Why do a valve adjustment

[slickster]

You need to adjust your valves! once the start to burn there's no going back...pull the heads and repair....I just did my valve adjustment last week...got the kit from a gentlemen in GA that loans out the kit for free...just pay shipping...it has the tools, shims, feeler gauges etc to get it done....doing it the first time it took me 4 hours....doing it again I could probably do it in 3....no need to pull the carbs, there is alot of info in other forums describing the process and offering lots of advice....easier for me to check tight or loose, pull the shim, go up/down one step and re-measure....not rocket surgery.....

[1joeranger]

Here is where I got the idea for another tool. http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=43980 I also pasted the main part below here. Just wondering if anyone ever followed up on that?

 

"...I found a while back, while attending a motorcycle maintenance course, that the valve tappet tool (for shim over setup) designed for suzuki also works on Yamaha. Here is an example of the tool we used...and I think it works better than the little thing Yamaha sells.

 

As for actual shims. The shim in the bike usually is stamped with the size (or use a caliper to measure the thickness). Using feeler gauges, one can determine how much thicker/thinner they need to go. Any motorcycle shop should carry the shims for a reasonable price, and if you did your math right, should have a perfect fit with little to none of the "musical shims" game.

 

I'm pretty sure these valve tools will work, as they specify which ones will not fit the XVZ 1200/1300 (usually the bolt-on kind).

 

If the link doesn't work, here's the address: http://www.maxmx.co.uk/productdetail.html?ID=3613

 

Other examples:

http://www.sudco.com/motionpro.html#valve

http://prostores2.carrierzone.com/se...-TOOL-2/Detail

http://pitposse.com/povashto.html"

[RandyR]

Here is where I got the idea for another tool. http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=43980 I also pasted the main part below here. Just wondering if anyone ever followed up on that?

 

"...I found a while back, while attending a motorcycle maintenance course, that the valve tappet tool (for shim over setup) designed for suzuki also works on Yamaha. Here is an example of the tool we used...and I think it works better than the little thing Yamaha sells.

 

As for actual shims. The shim in the bike usually is stamped with the size (or use a caliper to measure the thickness). Using feeler gauges, one can determine how much thicker/thinner they need to go. Any motorcycle shop should carry the shims for a reasonable price, and if you did your math right, should have a perfect fit with little to none of the "musical shims" game.

 

I'm pretty sure these valve tools will work, as they specify which ones will not fit the XVZ 1200/1300 (usually the bolt-on kind).

 

If the link doesn't work, here's the address: http://www.maxmx.co.uk/productdetail.html?ID=3613

 

Other examples:

http://www.sudco.com/motionpro.html#valve

http://prostores2.carrierzone.com/se...-TOOL-2/Detail

http://pitposse.com/povashto.html"

 

As best I can remember, no one has actually successfully used anything other than the Yamaha tool or a fabricated facsimile there-of. For the first year Venture there was a different Yamaha tool, but it was superseded by the current tool.

 

If someone has used something else on the xzv or vmax engines, please speak up..

 

on the Triumphs which also have 25mm shim over buckets, there have been a variety of home-made tools made. The most common is a steel plate with set screws with a notch cut in the side of the tip to hold down the bucket

[1joeranger]

Finished the valve job this week and a big THANKS!! to RandyR!!!! He visited me with his shim kit and helped me through this process. His assistance was invaluable and his shim kit kept me from having to wait on shims I might not have had.

 

A few thoughts about this job:

 

Read V7Goose's write up http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=38545 then re-read it again.

 

To turn the engine you will need 1 1/4 socket and I recommend a breaker bar ilo a wrachet that way you can keep track of how far you have turned!

 

Next time I will set gaskets on the engine then put on covers. I think that will be easier then trying to keep them in place upside down, even with the Gasket goo. Of course V7Goose recommends it that way as well

 

This is a time consuming job:

 

1. 1st day
   


1. noon till about 1:30pm cleaned bike
   
2. 1:30 till 8pm Dissembly
   

[*]2nd day:

1. 5:30am till 10:30am finished dissembly
   
2. 10:30am till 4pm RandyR valve shim measure and replacement
   
3. 4pm till 10:30pm re-assembled and CarbTune
   

Many can do it faster I am sure. Took my time cause it was my first. If I had had more time would have liked to have cleaned some of the parts taken off and re-checked the carb floats. As it was I was just glad to get the bike back together.

 

Have 32,300 miles on bike and I am really glad I shouldn't have to do this again till 60,000 plus miles!!!!

[ediddy]

I'm not mechanically inclined so I can't say. But there was a yamaha dealer in Fitzgerald, Georgia that was one of the best venture mechanics around and he said there was no need to adjust the valves and it was a waste of time. Just sayin.

[MiCarl]

I'm not mechanically inclined so I can't say. But there was a yamaha dealer in Fitzgerald, Georgia that was one of the best venture mechanics around and he said there was no need to adjust the valves and it was a waste of time. Just sayin.

 

And he's **Almost** always right. If you end up with one of the very few that needs it and didn't you're going to be in a world of hurt.