1st time Valve adjusting - Pitfalls?

[CairnsDuc]

G'day all
I am going to do my 1st valve adjustment/belt replacement on my S2R 800, it has been done/checked by the dealer during the bikes life, but I'm going to do it from now on.
- I have purchased all the tools as suggested by Chris Kelley and Lt Synder
- I have purchased a shim kit
- I have watched Chris Kelley's videos on valve adjustment many times
- read just about every topic I can find on the subject on this Forum
- I have put aside my day off on Friday, no one else is home, I will have peace and quiet and will not be disturbed so I can concentrate on the task at hand.

From what I can see the job is pretty straight forward and not the black art the dealers make it out to be, am I missing something?

What I want to know, do you guys and girls have any advice, any pitfalls to watch for, and thing you found made the job easier.

Thanks for any advice[thumbsup]

[FIFO]

 Hi
 I was the same allmost i bought Lt's snyders manual watched
Chris Kelly's   video over and over dreamed about it
on valve adjustment before i even bought my monster back in may.

If you a reasonably good on the tools and can read a micrometer or vernier caliper you will be ok.

Check the valves was the first thing i did to my monster it had 16000klm.
but the service records were crap.

Only had to adjust one opener,just polished it down 2 thou" with some wet and dry with wd40 on a flat plate.

In LT'S manual there is a valve adjustment chart make a few copy's of it so you can right your measurements good for future services

  Best to drain/ remove the fuel tank

  Remove battery and  tray

  Remove the plugs
  
  Remove the belt covers
  
 The valves on  cyl no1 are closed when the timing markes are aligned.
 
 On cyl no2 you wll need to turn the crank and feel with a screw driver in the plug hole for tdc.

Take note on the feeler gauge must slip easy no resistance, under the rockers.

And if any thing you are best to er on the loose side rather than to tight especially on the closers.

  And make shure the piston is at top dead as not to lose the    valve down the piston,when removing the closing collet.

  I got some s/s forceps of eBay just put elecy tape on the jaws.
  
  A crank shaft turning tool would help, i didn't have one but next  
   time i will
   You can turn the engine over using the rear wheel in  
  gear but it's a pain.

  Just watch the opener retainer clip goes flying when you unclip it.

  On the vertical cylinder put a peice of rag in the oil way as not   to loose the collets down it and remember to remove it.

  I did mine with the timing belts in place.as not to get to further   into a muddle than needed.And can be done another day as they are simple to do.
  
  When i change the belts i use a white marker and put a mark on
  the pulleys and belts and count the teeth,as to put the new  ones back in the same position.

All of the the above is in Lt's manual or on ducatisuite.com and Chris Kelly, These guys have it  all covered and will all make sense when you have in pieces
 
This site is helpfull

http://ducatisuite.com/valves.html

http://ducatisuite.com/index.html

[DUCMONROB]

If you need plastic forceps like in the vids I have two pairs left.

if your interested PM me.


Rob

[loony888]

the 2 valvers are easy, the 4 valvers are a whole different kettle of fish! remember, set the clearances at the looser end of the range, especially on the exhaust side. too tight will cause problems, possibly big problems, like binding between the rockers causing cam wear, too tight clearances can also cause burnt exhaust valves so again, the loose end of the range. depending on the year of your bike the clearances vary so be sure you have the right info before you start.

paul.

[bazz20]

take the belts off like looney said so you can feel for binding and never trust what is written on the shim mesure them all 

[CairnsDuc]

Thanks for the advice guys, I have the crank turning tool and some forceps, made a note of the tools suggested by Chris and Lt Snyder.

I was going to leave the belts on as I set TDC on each cylinder (using the marks, and then with a screwdriver just to confirm TDC) then when I needed to do the valve adjustment, drop the belt off the top pulley of the valves I'm working on.

I figure it will be easier to keep a track of the marks and alignment if I concentrate on one cylinder at a time, then once it's all finished I'll wind everything around by hand a few times to check for binding, if everything tests fine I'll replace the belts.

When turning the engine with the Crank handle, Which way do you turn it?
I am sure I read it was anti clockwise?

[FIFO]

 
  Sounds like your on top of it.
  

When turning the engine with the Crank handle, Which way do you turn it?
I am sure I read it was anti clockwise?

