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Tuning Question 83 550e

  • Thread starter Thread starter 550ERAT
  • Start date Start date
5

550ERAT

Guest
I have an 83 550E. The carbs have been rebuilt and were bench sync'd. The bike is air tight and the plugs are new along with the rectifier. The bike needed to be "fine tuned" (vac synced ?) It was not running quite right. I brought it to a shop (mechs have moocho years exp) and explained what the bike needed. I got a call today and was told the bike was putting out approx half it's horsepower (about 22) They said it could be out of time or a valve adj issue. (That was only where they wanted to start, it could be something else.) The question is how hard is it to adj the valves and check or adjust the timing? Are any special tools required? The bike has 17000 miles on it and as far as I know, the valves have never been touched. The bike did have a leak down test done to it 3 years ago and there was only 5% max on all the cyls. Apparantly that is good. If you need any more info, please let me know. Any help/ info would be great. Thanks.....
 
You have the simple Tappet screw adjustment for the valves. It is very simple to do. Get the bike back from the mechanics and you've found the right place for help. (Here) :-D
 
Thanks, I've gotten alot of good info here already. After reading the Haynes manual, I see there is no way to adjust the timing on this bike. Is that right? Also, if the cam chain has "jumped a tooth" how hard is it to set it back? Shouldn't I be able to loosen the tensioner, pick the chain off the sprockets and move it so everything lines up? I really don't want to pay a shop several hundred dollars.....Thanks
 
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550ERAT said:
Thanks, I've gotten alot of good info here already. After reading the Haynes manual, I see there is no way to adjust the timing on this bike. Is that right? Also, if the cam chain has "jumped a tooth" how hard is it to set it back? Shouldn't I be able to loosen the tensioner, pick the chain off the sprockets and move it so everything lines up? I really don't want to pay a shop several hundred dollars.....Thanks
Click to expand...


No disrespect intended toward the mechanic in question but it's very unlikely that their is either a ignition timing or valve timing issue. The ignition timing is set from the factory and is not adjustable. The valve timing is even less likely to change unless someone messed up the camchain tensioner.

If it were me I'd focus my energy on adjusting the valves. While the valve cover is off check the valve timing if you want.

Good luck.
 
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Thanks, that is my thinking too. I will check the alignment marks and the valve clearances. I will probably check all electrical stuff too. I know it's not the carbs, so, what else could there be? Pretty much just seems to need more power. What is the horsepower of this bike? anyone? And. would valves out of adjustment drastically effect the performance?
 
If the clearance is too tight it doesn't allow the valve to seal. It'll rob compression and power.
 
AHA.....Thanks. Do you think valves out of adjut would rob 1/2 the bikes HP?
 
I think the valve adjustment is the right track. I have yet to do that to my bike, but it's on the list for the winter. Everyone I've heard from agrees that valve adjustment is paramount to tuning the bike. I've heard quite a few statements such "If the valves are out of adjustment, tuning is impossible." I've also seen (online) plenty of seemingly hopeless issues that have ultimately been resolved by adjusting the valves.

I'm fortunate that my valves are at least close enough that my bike is somewhat tuneable, but I suspect that this winter I'll find that I'll be able to improve the bike with a valve adjustment.

Best of luck!
 
Well I guess it's a good place to start. My concern is I am being told I am losing approximatley 1/2 of my total HP. HMMMMMMM Guess I am gonna become a m/c mechanic after all.
 
MelodicMetalGod said:
I think the valve adjustment is the right track. I have yet to do that to my bike, but it's on the list for the winter. Everyone I've heard from agrees that valve adjustment is paramount to tuning the bike. I've heard quite a few statements such "If the valves are out of adjustment, tuning is impossible." I've also seen (online) plenty of seemingly hopeless issues that have ultimately been resolved by adjusting the valves.

I'm fortunate that my valves are at least close enough that my bike is somewhat tuneable, but I suspect that this winter I'll find that I'll be able to improve the bike with a valve adjustment.

Best of luck!
Click to expand...


No disrespect intended but why don't you just do the valves now.8-[ I would NEVER run a bike for any period of time without checking them since you could burn up the exhaust valves and maybe even the valve inserts in the head. For a screw and lock nut valve train it's a very easy job.
 
yes you will need special tools .... find out from the manual what the valve clearance is then you have to get a thing a ma jiggy (forgot what its called) to measure the valve clearance. Its like a spark plug gapper. total cost is probably a couple of dollars.
 
