First time valve adjustment! Questions!

[londongs400]

Hello everyone, last night I attempted my first valve adjustment. It took me way way longer than it should have.. about 4 hours to be exact. Reason.. I did not read the manual and was trying to align all the cam lobes up and down like the pictures.. rather than the notch on the side where the bolt is where I actually turn the motor. With that said I kept on adjusting the valves.. and once I would turn the motor they would move..

Anyways. I figure out where I went wrong right after I did the last one (D)..

all in all I am fairly sure I did it right. I did make an error tho and did not measure the gap before I started, no biggie..

I also made my own tool out of a red robertson machine screw, 2 nuts and a washer. works pretty good.

I just have have a quick question, on the timing marks, when I go to turn it there is a T and a "I" or simply a "line" right after. I adjusted based on the "line" after the "T" being lined up with the little nub on either end.

Can someone please confirm this? Sorry for the Line and T business but not sure how else to describe it..

In the picture bellow 1 = T and 2 = Line

So I basically lined up the "line" with the nub on either end and looked at the cam ends to see which way the grooves are pointing. did I do this correctly?

Thanks

[Guest]

1=T=Top Dead Center
2= timing mark for top dead center
2 is where to set it to install cam shafts and do valve adjustments.
F is where your #1 spark plug will spark before the advance kicks in.
Oh and R and L mean left and right.

[londongs400]

The letters go as follows R . T"Line" space "Line" F

I set my valves when the line right after the T was lined up. I am a bit confused if I am supposed to line up when the nub is on the "T" or the "Line"

its like a fraction of a hair over but not sure if it makes a huge difference.

[Guest]

The letters go as follows R . T"Line" space "Line" F

I set my valves when the line right after the T was lined up. I am a bit confused if I am supposed to line up when the nub is on the "T" or the "Line"

its like a fraction of a hair over but not sure if it makes a huge difference.

You did fine. The mark is the timing mark for TDC.

[londongs400]

Great thanks everyone!
Glad that the line beside the T is the correct one that I used lol

I am going to have NastyJones clean my carbs for me using his ultrasonic method, and it should work out fine since he lives in my City!! I'm pretty excited to start riding next season. For the first time!

[Guest]

So what did you set them to ?

If you look at a manual for a gs500 it show's the timing marks a little better and explains the process a bit better just for that part.

[londongs400]

I set all of them to .13 as the manual sais .08-.13

I used a few combinations of feeler gauges to check and double check as I didn't have exact number gauges.

I used a .08 & .05 , then .07 & .06

From my understanding it's better to have them more open than closed as they get tighter with wear.. So I decided to keep them at .13. I don't have shims to replace so setting them all to the same height seemed to be the logical thing to do since it's so easy.

I was originaly planning on buying the tool from online to do it but instead I made my own using 1 Machine screw with a Red Robbertson (#2 square?) screw, 2 nuts and a washer, and a wrench. worked out fantastic and I saved $40+ shipping.