My valve clearance check adventure

[lhead]

After posting here last week about Chris Harris's assertion that valve clearance checks on 4 valve engines aren't necessary, I decided to check my own '93 rs with 81k on the clock.

After removing the fairing lower and the valve cover, all the clearances were within spec. While I had the cover off, I did a scuff and squirt repaint with Duplicolor satin black engine paint. So far so good. When it was time to reassemble, the upper right corner valve cover hold down bolt stripped. So, off the the auto parts store to get an M6 x 1 helicoil repair kit. $35 later I'd installed the helicoil and all is well again.

That's how you turn an hour job into a 4 hour job!

[hoodun]

Sounds like a normal occurrence to me... Rarely do things go perfectly. I generally expect to do something at least twice when I do it for the first time.

How often do your car valves need adjusting? This engine is similar. Maybe it is uneccessary? I was going to check my clearances but after hearing this story, I think I might be wasting hours of my time, or if Im lucky only 1 hour...

How is the bike running?

[wmax351]

The valve cover bolts are shoulder bolts, and the valve cover is held on with the rubber donuts. You only need to torque the bolts to a few footpounds.

[lhead]

The bike is running well. It ran well before the VC check. I know 15k intervals are specified, but I'm not the original owner of this bike and I'd never checked clearances on it.

I know that the bolts are low torque (9nm). The upper right corner one stripped in the initial tighten down sequence.

Thanks guys.

Charlie