[MXHJosh]

Thank you very much!! My bike is sitting in the garage torn down right now as I'm getting ready to do my annual "full" maintenance. I'm glad I read this, now I will know to find all those marks and do it right.

[gprodick]

Yeah. If that second dimple exists on other bikes, I'll bet this same mistake has been made many times by others. It could certainly be one of the reason we hear people complaining about tight exhaust valves.

When the valves are set too loose, it will start just fine, but will have a noticeable loss of power. Fortunately, if this adjustment error is made, it will result in valves that are way too loose, not too tight. Too tight would not be good.

[Dust Devil]

Alright, the mystery is solved!!!! You're going to love this.

I checked my clearances again today. When the dimple on the outer portion of the crank gear near the teeth is aligned with the arrow on the case, it is at TDC on either the exhaust or compression stroke. Valves are set on the compression stroke. As I thought would be the case, there is no valve clearance on the exhaust stroke, only on the compression stroke. When the dimple is aligned with the arrow, and you wiggle the rocker arm, if there is some freeplay, you will know you're on the compression cycle.

So how did I get a reading of .006" on the exhausts?

Well, damn, I realized the is another dimple on my crank gear. It is closer to the center of the gear and about 80-90 degrees past the dimple on the outer part of the gear. In my haste, I aligned that dimple with the arrow, reached up and wiggled the rocker. Yup. There's definitely free play, must be TDC on the compression stroke. WRONG!! It was 80 degrees past TDC. Still had a little play. Actually, .006" of free play. Today, I measured again at the second dimple and sure enough it was .006"+/-. Man, I couldnt' believe it. I bought $80 worth of shims for nothing.

It was a crazy mistake, but one that I'm sure others might make, if they are not paying attention. The good news is, I'm tickled pink that my valve clearances have not changed in roughly 4000 hard miles.

End of story.

That is what is really important.

[RiderX]

You are not the only one who has a double punch on the timing marks. I had a he** of a time getting proper readings the first time I checked my valves. After double, triple, quadruple checking the valves I knew there was something just not right and I was getting incorrect readings. After a few beers and some thoughtful consideration:-k , I realized that you need to use both the punch mark on the primary gear and the timing marks on the cam sprocket to find TDC.

Here is a photo of what the inside of mine looks like.




Oh yeah, 1000+ miles and all four valves still 100% on spec. [/img]

[gprodick]

Yup. Yup. That's it. Mark #2 was the one that got me. I don't think I have that other false mark. Maybe, if I'd a couple of beers or a Jack Daniels before, rather than after, the procedure, I might have avoided the whole screw up.

I'll feel pretty stupid about the whole thing, but I'm glad to know I'm not the only one to be fooled by it.

Great photo! I sure hope that everybody doing their own valve adjustment gets a look at this. It could save a lot of grief.

[Jeff4510]

You are not the only one who has a double punch on the timing marks. I had a he** of a time getting proper readings the first time I checked my valves. After double, triple, quadruple checking the valves I knew there was something just not right and I was getting incorrect readings. After a few beers and some thoughtful consideration:-k , I realized that you need to use both the punch mark on the primary gear and the timing marks on the cam sprocket to find TDC.

Here is a photo of what the inside of mine looks like.




Oh yeah, 1000+ miles and all four valves still 100% on spec. [/img]

2500+ miles and all is well here too

[Travis]

LOL I had this same prob when i checked mine. I was like no way my bike will start and run this well with the clearances being this tight. I was going off the mark #2. All it cost me was another feeler gauge because I needed one that went lower then the one I had.