Anyone in the southern Nevada area? Requesting valve adjustment help

[czimmer]

Posted this in the other sandbox, too:

Ray has been a TREMENDOUS help over the last couple of days in guiding me through the process but, being in IT, I understand the limitations of remote assistance. I've hit a roadblock: I cannot get the exhaust cam out. Everything is zip tied, the CCT retracted but the bearing cap at the cam sprocket only comes up a bit. Beyond that, I'm not sure how the cam will have wiggle room to push to the side so I can get to the shim bucket that needs an adjustment. This is my first go at this service on the bike and I figured I would save Ray some hair by seeing if someone with experience was available to provide an assist.

[Tyler]

Whereabouts in southern Nevada are you? Would help figure out who might be somewhat nearby...

[czimmer]

I am in Pahrump...about 1 hour west of Vegas.

[czimmer]

Incidentally, I am happy to cover hotel costs for anyone wanting to get a ride in and help!

[Hppants]

Post a couple pictures of where you are now.

Are you sure that the cam chain tensioner is all the way retracted?

[czimmer]

Yes, I am sure that the CCT is retracted. I double checked.

Here's a pic when I was stuck. Ray recommended that I snug everything down again and start over.



Link if that pic doesn't show:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/btpfsfcjd2tr3 ... 7.jpg?dl=0

Basically, I ended up with the cap next to the cam chain stuck. Ray's recommendation was to take a small piece of wood and tap it loose after I snug everything down and then walk it back up again. I just ran out of patience and time today.

[mcatrophy]

Looked at the picture, I found it a little difficult to make out details. The original looked like this:
(Click on image for larger view, click on that for the original)


A little bit of enhancement:


Hope that might assist anyone viewing it.

[raYzerman]

If I understand it correctly, the bearing caps may not be coming off. They have metal dowels that align them and they are a very precise fit. #4 occasionally has been a problem for me... start over, snug them all back down, back off the bolts evenly 2-3 turns, gently tap the bearing cap various directions until it loosens. Just have to get that initial movement. I don't recommend prying up on the cam itself, I'd hate to break one. The cam is being pushed up by the lobes that are pointing down, thus compressing the valve springs.

Once all the caps are off, cam may have sprung up, you should be able to lift the #1 end. If the sprocket end doesn't want to lift/rotate out, then need to get a little more chain slack between the sprockets by rotating... likely the intake cam where there should be more slack due to the CCT being disengaged. Valve timing will be maintained because the zip ties are still in place.

[FJRoss]

How far off are your exhaust valve clearances? (Just curious) On my previous '07, I did not have to adjust any exhaust valves in the 185,000 miles I owned it. (Did intake valves a couple of times)
The threaded holes in the bearing caps are for the bolts that hold down the valve cover. I wonder if it would help to screw one of these bolts in and wiggle it around to help remove the cap. Might give you some better leverage as well as a pull from dead center.

[czimmer]

I have one exhaust clearance measuring at 0.15mm in the far right corner (closest to the cam chain). I have one intake right at 0.15mm as well which I figured should be adjusted now since I'm going through the pain and suffering.

As I've thought through things, I figured I would find a wooden dowel rod and use that to tap the #4 cap as I walk the cam caps again. I am tied up during the day today but I'll be taking another look tonight.

I'm also wondering if I should have started with the intake cam instead to get that bit of slack in the chain over to the exhaust side, too.

[bigjohnsd]

The threaded holes in the bearing caps are for the bolts that hold down the valve cover. I wonder if it would help to screw one of these bolts in and wiggle it around to help remove the cap. Might give you some better leverage as well as a pull from dead center.

I have used this technique successfully on multiple motorcycles. Get a Bolt about 4 inches long.

[Hppants]

I don't see any zip ties on the cam gears.

I'd echo Ray's suggestion, rotate the motor just a little to entice the chain to loosen. The #4 bearing cap is in a bind. Re-install the others and then loosen them all a little at a time.