It's a "feeler guage" Get the numbers out of your Haynes manual and make sure the one you buy has the proper sizes. As I had changed out my cam to the yoshimura race set I have my valves adjusted to their maximum height. It may not be correct but the thing goes like a raped ape.

you'll need a feeler guage, combination wrench(6mm or 8mm) and a set of pliers.

Make sure you rotate the cam lobes around as you are adjusting the valves. Doesn't do you much good if you are checking clearances and the valve is depressed all the way. Read up in the Hayne's their directions are pretty good.

You can't adjust the timing really but the plate for the pulse can slip. Check it and make sure the marks are all aligned the way they are supposed to be.

It's not that difficult and simply following along the Hayne's can get you through it. What helps me is opening everything up and reading through the instructions twice. While everything is in the open as it mentions a part I inspect and touch the part. Then after I get a feel of where everything is at I'll go through and affect the repair.
 
Thanks much. do you think I would lose 1/2 the HP with the valves out of adjustment? I am picking the bike up today and they are going to show me some data they have from my bike (some type of graph showing the power loss). Will post when I have info.
 
I'm just wondering, but how does the shop know that your down on power by 50%? Todays 600's are A LOT more powerful than your 550, so a seat of the pants dyno isn't a really fair way to judge power ~ or a lack of.

Personally, I think that after it warms up, if it idles good and clean off choke, doesn't studder at any point while it accelerates, and can hold a steady throttle. It's mose likely that your bike is running as it should.

Of course, I am counting on you having good gas, good & clean carbs, good spark plugs, a clean air filter, lot's of compression, correctly adjusted valves and the exhaust is good (no leaks and the mufflers aren't plugged or imploding).

If you were down in power by 50%, and it was totally the valves not closing all the way, you would know it because it would spudder big time.
 
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Just got back from the shop with the bike. Mechanic showed me the dyno data. bike pulled hard for first couple of thou rpm, then flattened out and hit a wall at 5-5500 rpm @ 80mph. Seemed as if bike was looking for more but it was not there. Peaked at 22 hp (should be 50 ish). He also vac synched the carbs (or tried), left side needed screws turned out almost twice what the right side needed ( i think 4 on left and 2 1/4 on right). Bike should pull hard all the way to red line, but does not. He said to check timing and timing advance first. Then, pull valve cover and check to see if it jumped time and then to adjust valves. I hope it didn't jump time, I don't want to pull the cams 8-[ There were no air leaks to be found and everything is bone stock on the bike. I am looking for any ideas about what else to check.....Carbs again? been rebuilt and are super clean. Any electrical parts effect bike under load? Electrical timing advance box maybe? Nothing binds on the bike, brakes are good, tires new, tranny/clutch good, chain good. I am being told and have read that this bike should be a "Skreemer" (lol, thought i'd throw that in there) but it is nowhere near that. If any other info is needed please ask. I am gonna tackle this since I didn't want to pay several hundred dollars for them to look for the problem and another several to fix it. Thanks to anyone who helps.....Hopefully if I can get this thing all squared away I can go on a nice ride and meet some of you.

RAT
 
No disrespect again but what did that dyno guy do for you? Put a poor running bike on a dyno and confirm that something is messed up? Shame on them for taking your money.

Something is obviously malfunctioning. Most likely related to the ingition system if the carbs are truly as clean as you say. Too bad those dyno guys couldn't help you out more. It should be fairly easy to figure out which cylinder(s) are misfiring. Could be the ignitor if the bike runs on all cylinders at low rpm - again, assuming the carbs are properly clean.

Regarding the valves, it's not likely to cause the problem you note unless you have burned valves already. Hopefully that's not the case.
 
I agree that your ignition could be causing problems. The ignitor was out on my 550 and it would break up in the higher RPM's. Putting a timing light on the signal generator showed the spark jumping all over.

I also agree that the mechanic you took it to should not have put it on the dyno. What a waste of time, and YOUR MONEY. I hope he did not charge you much for that dyno run. I would recommend learning to wrench on it yourself. Don't trust someone you don't know with your bike.

Do the valve adjustment still, but also check your ignitor per the factory specs. Someone has also posted a good ignitor check method on the forum here. Search around and you will find it. I believe it was Nabrams (or something like that) that posted it. I checked my ignitor per the resistance figures provided in the 550 FSM.
 
Thanks guys. I think you are right with the ignition theory. The mech was a fairly decent guy, did not charge me for dyno time, only 2 hrs labor. He checked a few things, test rode it etc.... and before he started to rack up hours, he called. I will search for the igniter post and I have the Haynes manual too. I am not afraid to tinker or work on this thing, just have had more time on cars than bikes. Again, thanks for all the info....will keep you posted.
 
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