With out going out to the garage to ckeck my bike.
  Just hit the starter button and watch the direction the engine rotates through the timing mark window and thats the direction

[loony888]

bazz is right on the money there! definitely measure each shim, as for rotating the engine? dunno! i put the bike in 6th gear and rotate the wheel forward till i find the timing marks.

paul.

[CairnsDuc]

I figured I would do that, just remove the Spark plugs, turn the wheel and watch which way the engine turns.

The joys of bike stands! 

[888906]

Sounds like youve got it pretty much right

Just a tip from an old Ducati mechanic - just make sure everything turns over by hand as you finish each step - and finally after you have get the belts back on just to make sure nothing touches or tangles - its too late if you think everythings right then hit the starter button.  Ive seen and heard much more experienced Ducati mechanics than myself have valves clipping pistons on start up.

Cheers

[CairnsDuc]

Sounds like youve got it pretty much right

Just a tip from an old Ducati mechanic - just make sure everything turns over by hand as you finish each step - and finally after you have get the belts back on just to make sure nothing touches or tangles - its too late if you think everythings right then hit the starter button.  Ive seen and heard much more experienced Ducati mechanics than myself have valves clipping pistons on start up.

Cheers

Oh yes! I have been informed by a local Ducati mechanical master  , that I must wind everything over by hand to be 100% sure everything is smooth.
He suggested I wind it over before I do the Adjustment, get the feel of the engine, do the adjustment, and should be almost identical in feel when I hand wind it afterwards.
(Even with the promise of copious amounts of alcohol I could not convince him to come out of retirement to teach me his way of doing valves)

As I mentioned earlier, I'll do one cylinder start to finish, then hand wind everything to confirm everything is 100% before moving onto the next cylinder.
might be a bit slow, but at least I won't get lost if I make a mistake and have to spend a heap of time back tracking.

Again, thanks to everyone for the excellent advice! 

[vossy]

Good luck with it CD. I'd be keen to hear how it goes.

I too thought of doing "the first" valve adjustment (12000kms) myself, but for $280 I can get the job done by a Ducati mechanic and I can stay and watch the mechanic do it.
I thought it was a cheap price to pay for the adjustment and to learn how to do it.
Mines booked in for next Wednesday

[loony888]

Good luck with it CD. I'd be keen to hear how it goes.

I too thought of doing "the first" valve adjustment (12000kms) myself, but for $280 I can get the job done by a Ducati mechanic and I can stay and watch the mechanic do it.
I thought it was a cheap price to pay for the adjustment and to learn how to do it.
Mines booked in for next Wednesday

interesting, most techs insist on the bike being STONE COLD for valve adjustments, are you leaving it there the day before and going back to watch??

paul.

[CairnsDuc]

Well, did the vertical Cylinder, all went well, the most difficult part was getting to the bloody things!

Only had to lightly sand the opener shim on the Exhaust side, and it is spot on like Chris suggests in the Ca Cycleworks video.

Oh and by the way, make sure when ordering the shim kit it's the right one for your model!!! I ordered the 2 valve shim kit from Ca Cycleworks, but that does not suit the 07 2 valve bikes, I have to order the 4 valve kit, to suit the 7 mm valves
(Earlier 2 valve bikes have the 8mm valves)

No drama, CaCycleworks have already sent a 4V kit, I sent a quick Email them last night and they realized we both made a mistake, I thought it was right and they thought it was the right kit, So I am returning the 8mm kit and the 7mm kit has already left this morning winging it's way to me, no charge for the freight, so big  to the Ca Cycleworks folks!

So now moving on to the Horz cylinder, as long as I don't need any replacement shims I should be done in a couple of hours!
Worst case if I do, I'll put it back together and await there arrival in about a week or 2.  

[CairnsDuc]

All done, the openers on the Exhaust valves on both cylinders needed a light sand and everything was in spec, I suppose that's the joy of not thrashing/revving the ring out of the bike, Valve clearances stay pretty close.

The Videos on Ca Cycleworks website were the best!
And a big thanks to Chris and his staff (Especially Candice) for there help and prompt service as always.
 
Valves, Fuel Filter and belts replaced, done in about 4 hours, not allowing the 2 hours spent last night pulling everything apart to get to the valves.

It was a lot easier than I thought, It might have cost me about $500 to get all the shims/tools/belts/filters and oils, but I have already saved money, as the only guy in Cairns who wants to service Ducati's quoted me $1200 for the 24000km service.

Now I have all the tools/shims, all I need is filters and oil and I'm set.