[CRuSHeR]

It sure is a lot of xmas stuff on the pics
Hmm hard for me to imagine being busy with christmass so many months.
It prob will take away some of the 'magic'

[robvangulik]

Just wait until people start buying (and paying) , then it all makes sense (and they're doing that already)

[Golem]

It's like with Sinterklaas stuff C -> If you don't get what you need now (actually probably a few weeks earlier) you run the risk of finding the shelves empty...

once the actual party is there everything is gone...

[RuaphuNZ]

And by the time it is really Christmas, I'VE HAD IT

Hey Rob,
Aplogies bud, it's bad enough for the general joe blog on street. I always feel for the staff in the stores with the endless christmas tracks playing, the bright gawdy bling hanging everywhere and the same Christmas conversations over and over again, bugger that, I'm more humbug and do my best to avoid the shops near Chrissy time.

I've managed to do the Tappets and the bike is back to running like a spinning top, with that wicked gear train whir. I cheated abit by loosening the rocker arm retainers and lifted them up as much as I could to make more room to get the gauges in better. I don't think the four most outer tappets have ever been done. It was dam near impossible to undo the lock nuts and the gaps were way out to say the least. It took about four hours in the end which is not too bad for DIY dude, still bliggan tight in there tho eh!    

Either way i now am the proud owner of an awesome set of skinned knuckles, managed to coat most things in a liberal amount of oil so everything was like a greased pig, succesfully managed to contort my feelers gauges into some really cool odd shapes in order to get them in easier and everything was polished off with a 'light coat' of colourful language that even made the dog slink away somewhere more pleasant  .

Once again many thanks for your advice,   The picture worked a treat, it was put to great use for reference, holding stuff, loosing stuff, sucking up stuff, pouring other stuff and wiping my hands.......................pictures their worth a thousand.............. er......uses  

Cheers, Andy  



      

[robvangulik]

I'm glad for you you got it done, but can't remember having any problems setting the gaps of CRuSHeR's bike, no skinned knuckles or bad language needed, in fact I had more room to do the outer tappets than with my own bike.
Never mind, for the first couple of years you don't need to do it again

[RuaphuNZ]

Hey Rob,

Yeah trying to get under those rocker guides with the feelers to the valve stems is as tight as to say the least. The four most outer valves are an absolute pig to get the feeler gauges into. The best way I could manage was via the cam scallops on the head casting (where the rubber grommets of the rocker gasket fit into)

The skinned knuckles was the result from attempting to undo one of the lock nuts, slipped off and smacked apart of the bike, not pleasant. I had a few lock nuts that were almost impossible to undo. I was worried I was going to break or damage a rocker. I played it safe using my smallest socket set so I did not have huge amounts of leverage to avoid damage to the bike.

I have to admit the bike just purrs at idle now, sounds great, no more clack clack clack.

Oh I done other maintenance too, I found one of the rear brake master bolts had sheared off and the other one had come loose, a lucky find. everything else was all as it should be.........typical Honda.

Regarding the tyres, I cannot get the Michelin pilots down here to fit 18" wheels, I ended up getting another Bridgestone BT45 for the rear   

Cheers, Andrew

[robvangulik]

The BT45's are good tyres too, don't panic
I still got the feeling you entered the feeler gauge from the wrong side, from the inside the measuring of the gap between cam and rocker should be a doddle,  the hard part is indeed accessing the outer exhaust locknuts and screws  Never mind, like I said before, next time is a long time away

[RuaphuNZ]

Hey Rob,

  Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, I think I've found the reason why I found things soooooo hard to access, based on your last post.  I took the gap settings from the top of valve stem to the rocker! However you mention taking the gap settings from the rocker to the cam, Jes I'm a dope eh.    .

Yep, I agree, your way would be a doodle as there is a ton of room to get the feelers in  However I done the gaps like I always have on other engines, my mistake. Hence why I had to lift the rocker guides to access the valve stem top, I totally misiinterepted things abit eh  Oh well I'll put that down a good learning experience. 

Oh well, roll on the next I have to do it, should be easy as. My current BT45 has been awesome, so not too worried getting another one. Crikey another year older tomorrow  Thanks Rob.
Cheers, Andy 

[robvangulik]

It isn't as difficult as you think, you measure the clearance between rocker and valve from the side of the sparkplugs, from the middle to the outside of the cilinderhead, should be easily accessible.

I tried to tell you from the start....

[CRuSHeR]

happy bday

[robvangulik]

Darn it, I saw it earlier and still forgot
  to Andy, and what an age

Edit: you're leading me on C, Andy celebrates TOMORROW, for now he's still 38
It'll have to do, I'm not doing it again tomorrow

[CRuSHeR]

nope, andy posted november 5th

[robvangulik]

You're right on sofar, that he should know best
But the calender says sunday 7....

[RuaphuNZ]

nope, andy posted november 5th

Hi all, yeah I keep forgetting we are nearly or a day ahead down here (can't remember which). it's 8th at the mo but only the 7th in your time zone. Thanks for the birthday cheer, hopefully I will be slightly more wiser eh    

[Golem]

It can't be more than 11 hours ahead