each time. the last check (at 13k) i observed no change. i surmise that wear may be higher initially, as the parts mate to each other, but that's only conjecture. since mine are at the loose end of spec now, and haven't changed in 6k, i probably won't bother to check them until 10k have elapsed. mw

> -----Original Message----- > From: Williams Fred [mailto:mtnbikerfred@...] > Sent: Friday, October 06, 2000 12:08 PM > To: LawsonCL@... > Cc: dsn_klr650@egroups.com > Subject: [DSN_klr650] Re: Do We really need a valve adjustment? > > > Do you think that the seats receed making them tight, > or do the tappets wear down making them loose? > > If they wear "tight" i'll just check them evey 5000 mi > or so. if not, i'll have to listen foor them.. > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Yahoo! Photos - 35mm Quality Prints, Now Get 15 Free! > http://photos.yahoo.com/ > > Visit the KLR650 archives at > http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln=klr650 > Support Dual Sport News... dsneditor@... > Let's keep this list SPAM free! > > Visit our site at http://www.egroups.com/group/DSN_klr650 > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@egroups.com > >

[Joe Percival]