disconnecting the damn ignition parking light

[Wayne Pike]

Hi All: Just did some maintenance on my A1. Checked my valve clearances for the first time. Here are the results: Left intake -- .003 Right intake -- .002 wouldn't fit [never had .001] Left exhaust -- slack .006 [no .007] Right exhaust -- .006 My question is: Should I be concerned about the tightness of the right intake valve??. I've always followed the old credo " If it ain't broke don't fix it." I also installed new Gripsters [report to follow later], new air filter, brake pads, changed brake fluid [first time (overdue)] Had new sprockets and chain to install. Didn't as my retainer is worn . Will wait for new one before changing. Counter shaft is in good shape; not worn at all. Gripster's seem to chafe the chain guard a bit . Will try tape measure method on allignment. Have been relying on markings. Wayne A1

[Skip Faulkner]

As far as the KLR goes, I checked my valves the other night and my exhaust was at minimum and my intake was at mid spec. My bike now has 26,000+ miles. I bought it about two years ago with around 1,100 miles. The original owner had done one valve inspection at 550 miles and didn`t have to do an adjustment. After I got it, I checked about every 6000 miles and watched the exhaust valve progressively close up. This is the first time I`ve had to adjust them. If I had adjusted sooner instead of letting it get to minimum, I probably wouldn`t have had to do it again for awhile, but I was curious as to how much it would close and how long it would take. IMHO, I believe that riding habits probably play a factor in how long it takes for the valves to change clearance.I`m all for checking them as a precautionary practice, because they obviously need it periodically. As far as Conell`s bike goes, his sounds like an exception rather than a rule, based on all the out of spec valves I`ve seen on this List. Skip

[aches@deltech.net]

Sorry, but the valves on the KLR generally get tight and this don't be making any noise till they be expensive ones. -- Best Regards & Happy Trails Andy Chesley @ 57 and ticking in Jennings in SW Louisiana Y2KLR650 @ 7+K sMiles 97 R11RA (Amiga) @ 16+K sMiles So Many Roads, So Little Time http://members.deltech.net/aches/

[aches@deltech.net]

When strapped for clearance years ago we use to grind abit off the top of the valve stem. Long as you don't crowd the keeper slot you should be cool. Heck, back then the rocker arms were running dead on the valve stem and we had no problems. But you need to check vavle face thickness and make sure they are not all worn down. Then you would just change out the valves and get your clearance back. Andy Jennings, Louisiana

[Shane Bland]

Hey Tom

    Just did mine tonight. I have a '99 as well. My # came in pretty much the same as what you have there. I left it alone. Leaving for Baja in a couple weeks- from FL.

As you may have seen from the posting headed HELP!!! you will want to take care in removing the cam caps because of the locating pins. Once you have these in hand, after fishing them out of the engine, open them up! I used a small drift pin broken off to do mine. It has to be broken off so that it doesn't reach through the locator. Set the chamfered end against one end and TAP it with a hammer. Go easy here! The idea is to make them just fit back into the caps. I used channel locks to reinsert them. Look closely at those tubes, one end is thinner than the other, that would be the end to flare. Just set it on any hard surface, i.e.: kitchen sink- the women love that one, tile floor-ditto. I used a piece of RR track I keep around. If you use that watch out for the trains! Save the beers for AFTER the job too! Have fun.

Shane

[Backroad Bill]

Tom, you may want to just button it back up, .007" is a pretty OK exhaust valve clearance, it isn't going to change on you too much at

>5000 miles, unless you are REALLY hammering it down the road all the

time. JMHO.

--- In DSN_klr650@egroups.com, "Shane Bland" wrote: > Hey Tom > Just did mine tonight. I have a '99 as well. My # came in pretty much the same as what you have there. I left it alone. Leaving for Baja in a couple weeks- from FL.

[Michael Lipke]

First of all, don't even TRY to realign the cam gears without removing the cam chain tensioner (remember, bolt and spring first) With the piston at TDC (verify by seeing the "T" in the window above the alternator on the left side), BOTH cams should have the arrows facing toward the front of the engine and be absolutely horizontal, or parallel to the top of the head. A trick or tip: When checking for the exact alignment, tighten the chain by putting your finger in the cam tensioner hole to press against the cam guide. In other words, let you finger pretend it is the ratchet and spring.

[gill wright]

Changed my clutch and adjusted the valves last Saturday. I was surpriced at how easy it was, though I would have never done it myself without the encouragement I got from this list. I set my exhaust valves at the loose end of the range, between .009 and .010. Am I crazy or have I lost power on the bottom end? I get that rattling noise when acceleration at RPMs that used to not bne a problem. The top end seems stronger, though this might be because my clutch would slip over 80mph before with the old fried clutch. And why do the valves get tighter over time? Do the shims expand? I also found some debris behind the little stainless screen that sticks into the bottom right side of the engine. It consisted mostly of black rubber and looked like it could have been an old gasket that I guess was similar in appearance to the one around the screen but about 2" -3" in diameter. The debris was on the inside of the screen. Anyone know where this might be from? I was a little surprised by the springs I got from Fred. Does the clutch get any easier to pull over time? Gill _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com

[Fred Hink]

Valves get tighter because there is more wear on the face of the valve and the valve seat than there is on the shim and cams. The valve will move into the valve seat faster than there is wear on the other end. The shims are very hard and don't wear much unless you never change you oil. Your new clutch springs feel stronger because you are used to your old worn-out springs and this is most likely what caused your clutch to slip causing more heat which weaken the springs even more which causes more heat which makes the spring weaker, etc, etc, (I think you get the picture). You want your clutch to pull easier, put in your old springs again. ;www.arrowheadmotorsports.com

----- Original Message ----- From: gill wright To: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, July 02, 2001 1:56 PM Subject: [DSN_klr650] valves Changed my clutch and adjusted the valves last Saturday. I was surpriced at how easy it was, though I would have never done it myself without the encouragement I got from this list. I set my exhaust valves at the loose end of the range, between .009 and .010. Am I crazy or have I lost power on the bottom end? I get that rattling noise when acceleration at RPMs that used to not bne a problem. The top end seems stronger, though this might be because my clutch would slip over 80mph before with the old fried clutch. And why do the valves get tighter over time? Do the shims expand? I also found some debris behind the little stainless screen that sticks into the bottom right side of the engine. It consisted mostly of black rubber and looked like it could have been an old gasket that I guess was similar in appearance to the one around the screen but about 2" -3" in diameter. The debris was on the inside of the screen. Anyone know where this might be from? I was a little surprised by the springs I got from Fred. Does the clutch get any easier to pull over time? Gill _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com Visit the KLR650 archives at http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln=klr650 Post message: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com Subscribe: DSN_klr650-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com List owner: DSN_klr650-owner@yahoogroups.com Support Dual Sport News by subscribing at: http://www.dualsportnews.com Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Krgrife@aol.com]

In a message dated 7/2/01 2:00:15 PM Pacific Daylight Time, gillwrig@... writes: << I also found some debris behind the little stainless screen that sticks into the bottom right side of the engine. It consisted mostly of black rubber and looked like it could have been an old gasket that I guess was similar in appearance to the one around the screen but about 2" -3" in diameter. The debris was on the inside of the screen. Anyone know where this might be from? >> This black rubber is from the cushioning that is attached to the balancer sprockets to reduce chain noise. If you should have occasion to replace a balancer sprocket you will most likely see chunks of that material missing and matching pieces in the oil screen. When I rebuilt my motor I had to replace all the balancer sprockets for that reason. Regards, Kurt Grife