Asking for help with Cam Cover Gasket replacement

[mstraub72]

Thoughts on valve clearances, gents? Took @Bob R and @warp9.9 advice and did the valve check while I'm this deep in. Grabbed some metric angled feelers, and this is the result. Watched a YouTube vid before I did this to familiarize myself, as this is my first time doing valves. Seems pretty straight forward, was great advice to just get it done.

Popped out the spark plugs, filled the holes with paper towel to keep them safe, and rotated the cams with the rear tire in 5th. Did my checks with the skinniest peak of the lobe pointing to the sky. The intakes looked mint...not one took my smallest feeler gauge of .127mm. The exhaust however, I'm unsure about...thoughts? I can't possibly only have one that's midway in the specs? Take a peek and chime in with your opinions...

 

[mstraub72]

Oh, and a virtual cheers from here for all the help, everyone. Wiping this gasket gunk

off requires refreshments.

 

[Jvheli]

Thoughts on valve clearances, gents? Took @Bob R and @warp9.9 advice and did the valve check while I'm this deep in. Grabbed some metric angled feelers, and this is the result. Watched a YouTube vid before I did this to familiarize myself, as this is my first time doing valves. Seems pretty straight forward, was great advice to just get it done.

Popped out the spark plugs, filled the holes with paper towel to keep them safe, and rotated the cams with the rear tire in 5th. Did my checks with the skinniest peak of the lobe pointing to the sky. The intakes looked mint...not one took my smallest feeler gauge of .127mm. The exhaust however, I'm unsure about...thoughts? I can't possibly only have one that's midway in the specs? Take a peek and chime in with your opinions...

The exhaust clearance is a tad fat, but not worth messing with.

The intake clearance should be at least the min of .1mm or .004”

Remember, the clearance gets smaller with use. I’d get a feeler gauge the can measure to make sure!

I wrote English units on my manual if that helps.

 

[TURBO200R4]

i think that #3 or #4 is wrong on your chart. one of those should be an intake valve.
if it was me i would try to adjust to the high side of the clearance.

 

[mstraub72]

i think that #3 or #4 is wrong on your chart. one of those should be an intake valve.
if it was me i would try to adjust to the high side of the clearance.

Morning, Turbo. I'm a bit confused, but I've only had one coffee yet today after a hellacious storm that took down some trees in my yard last night, so that could totally be it. This is from the manual:

Now, that said, I totally should have just kept the number sequence going up to 12, instead of restarting at 1 on the Exhaust side. Would have made it easier for us all to discuss specific cam lobes. How I drew up my little graphic...Staring down at the engine from above, cam gears and timing chain up at the front of the engine, I see these bundled groups of two valves (must be two intake and two exhaust per cylinder?), with larger spaces between the cylinders. I drew the graphic with a little extra space between the groups of two for easier eyeballing.

I also verified I was staring at the intake side vs. exhaust side by spotting that little grove they mention on that pic above. Looks to me like the entire bank on the left is Intake, and the entire bank on the right is Exhaust.

So, that all said, are you referring to Exhaust 3 & 4, or Intake 3 & 4? If it's Exhaust 3/4, I think you're right, as @Jvheli mentioned above, that Exhaust 4 is juuuuuuust outside tolerances, but so little that it's not worth that level of a teardown right now. Check it again at 30k miles and see.

 

[TURBO200R4]

not very good at explaining.
for intake clearance you have posted two values #2 #6
for exhaust you have posted four values. #1 #3 #4 #5 the clearance values on either 3 or 4 is the wrong clearance. if u set valves using this chart u r going to be in trouble

 

[BigNorm]

I admire everyone's tenacity who have dug in this far and beyond into the motor. I love my rocket but must say that the Harley was a helluva lot easier to work on.

 

[mstraub72]

not very good at explaining.
for intake clearance you have posted two values #2 #6
for exhaust you have posted four values. #1 #3 #4 #5 the clearance values on either 3 or 4 is the wrong clearance. if u set valves using this chart u r going to be in trouble

Ahhh, gotcha. Yeah, I'm not setting anything based on that chart I drew up, those are simply the results I had after doing my clearance checks with my new feeler gauges. That's why I put little Yes and No's after each result. Intake side was easy...my smallest feeler wouldn't go in any of them, so they're all effectively "less than .005 / .127mm"

On the Exhaust side, let's use Exhaust 3 for example, the .008 / .203mm slid in okay, but the next size up, the .009 / .229mm wouldn't slide in. On E4, the .008 went, but concerningly, so did the .009, but juuuuust barely. Pretty grabby. That's how I laid out my little test result chart for all to take a peek at. That make a little more sense?

 

[BigNorm]

Ahhh, gotcha. Yeah, I'm not setting anything based on that chart I drew up, those are simply the results I had after doing my clearance checks with my new feeler gauges. That's why I put little Yes and No's after each result. Intake side was easy...my smallest feeler wouldn't go in any of them, so they're all effectively "less than .005 / .127mm"

On the Exhaust side, let's use Exhaust 3 for example, the .008 / .203mm slid in okay, but the next size up, the .009 / .229mm wouldn't slide in. On E4, the .008 went, but concerningly, so did the .009, but juuuuust barely. Pretty grabby. That's how I laid out my little test result chart for all to take a peek at. That make a little more sense?

It does to me but I speak rednekese.

 

[warp9.9]

Ahhh, gotcha. Yeah, I'm not setting anything based on that chart I drew up, those are simply the results I had after doing my clearance checks with my new feeler gauges. That's why I put little Yes and No's after each result. Intake side was easy...my smallest feeler wouldn't go in any of them, so they're all effectively "less than .005 / .127mm"

On the Exhaust side, let's use Exhaust 3 for example, the .008 / .203mm slid in okay, but the next size up, the .009 / .229mm wouldn't slide in. On E4, the .008 went, but concerningly, so did the .009, but juuuuust barely. Pretty grabby. That's how I laid out my little test result chart for all to take a peek at. That make a little more sense?

Considering you have 16,000 on her and 20,000 is the first check now so I'd let them ride the exhaust is on the loose side so maybe check at 30,000 .