Hints & Tips: Valve Adjustment: Difference between revisions

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*After you've taken out the radiator bolts and the coil bolts, it's even better to also "back out" the large long bolt that goes through the front of the engine. It's the one that goes through the two brackets (one on each side) that the radiator bolts to. If you back out that long bolt (it's the last one really holding the bracket) then you can move the bracket and the right side of the radiator further from the head and get more room to work.

*The exhaust valves can be done without the Kawasaki tool, though it's very hard without moving the radiator. You don't need to drain the radiator, just move it. With the radiator out of the way and a ~~1/4" drive deep socket and an eyeglass-type screwdriver~~, they're quite easy. There are others who can't imagine doing the valves without the tool.

*The exhaust valves can be done without the Kawasaki tool, though it's very hard without moving the radiator. You don't need to drain the radiator, just move it. With the radiator out of the way and a , they're quite easy. There are others who can't imagine doing the valves without the tool.

*If you take the outlet hose off the bottom of the radiator, it's much easier to push the radiator forward to give yourself room to look at what you're doing on the exhaust valves. Of course, this means you'll be draining the coolant and will either have to pour it back in or [[How do I service the cooling system?|change it]].

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*If you want to use a special tool, get the Kawasaki one. Other sets, specifically the Motion Pro one that's designed for use on multiple kinds of bikes, won't fit.

*If you want to try the adjustment without the tool, get a 9mm, 6-point, deep well socket. Use it to make the actual adjustment, without a ratchet, but with a screwdriver through the middle. That way you can turn the nut and use the screwdriver to hold the screw. At the beginning and end, when you're just breaking the nut loose or torquing it back down to spec, you can use your socket with a 1/4" drive ratchet. You might twist the screw a little, but at the beginning it doesn't matter at all, and at the end you should have enough leeway that the gap is still in spec. Double check afterwards though, just to make sure.

*If you want to try the adjustment without the tool, get a 1/4" drive, 9mm, 6-point, deep well socket. Use it to make the actual adjustment, without a ratchet, but with an eyeglass-type screwdriver through the middle. That way you can turn the nut and use the screwdriver to hold the screw. At the beginning and end, when you're just breaking the nut loose or torquing it back down to spec, you can use your socket with a 1/4" drive ratchet. You might twist the screw a little, but at the beginning it doesn't matter at all, and at the end you should have enough leeway that the gap is still in spec. Double check afterwards though, just to make sure.

==Feeler gauges==

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 *After you've taken out the radiator bolts and the coil bolts, it's even better to also "back out" the large long bolt that goes through the front of the engine. It's the one that goes through the two brackets (one on each side) that the radiator bolts to. If you back out that long bolt (it's the last one really holding the bracket) then you can move the bracket and the right side of the radiator further from the head and get more room to work.
-*The exhaust valves can be done without the Kawasaki tool, though it's very hard without moving the radiator. You don't need to drain the radiator, just move it. With the radiator out of the way and a 1/4" drive deep socket and an eyeglass-type screwdriver, they're quite easy. There are others who can't imagine doing the valves without the tool.
+*The exhaust valves can be done without the Kawasaki tool, though it's very hard without moving the radiator. You don't need to drain the radiator, just move it. With the radiator out of the way and a , they're quite easy. There are others who can't imagine doing the valves without the tool.
 *If you take the outlet hose off the bottom of the radiator, it's much easier to push the radiator forward to give yourself room to look at what you're doing on the exhaust valves. Of course, this means you'll be draining the coolant and will either have to pour it back in or [[How do I service the cooling system?|change it]].
@@ Line 44: / Line 44: @@
 *If you want to use a special tool, get the Kawasaki one. Other sets, specifically the Motion Pro one that's designed for use on multiple kinds of bikes, won't fit.
-*If you want to try the adjustment without the tool, get a 9mm, 6-point, deep well socket. Use it to make the actual adjustment, without a ratchet, but with a screwdriver through the middle. That way you can turn the nut and use the screwdriver to hold the screw. At the beginning and end, when you're just breaking the nut loose or torquing it back down to spec, you can use your socket with a 1/4" drive ratchet. You might twist the screw a little, but at the beginning it doesn't matter at all, and at the end you should have enough leeway that the gap is still in spec. Double check afterwards though, just to make sure.
+*If you want to try the adjustment without the tool, get a 1/4" drive, 9mm, 6-point, deep well socket. Use it to make the actual adjustment, without a ratchet, but with an eyeglass-type screwdriver through the middle. That way you can turn the nut and use the screwdriver to hold the screw. At the beginning and end, when you're just breaking the nut loose or torquing it back down to spec, you can use your socket with a 1/4" drive ratchet. You might twist the screw a little, but at the beginning it doesn't matter at all, and at the end you should have enough leeway that the gap is still in spec. Double check afterwards though, just to make sure.
 ==Feeler gauges==