Did 1st valve adjustment today on my Hawk

[closedquestion]

Hello all,
I think in another post of mine I wrote that I can turn a wrench, but a mechanic I'm not. I'm very visual show me and I learn pretty well. If it's just words or a "generic" one size fits all tutorial I get lost easy. I've owned all types of bikes over the years, but they have all been new, and with service contracts. Beyond adding things to the bikes and a few minor performance accessories here and there I didn't work on my bikes. So this was my first valve adjustment ever.

Now to the point of my post. Here is what I did....

Took the valve cover off to expose the valves, took the little silver cover off to show the flywheel, took spark plug out, used thumb to hold over spark plug hole while using kickstart to advance flywheel. Once I felt pressure I then looked for the "T" there was no other mark to match the T with I assumed that since the T had a vertical line before and after the T, that the T, not either of the lines themselves that the T itself was TDC and put it in middle of sight window. I tried to wiggle the tappets but neither would budge, as many had reported I figured they were both set at .000 as long as I had TDC correct. So I loosened locknuts, set intake at .05 and exhaust .08. Took me a few try's to get tightened without changing it. Eventually got both lock nuts tightened at .05 and .08. There now was just a bit of movement. Next I buttoned it all up. I have not started it yet because I wanted to get some validation to the process I just explained. Everything worked as I had read in various tutorials. Didn't seem the hard as I thought it would be. Get plates last plates last Friday, and I want to ride!!

[SpudRider]

You did a good job, but you should always rotate the crankshaft through two more cycles to check your work. If your engine runs properly, you got it right. If you got it wrong, the exhaust valve will be too loose. For future reference, you should always verify the valve lash in the following manner.

After finishing the initial adjustment, once again rotate the crankshaft to TDC, and check the valve lash. Then rotate the crankshaft another 360 degrees, and check the valve lash again. If you did the procedure properly, you will not have any clearance for the exhaust valve at TDC on the exhaust stroke. However, when you rotate the crankshaft 360 degrees, you will have the proper clearance for both valves on the compression stroke. If the exhaust valve has clearance at TDC on both compression and exhaust strokes, you need to repeat the valve adjustment procedure.

Here is a link to the excellent Valve Adjustment Tutorial posted by forum member Red2003.

http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=977

[traygiddens]

There is not a grove on the case to align with .
But, there is a line on the flywheel just to the right of the T. All the vids i've seen indicate that this line is TDC and not the"T".

[2LZ]

Originally Posted by SpudRider

You did a good job, but you should always rotate the crankshaft through two more cycles to check your work. If your engine runs properly, you got it right. If you got it wrong, the exhaust valve will be too loose. For future reference, you should always verify the valve lash in the following manner.

After finishing the initial adjustment, once again rotate the crankshaft to TDC, and check the valve lash. Then rotate the crankshaft another 360 degrees, and check the valve lash again. If you did the procedure properly, you will not have any clearance for the exhaust valve at TDC on the exhaust stroke. However, when you rotate the crankshaft 360 degrees, you will have the proper clearance for both valves on the compression stroke. If the exhaust valve has clearance at TDC on both compression and exhaust strokes, you need to repeat the valve adjustment procedure.

Here is a link to the excellent Valve Adjustment Tutorial posted by forum member Red2003.

http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=977

X2! If you really had it on TDC, you did great! Just make sure you used the "MM" on the feeler gauges and not the SAE numbers most everyone uses for spark plugs.