Yesterday, 10:00 PM
So I finally decided to get around to checking my valve clearances today.
And, after about 5 hours of work...
... I've just got to the valve cover I need to remove to actually get access to them! At which point I decided to take a break because I was hungry and tired.
Ok, so I've never done this job before and when I'm doing stuff like this I go *very* slowly and carefully because I don't want to risk an expensive cock-up.
So what I do is read through the section of the Haynes manual, then look at what actually needs to be done on the bike. Then I take video where I talk through what I'm going to do so I can refer back to it when it comes time to put it all back together.
Of course it doesn't help when Haynes glibly says "First remove this bit (see section xxx)" and you find out that removing that bit is a major ball-ache and is going to take ages!
Also there's parts which probably haven't been taken off the bike since it was put together, so won't come apart without a lot of cleaning spray/ WD40 and careful easing so I don't break something.
Not to mention things like trying to drain the coolant and it spraying all over the place before you can get the bolt out properly and then it runs down the underside of the engine and then needs to be mopped up...
Sheesh, what a palaver...
Oh well, tomorrow I should actually be able to get the valve cover off (fingers crossed the clearances are ok and I don't need to take the cam shafts out!), then do various other bits like replacing the plugs, new coolant, new oil, repaint the radiator etc...
And, after about 5 hours of work...
... I've just got to the valve cover I need to remove to actually get access to them! At which point I decided to take a break because I was hungry and tired.
Ok, so I've never done this job before and when I'm doing stuff like this I go *very* slowly and carefully because I don't want to risk an expensive cock-up.
So what I do is read through the section of the Haynes manual, then look at what actually needs to be done on the bike. Then I take video where I talk through what I'm going to do so I can refer back to it when it comes time to put it all back together.
Of course it doesn't help when Haynes glibly says "First remove this bit (see section xxx)" and you find out that removing that bit is a major ball-ache and is going to take ages!
Also there's parts which probably haven't been taken off the bike since it was put together, so won't come apart without a lot of cleaning spray/ WD40 and careful easing so I don't break something.
Not to mention things like trying to drain the coolant and it spraying all over the place before you can get the bolt out properly and then it runs down the underside of the engine and then needs to be mopped up...
Sheesh, what a palaver...
Oh well, tomorrow I should actually be able to get the valve cover off (fingers crossed the clearances are ok and I don't need to take the cam shafts out!), then do various other bits like replacing the plugs, new coolant, new oil, repaint the radiator etc...