with a little pop and wheeze the bike died in the driveway after work last night. now it won't start or does and won't idle. i'm almost positive that it's the vavles. i've never been in the motor so i have a few noob questions.


1 is there a post in here with step by step instructions? (brian?)
2 how do you determine what size the new shim has to be to get back to spec?
3 can anyone explain the procedure to get everything lined up to measure the clearance on each valve?
4 what should i be ESPECIALLY carefull of as i dissasemble and re-assemble the motor?

i'm sure there are things that i don't even know i don't know but won't realize it until i get in there so I NEED ALL THE HELP/ADVICE EVERYONE CAN PROVIDE. THANKS

 

A16Tony started a valve adjust thread here:

http://www.KawasakiForums.com/m_30635/tm.htm

I added some photos a little later on in the same thread, here:

https://www.kawasakiforums.com/fb.asp?m=32614

In the above link, I have a photo showing how to find top dead center. The piston needs to be at TDC for the valve check. Note that there are two TDC's, you want the one where both the intakes and exhausts are fully closed. Procedure for finding that is in the post above.

Then just use the feeler gages and slide them underneath the valve lobes. The gage that slips in with just a little bit of drag is the right one, and that is your current clearance. It shouldn't be too lose, you should feel some drag, but not too tight either, you shouldn't have to force the gage in.

Couple things to pay attention to - write down your clearances for each valve when you check them. You will need to know what they are in order to select the correct shim size. But to do that, you need to first know what shim size is installed, so you won't know what you need until you take it apart and check what is in there now.

To determine the new shim size, you need to look it up in the table that covers valve adjusts in the service manual. Look up your current measurement along the row, then the current shim size installed in the column, and the location in the table where they intersect gives the new shim size needed to bring the clearance back into spec. I don't have my manuals any more, or I could help you out if you don't have them. Someone's bound to have that table, though.

It is easy to keep it in time if you zip-tie the chain to the sprockets. Be sure and remove the cam chain tensioner so you can free the cams to move them out of the way. Also, be sure to reset the adjuster and insert the barrel bolt last when you reassemble, otherwise the chain will be tensioned too tightly.

It's not hard, once you do it once, it will be a breeze.

 

I took a paint pen and marked a tooth on the cam gear to the matching link on the cam chain. Then you can leave the gears bolted to the cams and take them out and set them out of your way.

I also made sure there was constant pressure pulling up on the chain after the tensioner was removed because I didn't want it falling off the bottom gear.

 

i knew you'd come thru for me again. thanks a local dealer has the right shim kit and i'm going to go pick up the feeler gauges at sears. i'll probably bang off work on thursday to get it done cause the wife wants to go camping in maine for the weekend.

 

Youwill also need toput some silcone sealer onfor thevalve cover gasket. It goes under the half moons where the cam gear bolt acess is.