Valve adjustment - more lessons learned

holligl

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But, I had forgotten what a PITA it is to get to the valve cover and remove it.
Not wanting to jinx you or anything, but I hear the REAL pain is getting it back ON, with the gasket correctly positioned. I wouldn't know as I paid to have mine checked. I know my limits. Good luck!

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whisperquiet

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Not wanting to jinx you or anything, but I hear the REAL pain is getting it back ON, with the gasket correctly positioned. I wouldn't know as I paid to have mine checked. I know my limits. Good luck!

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It was a PITA to re-install the valve cover to mate properly with the gasket.....I used a pick to guide everything into place after removing the Givi crash bars and the front engine hanger plate to give me the proper visual. All valve clearances were in spec:

#1 ^ #2

EXH .010 EXH .009 EXH .010 EXH .010

INT .005 INT .006 INT .005 INT .006


The Yamaha specs for intakes are shown at .004-0063 and exhausts at .0087-.011. I chose inch vs. metric as I have several sets
of old inch feeler gauges.
New OEM NGK plugs and a HiFloFiltro HFA 4922 air filter were installed, everything put back together, and it RUNS!

Another pain is re-installing the valve cover to air box breather hose......not easy when installed last on either end.
 

robson

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damn, this thread scared me...
I prefer doing all maintenance by myself, but that would be too much,
on the other hand giving such job to some mechanic scare me even more
not knowing it will be done right :(
 

tntmo

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damn, this thread scared me...
I prefer doing all maintenance by myself, but that would be too much,
on the other hand giving such job to some mechanic scare me even more
not knowing it will be done right :(
Have you done a valve adjustment on a bike with shim under bucket valves prior to this? If not, then maybe this isn't the bike to learn on. If so, it's not a whole lot different or more difficult than others.....actually easier than some I have worked on. The cam chain tensioner is different from any bike I have worked on, but that's the only big difference. Still don't know why they didn't put the cam sprocket marks on both sides.
 

WJBertrand

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Still don't know why they didn't put the cam sprocket marks on both sides.
Agree 1000%. Trying to see those tiny marks on the outside of the cam sprockets is a PITA. Did Yamaha expect that the engine be removed for this service???
 

robson

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Have you done a valve adjustment on a bike with shim under bucket valves prior to this?
only have done valves checking on my ktm 500 exc, but there was a lot of room to operate not like on ST, very tight and visual not good.
Maybe yamaha assumed nobody will check valves on their bikes because of opinion they don't change :)
 

cyclemike4

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the biggest problem for me when I adjusted a valve lash was the 90 degree crank pins. on all my other bikes with the number one piston top dead center the cams would hold themselves in the proper position with the timing chain off them. On the Super Tenere only one cam held its position. I pulled the wiring harness out of the frame off the top of the motor and then took the whole electrical panel loose and swung it out and wired tired it to my handlebar. I could see the timing marks easy that way. no way to tell where they are for me without doing that. I guess a little mirror would work. Any way if it is your first valve adjustment on a bike with shim and buckets it could be frustrating to say the least. I thought it was easier to do than my FJR except for having to hold that one cam in position till I got the chain on it. that tensioner is a pain too come to think of it! ha ha.
 

tntmo

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I thought it was easier to do than my FJR except for having to hold that one cam in position till I got the chain on it. that tensioner is a pain too come to think of it! ha ha.
Oh, the FJR is definitely more of a PITA than the S10. It's just so crammed in there. That's one that I would definitely think twice about doing again. The Tenere is considerably easier in my opinion, and both of them are not rocket science. Just takes patience......
 

GearheadGrrrl

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On the other hand, he rode the first S10 'til it wouldn't go anymore at 170k miles. By then Yamaha gave him a second S10 and last year gave him a new cruiser to replace that.
 

SilverBullet

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On the other hand, he rode the first S10 'til it wouldn't go anymore at 170k miles. By then Yamaha gave him a second S10 and last year gave him a new cruiser to replace that.
Are you sure about that? His first Tenere was bought by him, not sure if he bought the second one or if it was given to replace his first one being donated to Barber. Was running when parked I heard.
 

~TABASCO~

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This guy has put over 300k miles on two of his STs and told us he's never checking valves...




I personally associate this 'statement' the same as someone who says "Ive done drugs my whole life, Ive not died yet"...... Doesn't mean its good for it. LOL


CHECK YOUR VALVES if you plan on keeping the bike for any length of time or care about the machine. Dang ! LOL
(in your best Napoleon Dynamite voice)
 
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~TABASCO~

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Are you sure about that? His first Tenere was bought by him, not sure if he bought the second one or if it was given to replace his first one being donated to Barber. Was running when parked I heard.

Yep, parked at Barber, I was recently there at looked it over... It looks like a wormed up piece of 'you know what'. Its been ridden hard and put away beat to crap. For the folks that have not seen his bike a Barber, its wasted. It has oil leaking out of several places on the bike. It has wet oil spots 'weeping' out of others. The bike has been beaten on. I think his cause is a noble one, and I'm really proud of the job he is doing and has done the promotion on two Tenere motorcycles. Keep up the wonderful work you do !

Take it from me, Ive performed many valve checks on many Tenere engines, I would SUGGEST you put an eye on those valves.
 

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