Valve adjustment

Before you ask and 2 failed hours I can't load pics from photo bucket and nearly smashed my iPad.
Now for the help
I am currently restoring a vf500 interceptor 1986 I want to adjust the valves or at least check them. I have the clymer and Honda service manual which is complete crap in my opinion. Can someone send me an idiots guide I just don't get any info read to date. From the clymer I need to get top dead centre from the tf1 and tf2 on the flywheel. I think I then check for 0.005 inch gap when both the inlet and exhaust valves , that's a worry because the inlet and exhaust differ although the Honda manual says 0.005 for both. Then turn 90 degrees and repeat on the other setting no the bit I don't get turn 270 degrees to the other marks and pick up the other cylinders but there are no more marks. All I have is tf1 tf2 and two sets of just two lines.
Please can you help as I am now in a position to get the bike together but arrived at a complete stop.
Pic would help but no joy from f***ing photobuket
Chris

 

I am sure there will be loads of advice given. And there are loads of existing threads on this too if you search. Anyway I did this a few months ago. I didn't bother with the timing marks. I just worked out where the cam lobes needed to be to give the maximum gap and used two feeler gauges to check it. It was slow, but for me I found it the best method. My engine sounds fine btw. When I did it the first time using the timing marks the gaps were incorrect and the tappets were set too loose. I set the gaps to whatever it says in the Honda manual. You have to take your time but you soon get into the groove.

A bit more.
I set them all to 0.15mm. Initially using two feelers I found it hard to get the two tappets the same. I also found it really easy to over torque the lock nuts. I gave up using a torque wrench and used my calibrated wrist. I had a 0.006 inch feeler too and I made sure that when I could get the 0.15mm feelers in, the 0.006 inch feeler would not fit.

I also tried the 0.1 mm feeler between the rocker and cam lobe method but I just couldn't get this to work.

To make fine adjustments to the gaps I found the only reliable method was to rotate the engine to compress the springs and make adjustments then. It was not always obvious where the max gap occurred either. I found I had to do this by endlessly rotating the engine and then marking the end of the camshaft where I estmated the max gap to occur.

It was all good fun though.

 

Valves
Jeremy
That's for the comment
I agree with what you said
I turned the crank many times and worked out the position where I thought was the highest point and biggest gap. Clearly this needs to be repeated many times for all the cylinders both inlet and exhaust but seems to be the best way. I avoided it due to the posts and manual instructions. The marks on the crank seem to be only half the story.
At present I have made no adjustments just tried to work out the operation but the exhaust and inlet seemed to differ but manual says .005 inch , what setting did you use ?
Cheers
Chris

 

More info can be found here:

ValveTrain/ValveClearanceAdjustment - SabMagFAQ

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

No need to worry about timing marks ! Check when the highest point on the lobe is pointing away from valves, and that point is not critical as the backside of the cam is wide.

Since the follower is forked it's best to use 2 feelers at the same time to do the job properly.

It's best practice to check all valves and record the numbers on paper b4 resetting anything.

If you're off by only 1 thou, probably best not to fuss with it since the exact control needed to adjust that precisely is very hard to come by and there is some +or-tolerance anyway, so if the book says 5 thou, anything between 4 to 6 thou should be OK, but it's important that each pair of valves be set identically.

Whatever you're trying to set, be informed that when you tighten the locknut, it usually slightly changes what you thought was your clearence.

 

If I could add, the OEM tools will make this task a bit easier:

 

Off set box end spanners have their places fer sure! Those special ones have extra length from the beam of the spanner to the boxed end, (which is good.) I got one tappet spanner which is probabably older than me which is an open end 10 mm and the other end is just kinda nuetered. AnywhoooO-get down and dirty with your machine! Its just gona make the bond that much stronger, Cheers

 

IC great photo's.:thumbsup: May I make a suggestion though. You should add the two feeler gauges to make sure the novice gets the right idea.

 

Well noted, Grey. I'll take a few photos with the feeler gauges in place next time I have this on the workbench.

On this note, I've been looking for a source for metric (not imperial) long blade gauges, perferably sold as individual blades. Any thoughts on where to find these?

 

Industrial supply house for machinists, engine builders etc. Place like this Scales Calipers Macho Tool & Supply OH This is were I go. Try automotive tool trucks - Snap-On etc. Or the web. That always works too: Though they may not show all they carry.

 

All good suggestions, thanks for the web link, Grey.

I've tried a few on the list but haven't found a supplier of metric long blade gauges.

Seems like everything I find is imperial.

It would be great to find a source that offers metric long blade gauges that match OEM specs, i.e. for the 500, .13mm - .16mm ( '84/'85 and '86).

 

Here's a start:http://www.armstrongtools.com/ECommerce/Category.aspx

Most are American/Metric sizes marked on the gauges.

 

Thanks, Grey.

I may have missed 'em, but these look to be marked in imperial with a conversion to metric. While these will work of course, I am hoping to locate and actual metric set that is stepped: .13mm, .14mm, .15mm, etc.

I haven't found a company that offers these, though I am sure they exist. I even checked with a friend up in Canada and he has the same issue, everything is imperial even though they are on the metric system.

If only we had listened to those 'going metric' posters in the 70s ;-)

 

Thanks for the comments I have done it with some cunning adaption of existing tools for job.
Set to .0005 as per the Honda manual but the 6 lbs foot on my torque wrench was causing me concern getting really tight and no click. So I settled for what I thought was right rather than stripping any threads.

 

Quick note, you have an '86 IIRC.

I believe, though I don't have a shop manual for the '86 (own an '84), that the valve lash for the intake and exhaust is .16mm (.0063").

It is .12mm and .13mm (.004" & .005") respectively for the '84/'85.

I think you may have set these too tight.

 

My FSM states 0.15mm (.0059"), both intake and exhaust, for the '86.

 

Thanks, Creaky.

 

Oh no please don't say that, I spent hours yesterday setting them with feeder gauges that had 0.005 / 13mm stamped on them. The next size gauge was 0.006 15mm so I opted for the smaller size. The manual for the 1986 said 0.15mm or 0.005 hence my option. Do I need to do it all again??? This is both the intake and exhaust.
Please help me
Chris

 

Well, the '86 contingent should weigh in here but from everything I have read it is better to set them a bit loose vs. tight.

This goes to my search for actual metric gauges vs. imperial with a metric conversion. Someone must offer these, but I have yet to find.

 

Ditto on that. Better a .001 loose than tight with the first gen engines.

As Clint asked "Do you feel lucky, well now do ya?"