[aephilli]

Trust me when I say do not put a lot of torque on the valve cover bolts. Don't even think about using an air ratchet. My little 20 year old taiwan 1/4" drive air ratchet snapped one right off. They break off flush with the cam carrier where they screw in. Not hard to fix, but when you have broken something on your new bike you feel really bad.

7 (SEVEN) foot pounds?? What's that, like one pinkie, on your weak hand, pushing backwards???

Thanks for the great write-up. The local stealer just lost 600$ for the "first service".

 

[JunkyardDog]

Ok I've done about a zillion valve adjustments on over a hundred different bikes (not al of them mine), screw and locknut, shim over bucket, shim under bucket, even Ducati. The Rebel has the easiest type, screw and locknut. and it only has 4 valves total.

You dont need to line up any marks on the flywheel, to me that just causes confusion. All you have to do is make sure the valve you are adjusting is closed. With the cover off, turn the engine over with a socket, and you can watch the rocker arms go up and down. When they are up, on the screw and locknut end, the valve is closed. It will remain closed for several degrees of crankshaft revolution, then start to open again. Remember, check and adjust while it is closed. You should be able to feel a slight looseness in the rocker arm.

Do not try to get the valves as tight as possible, adjust them to the loose end of spec. And make sure you recheck the clearance after tightening the locknut. Sometimes it will change just a little. Jerry.

 

[JunkyardDog]

Here is a link to an excellent article on adjusting the valves on a Ninja 250 (I used to have one, and used to belong to this forum). It goes into a lot of detail. The valves on a Rebel are a LOT easier to get to, and there are only 4, where the Ninja has 8, but the basic procedure is the same. Jerry. http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/What_is_the_adjustment_procedure?

 

[thetexasrebel]

Just to correct wrench size its a 9m not a 10 on valve nut and 14 socket on crank not 15 hope it helps someone.

 

[aephilli]

Just to correct wrench size its a 9m not a 10 on valve nut and 14 socket on crank not 15 hope it helps someone.

That's what it was on my wife's 2009, too.

 

[onlymarmot]

This is perfect! I am about to open my bike for the Rings to be replaced and the Valves need adjusting because there is a knocking/ticking noise that is Horrid!
My bike is a 1982 CM250C and he is in ok condition. I was wondering if any one had the manual that can be scanned and send me the info on the work for the rings?
I sure would like to bye one, but the rings were stretching my fixed income as it is. So if anyone wants to lend a helping hand, I would give Many thanks!

 

[twocoolgliders]

7 (SEVEN) foot pounds?? What's that, like one pinkie, on your weak hand, pushing backwards???

Thanks for the great write-up. The local stealer just lost 600$ for the "first service".

The valve cover bolts are designed to "hit bottom" when they are tight enough to put just a little squeezing force onto the cover gasket. Tightening them any more will not make the cover any tighter on the gasket, it will just over load the already bottomed-out bolt and break it.

If you leak oil, just change the gasket, don't tighten the bolts.

Cookie

 

[twocoolgliders]

Ok I've done about a zillion valve adjustments on over a hundred different bikes (not al of them mine), screw and locknut, shim over bucket, shim under bucket, even Ducati. The Rebel has the easiest type, screw and locknut. and it only has 4 valves total.

You dont need to line up any marks on the flywheel, to me that just causes confusion. All you have to do is make sure the valve you are adjusting is closed. With the cover off, turn the engine over with a socket, and you can watch the rocker arms go up and down. When they are up, on the screw and locknut end, the valve is closed. It will remain closed for several degrees of crankshaft revolution, then start to open again. Remember, check and adjust while it is closed. You should be able to feel a slight looseness in the rocker arm.

Do not try to get the valves as tight as possible, adjust them to the loose end of spec. And make sure you recheck the clearance after tightening the locknut. Sometimes it will change just a little. Jerry.

My scooter has an "eccentric" valve adjustment, with graduated lines drawn right on it. Simpliest ever! You just put the pistion on TDC........then loosen a little bolt on the eccentric, then rotate until there is no valve clearance, then move till the little pointer is two spaces over. tighten bolt and done! Only two valves too.


Cookie

 

[JunkyardDog]

IMO, the guy in the video is doing it wrong. He is using a socket to tighten the locknuts. This will not work well, as is obvious from the video. You need to use a box end wrench on the locknuts, and another, very small wrench on the square head of the adjuster itself. That's why the head is square. You can buy wrenches that are designed to fit these, you can make one, or you can use a really small crescent wrench ( I have one about 3" long). That way, you can hold the adjuster in place while you tighten the locknut, drastically reducing the chance the adjustment will change when you tighten it. I have never used a torque wrench on valves. Just snug them up. They break easy, so don't overtighten them. Once you get a feel for tightening the locknuts, just like for the proper drag on a feeler gauge, you will not need a torque wrench. Jerry.

 

[Ricky9688]

thanks for all the great help but im not adjusting valves im trying to put the timing chain back on, but that one video might have gave me what i need

 

[IDoDirt]

DO NOT try to adjust your valves to the minimum gap (o.002 in) The minimum gap means that any wear or extra heat on the head can reduce your valve tappet clearance to the point that you could burn your valve seats - and that means a new head!

I don't agree with this statement.

