J Motor Valve Adjustment Questions?

I have read in other post about releasing the cam tensioner while doing this procedure. But I have read the manual over and over and not once could I find where it said to do this. So my question is do you loosen it before removing the valve cover or before re-installing it? I already took my valve cover off. :blush:
How do you get to the tensioner with the carbs. in the way. Just unscrew the bolt on the side of it and take the spring out?

badrhino wrote: I have read in other post about releasing the cam tensioner while doing this procedure. But I have read the manual over and over and not once could I find where it said to do this. So my question is do you loosen it before removing the valve cover or before re-installing it? I already took my valve cover off. :blush:
How do you get to the tensioner with the carbs. in the way. Just unscrew the bolt on the side of it and take the spring out?

Exactly. Take the 17mm cap nut off the side of the tensioner. That will release the pressure. Reinstall it after you install and tighten down the valve cover. It wouldn't hurt to pull the wedge plunger out of the side of the tensioner and put some oil on it as well.

Ok, thanks Larry. I turned the motor over after removing the cover to get the valves on #4 where they needed to be to check clearance. I hope I didn't already screw something up. How tight is the chain supposed to be?
Also is not getting the .04mm feeler gauge in a good sign that the $4 intake valve is too tight and is probably my problem for not getting good combustion in that cylinder?

Bump

badrhino wrote: Ok, thanks Larry. I turned the motor over after removing the cover to get the valves on #4 where they needed to be to check clearance. I hope I didn't already screw something up. How tight is the chain supposed to be?
Also is not getting the .04mm feeler gauge in a good sign that the $4 intake valve is too tight and is probably my problem for not getting good combustion in that cylinder?

What's compression in #4?

Can the shim be moved at all with the cam pointed away from it?

Good Fortune!

Patton, the shim will rotate but I could not get a .04mm gauge in between it and the cam. I was worrying about the cam chain. Do I need to have the cam chain tensioner removed while I am rotating the engine checking the valves or just make sure to do it before re-installing the valve cover?

I am going to perform the compression test tonight. I have not removed any shims as of yet.

badrhino wrote: Patton, the shim will rotate but I could not get a .04mm gauge in between it and the cam. I was worrying about the cam chain. Do I need to have the cam chain tensioner removed while I am rotating the engine checking the valves or just make sure to do it before re-installing the valve cover?

I am going to perform the compression test tonight. I have not removed any shims as of yet.

I've turned lots of them over with that wedge plunger out when checking valves but the best bet for a novice is to probably not do that. Also, verify your timing marks are correct before you install the valve cover.

When you first remove the valve cover, you'll see there's slack in the chain between the two cams. That's from the rubbing block in the cover. As soon as you turn the motor over, you'll see that slack is no longer there. By removing the 17mm cap and wedge plunger from the tensioner, you're allowing the rubbing block in the valve cover to correctly put that slack back in the chain. It's not really slack, it's conforming to the rubbing block. Then, when the cover is tightened down, you install the wedge plunger, spring, washer and 17mm cap. The springs in the tensioner automatically tension the chain. Provided of course, that the springs are not sacked.

If you had not chain noise before then you're not likely to have any after the valve adjustment.

If you can spin the bucket, you have some lash. Go down 1 shim size smaller and recheck the lash.

Well I couldn't find anyone to borrow a compression tester from yet so I went ahead and checked all of the valve clearances and shim sizes. Here is what I got.


Exhaust #1 .10 2.50
Exhaust #2 .08 2.65
Exhaust #3 .04 2.80
Exhaust #4 .10 2.75

Intake #1 <.04 2.50
Intake #2 .10 2.55
Intake #3 .08 2.85
Intake #4 <.04 2.60

The reason I have the < (less than) symbol is because the feeler gauge I just got from Z1E only goes down to .o4mm.

I am not liking that motion pro tool very much either as I busted and edge off of the handled tool and we all know where that chink went. POS :dry:

Also PO apparently put most of the shims in upside down because I had to measure all but 1 of them.

So I take it I need some smaller shims.

Does this look like the right shim replacement?

Ex
1= good
2= 2.60
3= 2.70
4= good

In
1= 2.40
2= good
3= 2.80
4= 2.50

YES, the motion pro tool is a pain. The original Kawasaki tool is much better for holding the bucket down. I use the pry bar from the MP tool to depress the bucket, then install the OEM holder.

Make sure you put some oil on both sides of the shims when you install them. The oil on the bottom of the shim helps it spin and also helps it stick to the bucket. Got to have that rotational ability in the valve train.

If you ever adjusted valves on old Suzukis, you'd curse the Kawasaki engineers for not coming up with that sweet setup

Larry,

Does the above shim replacement look good or should I go a little looser on some of them?

badrhino wrote: Larry,

Does the above shim replacement look good or should I go a little looser on some of them?

You didn't say if you can spin the bucket or not on the tight valves. If you can't spin it, then you need to drop at least another shim size on those. If you can spin it, one size will put you in spec.

Shoot for .10 - .15mm [.004 - .006"].