[raYzerman]

He has it all zipped up properly no worries. He's done a good job checking all the clearances and has them in Billy Fitz's spreadsheet. Everything going well except for that stubborn bearing cap. Good tip on the long bolt to get some leverage.
Would make no difference which cam you pull first...

[czimmer]

Thanks, Ray!

Again: Ray continues to be an absolute indispensable help...I'm the problem here.

The bolt tip is good. When I pick this up in the evening, I'll try it.

[czimmer]

Update:

First of all, kudos to FJRoss on the bolt suggestion! It worked like a champ! Of course, anyone using that idea needs to take precautions to block all possible places for the bolt to fall before trying to screw it in. There are many ways that bolts desire to jump from your hand and bury themselves into places in the motor.

In summary: the bike is reassembled and running great. The shims have been adjusted as required. Ray suggested swapping 2 shims on the intake side and that worked great. For the exhaust shim that caused this whole thing I had a new shim already in stock as I bought an assortment of shims at Ray's suggestion early in 2020.

My take on the process: it's a pain but doable IF you go slow and carefully. Whoever designed the valve cover/gasket removal and installation should be fired from Yamaha. That's the STUPIDEST, non intuitive, balancing act that I've every seen. As Ray has seen in my pictures, I laid everything out carefully and even used blue painter's tape to write labels and torque values. Take care when disassembling the body work to avoid any damage. I found that the dealer that worked on my bike last cracked part of the inner fairing (now repaired) and I had parts missing (replaced).

I took lots of pictures for reference which came in handy a few times. Reassembly goes quickly once the valve cover is back on. Be sure to clean things as you go such as getting the dirt and grime out before removing the valve cover and I also used a blue 3M scrubby to clean up some corrosion I found on the coolant inlet pipe.

When I was adjusting the valves, the intakes are easier since they face rearward. I stuffed rags into all the holes, including the one next to the cam chain. When I was swapping the exhaust shim, I also laid another paper towel over everything exposing only the one I was working on. I DID NOT want to drop anything especially as it was covered in oil.

I'm glad I'm done and I'm glad that I now have the knowledge and experience. Many thanks to Ray! I could not have completed this without his help!

I still need to do the throttle body sync but at least the bike is back in operation again.

[wheatonFJR]

Awesome!

[raYzerman]

Congrats on getting it all done. Daunting the first time when removing cams, but it's all doable with a few precautions..... so when are you hosting the first Nevada tech day?

[FJRoss]

Great stuff!!
Didn't have any help for my first time either and got pretty nervous. Fortunately, it didn't need any adjustment (first or second time). By the time I got to the third check, the basic disassembly didn't worry me and I could focus on the adjustments. A few tricks to learn with moving throttle cables and attaching the gasket to the valve cover with a bit of O2 sensor safe RTV silicone.

TBS is a piece of cake as long as you have a suitable manometer/gauge. If you don't have one, it is easy to make one using Tygon tubing and a couple of "Y" connectors. Fluid is ATF and short lengths of some finer tubing inserted into the 1/8" black takeoff hoses to reduce jumpiness. Can't remember what sizes I used... Very sensitive but fluid could get sucked into the engine if synchronization is off by a lot. Just have to be careful - I start with all lines crimped with binder clips and carefully open them one at a time. (A couple drops of ATF wouldn't hurt anything) A lot of people use the Morgan Carbtune Pro - doesn't use fluid.
https://www.carbtune.com/

[czimmer]

Congrats on getting it all done. Daunting the first time when removing cams, but it's all doable with a few precautions..... so when are you hosting the first Nevada tech day?

Hahahahahaha! I'm still waiting for my blood pressure to return to normal. There were some tense moments here and there!

[czimmer]

FJRoss: I have the Carbtune tool but thanks for the information! After working on this over the course of 7 days, I'll just schedule another Saturday over the coming weeks to balance the throttle bodies. It's idling smooth as butter right now anyway.