The manual gives a specification of 0.05mm. It doesn't give a +- tollerance, just the spec. When your engine warms up, the gap between the top of the valve stem and the tappet adjuster doesn't get smaller, it gets larger. I just adjusted my valves today and confirmed it. The engine cooled overnight and this am was the head was 68 degrees F. I adjusted to 0.05mm with slight drag. (I will say that whoever did the valves at the 600 mile check up either didn't do it or didn't do it right. I could easily get a .15mm feeler gauge in all the gaps.) Anyway, I put it back together enough to run the bike with an external tank attached and ran it for about 10 minutes. The heads were now reading about 195 degrees F. I turned it off, removed the valve cover and checked the clearances again. I could easily get a .07mm gauge in the gap. Aluminum heads expand more than the steel valve does, which effectively pulls the valve further away from the tappet. If you don't believe this, check for yourself. I think that the real important thing to do is make sure the engine has completely cooled before making your adjustments.

 

[Green427]

When your engine warms up, the gap between the top of the valve stem and the tappet adjuster doesn't get smaller, it gets larger. I just adjusted my valves today and confirmed it. The engine cooled overnight and this am was the head was 68 degrees F. I adjusted to 0.05mm with slight drag. (I will say that whoever did the valves at the 600 mile check up either didn't do it or didn't do it right. I could easily get a .15mm feeler gauge in all the gaps.) Anyway, I put it back together enough to run the bike with an external tank attached and ran it for about 10 minutes. The heads were now reading about 195 degrees F. I turned it off, removed the valve cover and checked the clearances again. I could easily get a .07mm gauge in the gap. Aluminum heads expand more than the steel valve does, which effectively pulls the valve further away from the tappet. If you don't believe this, check for yourself. I think that the real important thing to do is make sure the engine has completely cooled before making your adjustments.

Cold engine - .15mm gap

Warm engine - .07mm gap

This means the gap gets smaller, not larger, right? The gap gets smaller as the metals expand more.

 

[rebelrider86]

Cold engine - .15mm gap

Warm engine - .07mm gap

This means the gap gets smaller, not larger, right? The gap gets smaller as the metals expand more.

I agree. Metals expand as they take on heat so they should get tighter. However, just adjust the valves to the specs. The heat issues are taken into consideration when they create the specs.

 

[twocoolgliders]

Cold engine - .15mm gap

Warm engine - .07mm gap

This means the gap gets smaller, not larger, right? The gap gets smaller as the metals expand more.

No....read the original post:

Before adjustment cold engine- .15mm gap
After adjustment cold engine - .05mm gap
After adjustment hot engine - .07mm gap

Gap increased .02mm with head at operating temp.

Different metals expand at different rates due to temperature....aluminum expands more than steel for instance.

Differential expansion gives more gap in hot engine

Cookie

 

[IDoDirt]

No....read the original post:

Before adjustment cold engine- .15mm gap
After adjustment cold engine - .05mm gap
After adjustment hot engine - .07mm gap

Gap increased .02mm with head at operating temp.

Different metals expand at different rates due to temperature....aluminum expands more than steel for instance.

Differential expansion gives more gap in hot engine

Cookie

Yes, exactly. When I worked on cars with cast iron blocks it was a different story, the gap would get tighter. Aluminum engines are a different story.

When I did the adjustments, the .05mm had slight drag. After I set them, I rotated the crankshaft through several turns and rechecked to be sure I had them correct. After warming up the engine, I could easlily slide a .07mm gauge into the gap. No drag on any of them. I didn't keep inserting larger ones to see how much it had expanded. It was enough just to know that it did get larger.

 

[travatron4000]

7 ft/lbs.... Can you even get a torque wrench that will read that low? Lowest I've see in 120 in/lbs (10ft/lbs).

 

[rdaniels2]

7 ft/lbs.... Can you even get a torque wrench that will read that low? Lowest I've see in 120 in/lbs (10ft/lbs).

What I would do is hold my wrench on the bolt, and then put a foot long length of pipe on the end of it and slide it all the way to the edge of the bolt. And then I would take a seven pound weight (Variable weight dumbells of course, or I could only do one torque rating. This situation would call for a 2.5 pound handle and 4.5 pounds of weights. That I would achieve by adding two each of two pounds and quarter pounds.) and attach it to the hole I drilled in the end of the pipe using wire. Naturally, this would only work if the wrench was being pulled in the direction I want the force to go, so my bike would be on it's side, making the valve cover bolts orthagonal to the ground. Alternatively, I could use a pulley system to change the direction of translation to be transferred to rotational motion so I could leave my bike standing up. Also, if you don't have the required weights, you can always use a block and tackle.

Just an idea.

 

[71 Pintoracer]

Ha! I'd like to see a pic of that rig!
Might be easier to visit the Snap-On truck and get a 1/4 drive inch-lbs torque wrench and do the math.

 

[Guba]

7 ft/lbs.... Can you even get a torque wrench that will read that low? Lowest I've see in 120 in/lbs (10ft/lbs).

Yep, saw them at Sears. 0-15 Ft/lbs. One of these days maybe I'll have one.

 

[rebelrider86]

Yes, exactly. When I worked on cars with cast iron blocks it was a different story, the gap would get tighter. Aluminum engines are a different story.

When I did the adjustments, the .05mm had slight drag. After I set them, I rotated the crankshaft through several turns and rechecked to be sure I had them correct. After warming up the engine, I could easlily slide a .07mm gauge into the gap. No drag on any of them. I didn't keep inserting larger ones to see how much it had expanded. It was enough just to know that it did get larger.

i too was thinking of cast iron engines.