What's the Best Way to Check For Bad Valves While Adjusting Shims?

[NateTheNewb]

So I've decided I'd better attack this job as I don't really trust any past mechanical work that's been done to the ol girl. I'm going to adjust the valves, but once I've got the cover off, I imagine it's the best time to see what condition the valves are in. Are you able to FULLY inspect them from just taking the cover off? No sense in adjusting valves when they're bad in the first place eh?

My depressor and valve cover are on the way...thanks for any help and advice...

Nate

[BassCliff]

Hi,

You would have to take the head off and the valves out in order to fully inspect them, way too much trouble. A compression test is the best indicator of internal problems.

Unless the machine has been horribly abused and neglected, I wouldn't worry.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[bwringer]

Just proceed with checking and adjusting valve clearances as usual.

If a valve is burned, you won't be able to get the clearance correct, even with the thinnest shim.

If everything goes OK with setting the clearances and the bike runs well, you're good.

[Maddevill]

Put air into the cylinder through the spark plug hole using the adapter from a compression gauge. Have cylinder at TDC compression stroke,( you'll have to hold the crank to keep it from turning).Hissing out the exhaust means you have an exhaust valve leaking, hissing out the carb throat means an intake valve is bad, hissing out the crankcase breather means you rings are bad.

[NateTheNewb]

Well that all makes perfect sense, given the clearance on the shims is to spec, I imagine there's degrees of hissing as well? I wish I had a compression tester...

I feel like it may have bad rings, it's a little smokey when it first starts.

[Maddevill]

Cheep cheep

Harbor Freight has compression tester kits that aren't too much. Even if the readings are a little off you can still see how much variation there is between cylinders and then you'd have that air adapter you need.

[NateTheNewb]

Alright, thanks man! I just posted an electrical issue I'm having too. Any ideas :/

[rustybronco]

Cylinder leak down tester

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?p=1559962#post1559962