intake valve covers horrible to get to

L

Lauren CA

New member
I got my bike stripped down and adjusted the exhaust valves okay.. I don't think they were out of spec. The intakes are another story. The covers are a pain to get to and to adjust is almost impossible for the front cylinder. To get the covers on is just wild. Lots of body/hand contortions. It's no wonder mechanics just "listen" to see if they are "out". Any tips for easier access to the intakes?
boulevards:plus1:
 
:welcomes: Boston
I can't shed any more light than you already know, but noticed you're located on the island. Where about. I've got friends and family all over it. Good to have you aboard.
 
Boston, what procedure are you using to set the timing marks ? I am in the middle of doing mine now but the service manual procedure just doesnt seem right to me. When I align the timing marks there is no gap if I go aliitle off the mark then I start to get a gap.
 
I use a breaker bar to help turn the motor. Good for leverage. I look through the little hole in the front on the shifter side. I look for the R/T mark and line up exactly on it, and then wiggle the valve adjusters and if it is tight, the instructions say go around again and then wiggle it again. I tried that and they were loose the second time around. The intakes are alot less loose as the gap is so small, but the exhaust adjuster is noticeably more moveable. The weird part I found was when I went around the 450 degrees to do the front cylinder, the back adjusters were loose again as well as the front. If I turned it a little again they tightened up.
I figured out for reassembly that if I detached the pipe that attaches to the rear cylinder to the pair valve assembly, and if you take a 10mm wrench and bend it just so, it makes for easier access to tighten the valve cover. Also to put the nut back on, put a piece of masking tape around the nut to wedge it into the open end wrench, so you can get it over the bolt and have it grab on.
 
PS to atlas68 - I'm located in Esquimalt, on Craigflower near where is says "welcome to Esquimalt, place of shoaling waters" whatever a shoaling water is.
 
Boston, I share all your frustrations!!!

I checked the valve clearances last week. It will be a VERY long time before I do it again.

I have workrd on my own bikes for over 50 years & have never had such a fiddly, frustrating time!!!!!

Getting some of the valve covers off was most tedious & I have a garage stuffed with tools.

Would you believe I tried to remove all 4 of those shiny chrome thingys on top of the cylinders when you are only supposed to remove the ones in front of the spark plugs?

The 2 I shouldn't have touched have very long bolts that go right down into the crankcase!

All the clearances were within spec thank goodness as I was totally out of patience & was not looking forward to actually adjusting them.

IMO you actually have to remove a few more things than are listed in the Suzuki shop manual. eg the rubber air duct for one.

A frustrated oldgoat!!!!!!
 
Took me 3 days working on and off adjusting the valves.

A BIG BIG PITA, but I am glad I did it, the front cylinder intakes were way tight. Now I know why the dealers don't want to do this. If your not ambidextrous with your hands your screwed.
 
amen to that. I wonder if I should replace the plugs while I'm at it.
I too loosened the two bolts that go way down inside. I thought - what the heck?- and rechecked the instructions. Didn't have to do that. Putting it back together I snapped off the little tab that goes between the plastic covers that go over the steering head and ignition key hole. All in all not too bad. Hope to start it today and see if I need to take it in and pay a proffessional with the money I saved doing it myself.Lol
 
I just got the bike back to where I could start it, so not to go through the whole tear down again , In case I screwed up the adjustment. It sounds great and actually seems to idle slightly better and no ticking. It was well worth doing and next time in the far distance future it should be easier for me to do.
 
I have to agree with you all, It was a very difficult job to make the adjustments. Even being a mechanic for 20+ years. I pulled mine done to the lowest end of the factory specs. and I have alot less top-end noise, but Suzuki V-twins have always had a loud top-end.
 
Hey guys I'm almost embarrassed to ask this but the manual really doesn't specify...which set of valves are the intake and which are the exhaust?
 
The exhaust is the side the exhaust ports are on, front cylinder is the side toward the front of the bike, rear cylinder is the side toward the rear of the bike. The intakes face each other in the center of the motor.

The Rear cylinder Suzuki calls #1, # 2 is the Front :wtf:

Exhaust, Intake, Intake, Exhaust


Rear of bike # 1 Front of bike # 2
zuigers.gif
 
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