Oh no! Valves too tight?

[bemiiten]

Originally Posted by Gezerbike

Did you use 2 of each gauge to set the valves ? Not necessary, but you will get your best adjustment that way.

Yes, only necessary if you want your valves adjusted correctly.

[jackhammer50]

Originally Posted by JimVonBaden

Before you get excited, I would suggest you try checking them again. Keep in mind that if ALL of the valves are tight it is likely that either you have the motor 180 off TDC for each cylinder, or you would have at least half the valves loose.


The arrow on the right cylinder at 90° allows you to adjust the right set of valves.



The cam, still on the right side, at 90° allows you to set the left bank of valves.

The intake (rear valves) are at .15mm and the exhaust (forward valves) ar at .30mm (or as close as you can get via feeler guages)



Jim

Jim,

These pictures of yours show exactly the way I adjusted the valves last night... and are the very same ones I used while I was doing it. The valves were just too tight. I'm pretty sure the last tech that was in there didn't hold the adjustment screw while he tightened the lock nut.

Last night when I did the adjustments I used the two feeler gauge method. (four for each side)

After all the feedback this morning, I pulled the covers off again and checked my adjustments using your method with the single gauge across both valves. -Then pulled from the middle to check the tension was uniform. I think I got them closer this way.

The bike is running fine now, but still just a little rough at idle.

So I then balanced the throttle bodies at 3800 RPM with a harmonizer. They were off a bit. Got the smiley face and figured I was done.

It didn't affect the idle though. Shakes the gps mount pretty bad but if I blip the throttle it smooths right out.

Jack

[JimVonBaden]

Originally Posted by jackhammer50

Jim,

These pictures of yours show exactly the way I adjusted the valves last night... and are the very same ones I used while I was doing it. The valves were just too tight. I'm pretty sure the last tech that was in there didn't hold the adjustment screw while he tightened the lock nut.

Last night when I did the adjustments I used the two feeler gauge method. (four for each side)

After all the feedback this morning, I pulled the covers off again and checked my adjustments using your method with the single gauge across both valves. -Then pulled from the middle to check the tension was uniform. I think I got them closer this way.

The bike is running fine now, but still just a little rough at idle.

So I then balanced the throttle bodies at 3800 RPM with a harmonizer. They were off a bit. Got the smiley face and figured I was done.

It didn't affect the idle though. Shakes the gps mount pretty bad but if I blip the throttle it smooths right out.

Jack

Yeah, sounds like the last tech didn't get the valves right.

The stepper motors control the idle, so you won't see any improvement in smoothness at idle from the standard TB sync. If you have access, a GS-911 "might" improve idle smotthness by completing an idle (stepper motor) calibration.

Jim

[fire carl]

I also found that my bikes (05rt and a 07 gs] idled a little ruff and i tried various reset methods for the tb's, but it only really smoothed out after i bought a gs 911 and parked and reset the tb's during the sync process.

[going south]

Am I able to remove my valve covers to check the valves & adjust without draining the oil? I normally do everything at once, but she's running a little ruff now and still have about 2K left on the oil, Yes, I know I can drain it and pour it back, just trying to cut out a step or two.. more time for riding that way...

Thanks in ADVance...

[Gezerbike]

No need to drain the oil, but by the fact you asked it, I assume you have never done your valves ?

[going south]

No, I have done my valves twice now, but I always make a big service day out of it, engine oil, tranny, FD, throttle body sync, etc. etc. if I time it right new tires....

I really like the feeling of taking off with all fresh & new everything...

Thanks, Jim...

[WeazyBuddha]

So I had my friend (with lots more mechanical knowledge than I) help me set the valves on my 08 GS for the 24K service. Bike had been running fine.

All valves were about halfway where they should have been, .075mm and .15mm more or less for intake and exhaust.

All other service was done at Lonestar BMW in Austin, this is my first time taking over.

Do dealers set them tight to keep the noise level down?

Does the spec I state above (.075mm/.15mm) so tight that damage might have occurred?

