disconnecting the damn ignition parking light

[Kent Meyer]

My bike ate the doohickey a couple weeks back. It completely chewed up the spring and left the doohickey in pieces. I removed the motor from the bike and took it to the dealer to split the case and reassemble every thing for me. After I got the motor back in the bike and every thing hooked up, it wouldn't start. Took it back to the dealer and they told me that the intake valves were leaking. I removed the head (again) and sure enough the intake valves are bent. Maybe when the spring went through the chains it jumped the timing chain and the valves hit the piston... I did not see anything on the piston. But the valves are bent. Can I just replace the valves? What about the piston? If I replace the valves, do the valve seats need to be ground? Thanks Kent

[moabmc1]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Kent Meyer" wrote:

> My bike ate the doohickey a couple weeks back. It completely

chewed up the

> spring and left the doohickey in pieces. I removed the motor from

the bike

> and took it to the dealer to split the case and reassemble every

thing for

> me. After I got the motor back in the bike and every thing hooked

up, it

> wouldn't start. Took it back to the dealer and they told me that

the intake

> valves were leaking. I removed the head (again) and sure enough

the intake

> valves are bent. Maybe when the spring went through the chains it

jumped

> the timing chain and the valves hit the piston... I did not see

anything on

> the piston. But the valves are bent. Can I just replace the

valves? What

> about the piston? If I replace the valves, do the valve seats need

to be

> ground? > > Thanks > > Kent

More than likely all you will need to replace is just the bent valves. I would "lap-in" the new valves unless you have lots of miles on the head. If the valve seats look pitted, then you will probably need to grind the seats. What else did you have to replace in your engine? Sorry to hear about your problems. Fred www.arrowheadmotorsports.com

[Kent Meyer]

The bike is a 2003 and has about 12000 miles on it. I replaced the balancer chain as it had eaten the spring. And since the engine was apart, I put in new rings. I am having the dealer do the work. I suppose that I could do it, but I am not a professional mechanic and have absolutely no experience with 4 stroke motorcycle engines so..... Where can I get the valves? Thanks Kent -----Original Message----- From: moabmc1 [mailto:moabmc@...] Sent: Friday, March 11, 2005 4:51 AM To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: Valves --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Kent Meyer" wrote:

> My bike ate the doohickey a couple weeks back. It completely

chewed up the

> spring and left the doohickey in pieces. I removed the motor from

the bike

> and took it to the dealer to split the case and reassemble every

thing for

> me. After I got the motor back in the bike and every thing hooked

up, it

> wouldn't start. Took it back to the dealer and they told me that

the intake

> valves were leaking. I removed the head (again) and sure enough

the intake

> valves are bent. Maybe when the spring went through the chains it

jumped

> the timing chain and the valves hit the piston... I did not see

anything on

> the piston. But the valves are bent. Can I just replace the

valves? What

> about the piston? If I replace the valves, do the valve seats need

to be

> ground? > > Thanks > > Kent

More than likely all you will need to replace is just the bent valves. I would "lap-in" the new valves unless you have lots of miles on the head. If the valve seats look pitted, then you will probably need to grind the seats. What else did you have to replace in your engine? Sorry to hear about your problems. Fred www.arrowheadmotorsports.com Archive Quicksearch at: http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/klr650_data_search.html List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html Yahoo! Groups Links

[Fred Hink]

Since you are having the dealer do the work, why not have him get the parts you need? Fred http://www.arrowheadmotorsports.com http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/cmc.html

