Valve Adjustment Nightmare!

[avc8130]

Yes the guides are a prim area to look at. Good chance I didn't get something aligned or locked in place right. It is hard to see how I could get then out of place but I must have found a way. They both look fine as far as I can see from looking down or looking up from the bottom. I will look tonight to see if I can get them out. And yes they seem conventional. The intake side does have a retainer at the bottom but it looks like it is just a pivot pin with a small plate bolted over the top. If it looks like a PIA to get them out I will wait until I have the motor out.
I REALLY want to figure this out before I build the motor. I think I would have to give up if it happens again.

The exhaust side should pull out with the valve cover off. The intake side looks like you need to pull the clutch cover also and it MIGHT come out.

ac

 

[Karson]

We have seen your writeups...how close to 26k are you? LOL

ac

Haha - thanks ::008::

Not quite half way. I'm hoping that sometime before 3 years of ownership something comes out

I only do the DIY-easily mods, this stuff I leave up to the "more capable & confident than I" folks.

 

[avc8130]

Haha - thanks ::008::

Not quite half way. I'm hoping that sometime before 3 years of ownership something comes out

I only do the DIY-easily mods, this stuff I leave up to the "more capable & confident than I" folks.

I'm floating right around 23k right now. I plan to check my valves at 24k when I do plugs/air filter, as well as service my forks and all suspension bearings. Maybe I'll take a pic or 2.

ac

 

[Rasher]

I only do the DIY-easily mods, this stuff I leave up to the "more capable & confident than I" folks.

Only ever done screw and locknut myself, used to know a mechanic (now sadly passed) who I entrusted shims too, but my local dealer is OK, I know the owner well enough to trust him to actually do the work, and not so well as to not sue his arse if he mucks it up

Still about 18 months to two years away so no worries yet.


Good luck with rebuild, sounds interesting.

 

[Krabill]

I just got a text from my brother telling me about your problem. Sorry there isn't much I can do to help from here, but I hope it all gets sorted out soon.

 

[jaeger22]

Thanks Krabill. I enjoy working with your brother because we share the same riding passion. I have actually ridden the bike to Tulsa from here in Orlando 3 times this year for business trips and I have to go back in Late October. I sure hope I have the bike back together by then or I will have to fly. Those darn airplanes are unsafe! We should get together then and compare notes.
Well here is the current state of the bike. The motor is sitting on a floor jack, still loosely in the motor mounts but all bolts and attachments removed and ready to drop:

Now what is making me nervous is, how I am going to lower it without it falling over. I expect it is around 200 LB and I am by myself. So I hit the pause button to think on it a bit. Any Ideas?
It is hard to see in this photo bu the intake guide is bent and twisted. ???

I believe what happen is that when I installed the intake cam and timing chain, I somehow got the guide out of align and when I released the tensioner and it popped in, it somehow slipped by the bent and/or out of place tensioner and allowed the nose of the tensioner plunger to directly contact the chain. That actually worked for awhile (50 miles or so) until the tip of the plunger got warn down and the plunger shortened to the point that it got pushed completely out of the tensioner body.
It is so tight in there that it is hard to imagine how the plunger could have gotten around the guide. And it looked fine from the bottom when I released the plunger. But I can see no other explanation and the wear pattern on the nose of the plunger clearly indicates prolonged contact with the chain.
I sure am glad that this time I will be able to install the cams and chain with the engine out so I can see much better and make sure all is well before I button it up.
I fear the next "nightmare" may be getting ALL the required parts as even one key part out of stock will bring things to a stop.
More to come.
John

 

[snakebitten]

Learn mode engaged.

Lousy circumstances for you, but this promises to be a pictorial feast for the tuner-junkies.
Unlike other forums, I don't think we have a tear-down thread yet. Not one.

Again, good luck.

 

[Karson]

My muscles and back ache for you just looking at the pictures. I was sore for 2 days just crawling around changing tires...

You'll be fine though. Full confidence. ::008::

 

[carrot]

How about something like this just a idea

 

[jaeger22]

Thanks Carrot! I was actually thinking along the same lines. I think I will try tying a loop or set of loops around the bottom of the motor to the frame similar to what you show but with about an inch of slack. Then I can lower the floor jack to the point they start to tighten. If all is good, loosen a bit and repeat. I will also stack as much wood around it as I can so if it falls it can not drop too far and only on to the wood. I will post results. If this works I will pull the head tomorrow and see how many valves are bent. I can see the two intake on the left cylinder are bent for sure, but the right ones look good. I don't know about the exhaust yet. Getting the motor back in will be another challenge but that problem is down the road.
John

 

[carrot]

i would also put a ratchet strap on the front to help balance if u can rap it around the top of the frame instead of the fork brace as i did so it won't be pulling the engine forward good luck

 

[bob dirt]

I'd let you use my forklift I have at my house but we live too many time zones apart

 

[carrot]

if you go to www.motosport.com they sale OEM parts the website has parts brake down with pictures and prices might come in handy and good costumer service

 

[GrahamD]

Looks like adjusting valves is an adventure as well. ???

The V-Strom convinced me to go the "winter tear down route" The reliability meant that I could plan this stuff.

So.

Looks like the motor will be on the new bench I will be purchasing this year.

Keep up the good work. Keep at it. Be good to have a pictorial when you are finished and another great thread like the tire removal threads that are on here.

I would hate you to be suffering in vain without some real adventure cred heading your way. By the time it is back together you should have figured out the 5 minute short cut method. That's always what happens to me.

 

[troll]

can you get a hold from the top of the engine with something like a standard automotive engine lift and lower the engine from above?

 

[jaeger22]

can you get a hold from the top of the engine with something like a standard automotive engine lift and lower the engine from above?

No I don't think so because the frame over top is in the way. At least I did not see a way to do it. Here is what I came up with.

The straps are loose and just there to catch the motor if it falls over. I also kept blocks of wood close to the bottom and sides. It took awhile but I finally got it down and clear. One of the difficulties is that you have to bring the motor forward about 3 to 4 inches as you come down so the drive shaft coupler clears. You can see that here.

Free at last!

Off with his head!

Another strange thing, there is a lot of carbon build up, More on the left side than the right. And a lot of loose flaky carbon on the left as well. Maybe knocked loose when the piston hit the valves???

In this picture looking into the TB flange, you can see the light leaking around the bent valves. Only the left intake is bent as far as I can tell so far.

It turns out that my old valve spring compressor will not fit into the S10 head so I had to stop and make one. I sacrificed and old deep socket and made this adapter. This tool with a large C Clamp worked fine.

So far it looks like only the two intake valves bent. The guides seem to be OK. I took out one of the good intake valves and inserted in place of each of the bad valves and the guides felt the same.
Tight and smooth and the valve lined directly up with the seat.
More to come
John

 

[jaeger22]

I forgot to mention, FYI, as expected all the the valve shims are fine. So this was not related in anyway to sanding down the shims. Just my failure to check the final alignment of the cam chain guide and tensioner plunger which it seems I somehow got twisted.

 

[Duconce]

i use a Craftsmen aluminum motorcycle floor jack, motor sits nicely on it. I don't know if the valves are big enough to cause this or the RPM when the motor stop, but the rod bearing at the crank can touch the journal if hit hard enough. Good luck with the fix, hope it is an easy one.

 

[avc8130]

Great diagnostics so far.

Do you plan to continue the tear down into the lower end?

It would give me a warm and fuzzy to make sure the lower end is healthy and free of debris.

ac

 

[coastie]

Wow, how many miles? I would not think a piston would have that much carbon buildup on top.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2