Noob notes: the 6 hour valve check

[indywar360]

I watched Kerry's valve check video for the third time today and halfway through I was ready to go.

6 hours, 1 aching back, 20 paper towels, 1 lost washer, several drops blood, and 1 skinned knuckle later at 1:30 am I am finished. All valves good at btwn .038 - .051.

For a mechanical noob like me this is an accomplishment and seeing the video helped a lot. Kerry's calm demeanor and meticulous explanation kept me from going insane. Thanks man.

Notes:

No longer necessary to remove tail plastics (on an 04).

Never took the spark plugs out when turning the engine (by the rear wheel). Should I have?

Carbs were a little scary. Taking the carbs off with the mass of wires and tubes connected to it deserves a video in and of itself. I started yanking hoses and wires and by the time I got to the electrical assembly below the carbs I was forgetting what went where. I had no idea what any of the hoses were for really. Then the carbs drained themselves all over my engine and wiring. Then the brass screws that held on the last piece wouldn't budge, I could tell I was gonna strip them before they came out. So, seeing the carbs looked pretty clean actually, I just put everything back somehow, and it seems to work now. But that is one insane job for a first timer.

Anyway, just wanted to say thanks, and check out the video if you haven't...

Oh, and the valve cover was practically welded to the engine... had to pry it off with a 2x4.  A bit of the gasket (little black lines of rubber) came off and stuck. Don't know why. Should I replace that?

[ashman]

mine is the same way, i just leave it on the engine but i'd get a new gasket and scrape the surface clean.

-ash

[MarkusN]

Never took the spark plugs out when turning the engine (by the rear wheel). Should I have?

Makes things easier:

Less resistance
No air trapped in the cylinders mans that the only additional forces wanting to turn the crankshaft apart from your input are the cams.

[indywar360]

mine is the same way, i just leave it on the engine but i'd get a new gasket and scrape the surface clean.

-ash

Call me crazy but I think I will wait 6000 mi until the next valve check... 

[MarkusN]

mine is the same way, i just leave it on the engine but i'd get a new gasket and scrape the surface clean.

Call me crazy but I think I will wait 6000 mi until the next valve check...

Just watch for seepage. The valve cover is prone to lose some oil.

[natedawg120]

good little write up .  reminds me of my first time, the wrastling the valve cover out, the gas smell from the gas that got on my hand from taking that tank off, the unsure measurments i retook like 8 times, and finally the reasembly - that dang gasket just wouldn't cooperate  .

[rangerbrown]

why did you remove the carbs?

all i did was remove the gas tank and bam theres ever thing you need to get to.


04

[rangerbrown]

how many miles are on the bike? i didnt do mine till like 15,000 miles there were all really close to being right in spec.

[gmingst]

I've only done it once, and I didn't remove the carbs either. I think Kerry's video shows the carbs being removed.  If not the video one of the writeup's.  Removing them would give more room to work around, but I was able to check the valves, and re-torque the head with the carbs in place on an F model. 

Regards
Graham

[Trwhouse]

Hi there,

Yes, several "how-to" articles on gstwin.com talk about removing the carbs to do a valve adjust and while it may give you more room to work, it is totally unnecessary and in fact adds lots of extra work for no reason.
Leave the carbs alone, pull the tank and side body plastics and you have plenty of room to remove the valve cover and adjust the valves.
No sweat, and very satisfying to do the work yourself.
That's why we're all here -- to ask about things like this.
Welcome to the board.

Yours,
Todd,

[Egaeus]

I think I put my carbs back on before I checked my valves the other day.

[indywar360]

why did you remove the carbs?

all i did was remove the gas tank and bam theres ever thing you need to get to.


04

I went for the carbs because of the warnings of rust/dust, and was going to clean them, before pussing out at the stuck screws on the bottom. btw, Kerry's video doesn't include carbs, or removing the throttle/choke cables, which can be a little daunting for a first timer.

Oh, and the bike has 10,800 mi on it, 6,500 of them mine, and after my last fwy crash and a year of regular use I figured it needed some checking.

So far, post-crash, the repairs have been:
New stock handlebars
New brake lever

New front fairing (headlight assembly no longer attaches directly to fairing struts, just screwed into fairing itself)
New RH fairing + bracket pieces
New inner fairing (dashboard plastic)

Next project:

forks replacement + progressive shocks
Replace exhaust
New clutch lever (unable to remove old one due to stripped nut/bolt from impact, considering buying dremel tool)

Kyle

[rangerbrown]

+++++1 on the springs, hiting the brakes and not haveing the front dive  is soooo wonderfull

[indywar360]

+++++1 on the springs, hiting the brakes and not haveing the front dive  is soooo wonderfull

This is one of those mods I would overlook except for all the raves about it... I can't wait.

[rangerbrown]

yea just like the rejet, this a thing that just must be done.

he way i would do things with a gs for a better bike


k&N lunch box OR a set of pod filters (pods are cheaper and still flow and filter more than the K&N)
exhust (your choice)
then a rejet to go with all of that


next the springs and a katana rear shock

next a katana rear wheel if you plan to go a lot of twistys and want to get some stikey rubber

[DGBone]

No need to remove carbs.
When I did mine the fuel lines were toast and took FOREVER to remove, needless to say I had to cut them off and get new fuel lines.
The head gasket lasts a long time but it's best (if you are planning on doing this job) to have a spare just in case.
Running the bike until the gas tank is nearly empty is also a good idea, don't ask me how I know this 
6 hours ha? Not bad for a first time with carbs removed actually...

[indywar360]

btw, after giving the air filter a simple green bath and reinstalling, the bike works about 23%-30% better. The thing goes like a jet airplane. I was surprised... it's back to new. And Id thought it was the carbs getting dirty. 

Kyle

[MarkusN]

Running the bike until the gas tank is nearly empty is also a good idea, don't ask me how I know this

Ever heard about the under-tank petcock? Sheesh, some people.

Sure, first time around I also drained the tank because I had no decent info. but, gee, did I ever feel stupid after the tank had come down and I found that petcock.

[Egaeus]

Running the bike until the gas tank is nearly empty is also a good idea, don't ask me how I know this

Ever heard about the under-tank petcock? Sheesh, some people.

Sure, first time around I also drained the tank because I had no decent info. but, gee, did I ever feel stupid after the tank had come down and I found that petcock.

And here I was thinking that he was talking about how freaking heavy a full tank is.   

Yeah, turn the gas off before you remove the tank.

[DGBone]

Ever heard about the under-tank petcock? Sheesh, some people.

Sheesh thanks so much dude, great tip!
So.....You would rather empty the 4 gallons of gas into another container, then lift and haul and temporarily store those 4 gallons of gas somewhere in the garage, then, when you are done, lift and haul the 4 gallons again to pour them back into the tank... What a time saver! Should've tought of that! sheesh... that really makes a lot of sense.