----- Original Message ----- From: "Kent Meyer" To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Friday, March 11, 2005 8:33 AM Subject: RE: [DSN_KLR650] Re: Valves > > The bike is a 2003 and has about 12000 miles on it. I replaced the balancer > chain as it had eaten the spring. And since the engine was apart, I put in > new rings. I am having the dealer do the work. I suppose that I could do > it, but I am not a professional mechanic and have absolutely no experience > with 4 stroke motorcycle engines so..... > Where can I get the valves? > > Thanks > > Kent > > > -----Original Message----- > From: moabmc1 [mailto:moabmc@...] > Sent: Friday, March 11, 2005 4:51 AM > To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com > Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: Valves > > > > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Kent Meyer" > wrote: > > My bike ate the doohickey a couple weeks back. It completely > chewed up the > > spring and left the doohickey in pieces. I removed the motor from > the bike > > and took it to the dealer to split the case and reassemble every > thing for > > me. After I got the motor back in the bike and every thing hooked > up, it > > wouldn't start. Took it back to the dealer and they told me that > the intake > > valves were leaking. I removed the head (again) and sure enough > the intake > > valves are bent. Maybe when the spring went through the chains it > jumped > > the timing chain and the valves hit the piston... I did not see > anything on > > the piston. But the valves are bent. Can I just replace the > valves? What > > about the piston? If I replace the valves, do the valve seats need > to be > > ground? > > > > Thanks > > > > Kent > > More than likely all you will need to replace is just the bent > valves. I would "lap-in" the new valves unless you have lots of > miles on the head. If the valve seats look pitted, then you will > probably need to grind the seats. > > What else did you have to replace in your engine? Sorry to hear > about your problems. > > Fred > www.arrowheadmotorsports.com > > > > > > Archive Quicksearch at: > http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/klr650_data_search.html > List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com > List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > Archive Quicksearch at: http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/klr650_data_search.html > List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com > List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > >

[David Peontek]

The owners manual says to ride the new KLR 500 miles and then take it to the dealer to have the oil changed and the valves adjusted. I have 700 miles. I can change the oil. Question: how important is it to have the valves adjusted? Is this something the owner can do of should a certified mechanic do? Dave [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Zachariah Mully]

On Thu, 2007-05-03 at 15:42 -0600, David Peontek wrote:

> > The owners manual says to ride the new KLR 500 miles and then take it to the > dealer to have the oil changed and the valves adjusted. I have 700 miles. > I can change the oil. Question: how important is it to have the valves > adjusted? Is this something the owner can do of should a certified mechanic > do?

You can check the valves yourself, there are plenty of FAQs about this and step-by-step guides online. I would have checked them even before turning the engine over as I'm sure you'll find them all tight. Z

[dooden]

Half a brain and a few tools is all it takes. Take a look at: http://www.klr650.marknet.us/valves.html Would recommend printing it for reference, and reading it about a dozen times before starting, pretty simple to do. I would at least recommend checking the clearance, the valves tighten up as it wears in, and as one lister might be finding out soon, tight valves will burn, I like the statement "a tappy valve is a happy valve" I waited to around 1,000 miles or a bit more and they were getting close to tighter end of spec. Your bike is the bottom line. Dooden A15 Green Ape --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "David Peontek" wrote:

> > > > The owners manual says to ride the new KLR 500 miles and then take

it to the

> dealer to have the oil changed and the valves adjusted. I have 700

miles.

> I can change the oil. Question: how important is it to have the valves > adjusted? Is this something the owner can do of should a certified

mechanic

> do? > > > > Dave > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >

[Jeff Saline]

On Thu, 3 May 2007 15:42:51 -0600 "David Peontek" writes:

> The owners manual says to ride the new KLR 500 miles and then take > it to the > dealer to have the oil changed and the valves adjusted. I have 700 > miles. > I can change the oil. Question: how important is it to have the > valves > adjusted? Is this something the owner can do of should a certified > mechanic > do? > > Dave

