Great, thanks for posting. I went out and bought a 10mm socket and a
hexagon 3mm bit with an extension so hope it will reach and at the same time
not be in the way. Heading for the garage now, hopefully I can get a grip
on the socket without grinding it down

 

Checked the clearances for No.2 and No.4 cylinder exhaust valves and they were totally wrong.
That's where the timing mark is missing but I turned the crankshaft 180° as spoken of before.

The specs say 0.18 ± 0.02 mm (0.007 ± 0.001 in)
My numbers were:
No.2 0.14 and 0.13 (0.0055 and 0.005 in)
No.4 0.22 and 0.22 (0.0086 in)

It did run very uneven on low RPM's but nothing that could be noticed at higher RPM's.
I wonder, especially about No.2 can this really be true? Anyone else experienced such a great difference?

Picture showing EX 2

 

I can understand if the clearence is to big but I would double check when the clearence is to small. My 87 only has 1 mark and it was a bit confusing until I realized that as long as the cam lobe was opposite the rocker arm the clearence could be set.

 

You know I was double checking it, and the same numbers came up. I'm with you
about the small clearance and that really got me worried. I know how bad it
can be with too small clearances.
Here is a close up of the measurement area

 

^^^^^^^^
right on there pmcg +1 ...x2 check when to small !

on the tool thing a set of pass through/go through sockets is something I keep handy

 

Yep! Check it with cam up.

It's a little tight but don't worry about it. If you haven't cooked a valve your fine, just make it right. You usually cook valves when the clearance gets to almost nil and the EX valve doesn't get to cool against the head seat.

I cooked one on a triple digit run heading home from Daytona, FL. WOW! Nothing left of #2 EX valve on cylinder#1. Looked like a lollypop that someone licked down to the stick. But that was 35 years ago.LOL Brand new bike with just 3,500 miles on it and I never checked the clearances. I knew better even back then. OH Well! LOL

 

Oh my, that's a nice tool. Would ease up things

Great story TimBucTwo
So what I understand you're all talking about the cam lobes pointing straight up. They are, as far as I can see so then it has to be right. Sure don't hope that tight clearance has ruined something. Thx a lot guys, I'm heading down for the garage again and hope I will sort everything out. Wanna get my bike in really good shape before I ride her again

 

After making valve adjustments she may run a little lumpy if you don't re-balance the carbs.

 

Thanks, I was planning to do that to but know I wonder how much time this
will take me

Finally I'm done with the valve adjustment, almost every valve had to be
adjusted, some of them pretty much. Somewhere in the middle of it all I was
nearly giving up because it was a PITA to adjust the EX valves at the far ends.

Had to cut off both the 10mm socket and the allen key, even so it was very hard
to fit it in, especially since that damn hose was in the way as you see in the
picture, not much room there. Well, nice to be done with that but I'm beginning
to wonder if she'll ever start again after all I've done to her

 

Yep, that's it. That's how I've always done it.

That's all I use on everything any more. My gear wrench passthrough set. The medium size set is the cat's ***, man. Comes with 1/4" and 3/8" from 4mm to 19mm.
I wish the set I have was easier to come by, though, because I'd buy another one for a backup.
I still have my ground down 10mm craftsman deepwell, though.



Gotta have faith, brother!
Although... I've never done a valve/cam job where I didn't think it was going to blow up as soon as I started it. lol..
When I first did the piston rings and valve work on my car, I was about 90% sure the head would explode when I turned the key.
But it didn't. In fact, it ran excellent. It's all about checking and rechecking.

On a sidenote.... if you haven't already bolted down the valve cover, be VERY gentle when you're torquing them down. Just snug them up. I wouldn't even torque them up to spec, to be honest, because I think it's too much. They have a bad tendency to snap.