Well I'm off on a trip soon so I thought I'd chack my valve clearances.

It wasn't until I slid the gauge in that I thought, 'Hmm this engine is still warm'

Bugger. I rode it home from work about 3 1/2 hours ago. It's a 20 minute ride.
The engine is cool, but not cold.

I guess any clearance readings I take now will be worthless?
thoughts?
I kinda need to put it back together to go to work in the morning.

Wake up an hour and a half early tomorrow morning, check clearances, put back together, go to work? 

It has to stay and cool off over night. This is also said in Haynes manual.

I wouldn't trust "warm" readings.

what is the temp? if the head is under125F it should be fine

I'm going with
1) call work at 7AM and see if they'll give me a short notice holiday.
If not I go with
2) catch a BUS (EUGH!!! )

You'll be relieved to here I managed to avoid using a bus.
I took a holiday.


After all that, the valves are all within spec.

Better to know that! And avoid the bus! 

Congrats on it all working out!

Quote from: red_phil on July 07, 2006, 06:50:20 AM
You'll be relieved to here I managed to avoid using a bus.
I took a holiday.


After all that, the valves are all within spec.

Can we assume that you put the bike back together and used the holiday to go for a nice ride?

What ... do it hot ... big freaking deal ...
I have checked them hot ... as in ... ride for an hour and open it as fast as you can hot ... and it was slightly higher than the same thing after it got cold. Very very slightly ... heck you may not even catch it ... but some of my feeler guages are worn into a taper ... so I got lucky ... Hot or cold ... big freaking deal ...
Cool.
Srinath.

yeah I agree......feeler gauges are not the most accurate way to measure gaps, particularly to someone who very rarely uses them. The difference in gap caused by heat expansion is almost negligable and would be very difficult to detect by feel, chances are the shims will have worn more than they expand.

wouldnt you want to messure when it is hot? i mean your not riding it cold.

Quote from: rangerbrown on July 07, 2006, 12:28:54 PM
wouldnt you want to messure when it is hot? i mean your not riding it cold.

Metal expands when it heats up. You want to measure valve clearances when the bike is dead cold so that the metal is at its normal volume, as it changes with a change in heat.

Nope ... the gap goes up when hot, they know that, they want to have it atleast at 0 when cold. Of course it doesn't have to be 0, that be darned near impossible ... so they set it as low as you can ... also bear in mind, when its hot it does increase, and when cold you set it ... but inbetween ... as its warming ... it can be off a good bit, unless you have it to where its between the limits when cold. You set it at 0, cold will be OK, hot will be OK, but as its warming up, all bets are off.
Cool.
Srinath.