<><><><><><><><><> <><><><><><><><><> Dave, My suggestion is to change the oil immediately. Change the filter too. If you aren't having issues with the engine starting or idling when hot let the valves go until about 1,000 smiles or so. I like to suggest on a new KLR you change the oil at 100 smiles, 500 smiles and 1,000 smiles on the odometer. Also consider checking the valves at the 1,000 smile oil change. Once you've been in the top end to adjust the valves you'll know where the clearances are and my guess is you won't need to adjust them for 8,000 or more miles. I went 12,000 on my bike. Make sure you document all your maintenance. An owner can do the valve adjustment if interested enough. No expensive and fancy tools required. Attention to detail is required. I'm curious as to who certifies motorcycle mechanics. I've been wrenching on all kinds of vehicles, equipment and motorcycles since 1974 and I'm not certified. I have been told I'm certifiable. : ) I would think doing all your own work will give you confidence in the equipment and also an intimate knowledge of what's what with it too. I would hesitate to let anyone else work on my bike while I was able to work on it. I don't even like folks checking side cover fasteners on my bike for me. When I do the work it adds to my knowledge of what's going on with my machine. A short story from my Army days in Germany. I was detailed to get Christmas trees one December day and was a bit rushed with other duties that needed attention. I asked my best buddy, also a mechanic and machinist, to check out the truck I was to drive. In a rush and running behind schedule I asked him if it was ready to go and he said yes. I signed the forms saying I'd checked it and left the post. A military van was following me and we soon got on the autobahn. I was running about 50 mph when the rear of the truck jumped into the air. I looked in the left side mirror and saw a wheel and tire in my lane. The van just missed it and luckily there wasn't much traffic in that section of autobahn. My spare tire hadn't been secured properly and had fallen off. It was stored horizontally in front of the left side duals. This was on an M35 2 1/2 ton 6x6 for those familiar with them. I never again let someone else check a vehicle for me and learned to check all work being done even when someone else said they'd already done the work. I would tell you to never believe someone else when they tell you what valve clearances are. It only takes a few seconds to stick feeler gauges into the gap to get your own reading. And then you'll know for sure what the clearances are. Also it may be helpful to make a drawing and write down what you find for clearances. End of story and I'm off to Minneapolis. Best, Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT

[Blake Sobiloff]

On May 3, 2007, at 2:42 PM, David Peontek wrote:

> The owners manual says to ride the new KLR 500 miles and then take > it to the > dealer to have the oil changed and the valves adjusted. I have 700 > miles. > I can change the oil.

Hi David! Get your butt in gear and change that oil and filter! Personally, I change the oil in a new engine at 50, 500, and 1,500 miles. There's a lot of crud and cruft left in the engine as it comes out of the plant--especially with Kawi's old school manufacturing processes.

> Question: how important is it to have the valves > adjusted? Is this something the owner can do of should a certified > mechanic > do?

Most owners seem to do a better job of it than the certified mechanics, so assuming you're familiar with tools I'd recommend doing it yourself. Somewhere between 500 and 1,000 miles you'll get at least one valve needing adjustment (and usually almost all will benefit from a shim change). The FAQ has pointers to two different, illustrated guides to adjusting your own valves, and the Clymer manual (which every owner should have) provides a third resource as well. Reading all these carefully before digging in will help tremendously, and once you've done it yourself you'll be darn proud of yourself as well! -- Blake Sobiloff http://sobiloff.typepad.com/blakeblog/> http://sobiloff.typepad.com/klr_adventure/> San Jose, CA (USA) [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Blake Sobiloff]

On May 3, 2007, at 3:33 PM, Jeff Saline wrote:

> An owner can do the valve adjustment if interested enough. No > expensive > and fancy tools required.

Jeff, I hate to disagree, but I think that most folks should have a 1/4" torque wrench that measures in inch-pounds before attempting the valves. At least in my experience, a 1/4" torque wrench is an "expensive and fancy tool," but one that's certainly necessary if you're going to do all the maintenance on a KLR. The torque settings are too important to attempt by feel, and we all know how annoyingly easy it is to strip the head cover bolts--and what a huge hassle it is to get that fixed. -- Blake Sobiloff http://sobiloff.typepad.com/blakeblog/> http://sobiloff.typepad.com/klr_adventure/> San Jose, CA (USA) [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]