Notwithstanding the single value .15mm and .30mm spec, I assume there is actually a range. What is that range?

[JimVonBaden]

Originally Posted by WeazyBuddha

So I had my friend (with lots more mechanical knowledge than I) help me set the valves on my 08 GS for the 24K service. Bike had been running fine.

All valves were about halfway where they should have been, .075mm and .15mm more or less for intake and exhaust.

All other service was done at Lonestar BMW in Austin, this is my first time taking over.

Do dealers set them tight to keep the noise level down?

Does the spec I state above (.075mm/.15mm) so tight that damage might have occurred?

Notwithstanding the single value .15mm and .30mm spec, I assume there is actually a range. What is that range?

SOME deallers use a go-no go-guage. So sometimes they will be a tiny bit tight. I know of no dealer that would intentionally set them tight. Tight is bad. There really is no "range" like on the Camhead. They are either right, or they are not.

Jim

[WeazyBuddha]

Jim, your continued assistance to the inmates is invaluable and cannot be overemphasized. Thank you.

It seems to me that the engine does not magically stop if the valves are a bit more tight or loose than spec so I was curious about the acceptable range even if BMW does not publish a range.

Also, what's with the use of one feeler gauge for both valves? I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around what that gets you vs. doing one valve at a time.

[def]

Some comments;

1- No. don't drain your engine oil to adjust valve lash but do put a small container under the cover to catch the 2-3 teaspoons of oil that will come out of the loosened OHV cover.

2- Correct valve lash means two things. Each valve in the pair should be as close to it's mate as you can get it. This seems to improve engine smoothness. So, adjust the intake valves on one side of the motor so that they are equal. Same for the exhaust. As for actual valve lash, not as important as equal. I used to visit with an experienced BMW tech where I bought my GS. He said he had some customers who preferred the valve lash to be a bit tight for added high RPM performance. If requested, he adjusted oilheads to one half the BMW lash spec for both intake and exhaust without consequences and this was in Houston TX summer heat. So, unless your exhaust valves are have no clearance or you are experiencing intake backfiring, I would not be concerned about discovering tight valve lash.

3- Me? I run my valves loose deliberately in order to improve starting and provide smooth engine operation at the lower-mid RPM range. I rarely explore red line on my '01 boxer. There just isn't any reason to go there unless you like high speed combustion and a slight loss of power. Last time I was at red line, I had forgotten to shift from 4th to 5th when I was racing a cage. I actually saw just over 7000RPM on the tacho...never done that before. I was not impressed as I felt the power fall off.

4- All valve lash adjustments should be made with the engine stone cold.

[JimVonBaden]

Originally Posted by WeazyBuddha

Jim, your continued assistance to the inmates is invaluable and cannot be overemphasized. Thank you.

It seems to me that the engine does not magically stop if the valves are a bit more tight or loose than spec so I was curious about the acceptable range even if BMW does not publish a range.

Also, what's with the use of one feeler gauge for both valves? I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around what that gets you vs. doing one valve at a time.

Using a single feeler between the two valves allows you to feel if one is tighter than the other. If you pull from the middle the tighter valve will drag more and you will know they are not the same.

Read this, it might help: http://www.jimvonbaden.com/R1200_24K.html

Jim

[WeazyBuddha]

Is there a particular source for such a gauge that will reach both sides?

I bought the beemerboneyard gauges and they don't reach although I was thinking that they might if I remove the plastic off the handle end.

[JimVonBaden]

Originally Posted by WeazyBuddha

Is there a particular source for such a gauge that will reach both sides?

I bought the beemerboneyard gauges and they don't reach although I was thinking that they might if I remove the plastic off the handle end.

I got mine from Autozone. I use the exhaust one full size, and the intake I cut half an inch off. This is the set that you can remove individual pieces and cost about $7.

Jim

[WeazyBuddha]

Thanks. Will run down to Autozone and readjust the valves, as there seems to be consensus as to the approach and it makes sense to me now.