Kawasaki Vulcan VN800 Valve Adjustment Maintenance Procedure Instructions
Clearance Check: We are now ready to check and adjust the valves but first we must set the front cylinder piston to top dead center. Using the 17mm socket with an extension insert it in the forward inspection hole to engage the nut shown in figure VA10. Ensure the engine is in neutral and turn the nut COUNTER CLOCKWISE ONLY until the pointer is aligned with the F mark in the rear inspection hole as shown in figure VA10. If you go past the mark DO NOT BACKUP by turning the bolt clockwise. Continue around for another revolution until you have the pointer and the mark perfectly aligned. Now verify that you are at Top Dead Center by ensuring that the line scribed in the cam chain sprocket lies parallel with the cylinder head as shown in figure VA11. If not, keep turning as you are 180 degrees out. Using your metric feeler gauges determine the clearance as shown in figure VA09 for all four valves and record them. The Intake Valve clearance low limit is 0.10MM and the high limit is 0.15mm. The exhaust low limit is 0.25MM and high limit is 0.30mm. If this is the first time checking clearances I recommend removing all the shims, one at a time, using the magnet. Record their thickness and position using your digital metric caliper. To remove a shim, simply slide the rocker arms aside on their shaft and lift the shim out of the valve using your magnet. To insert a shim, simply place it on the magnet, slide the rocker arm out of the way, position the shim back in it’s bucket and release the rocker, it will slide the magnet out of the way and leave the shim trapped between the valve and rocker arm. I use an Excel spreadsheet that I print out before starting an adjustment to record the new clearances on. This lets me know exactly what shim I will need in each position and a good idea of when I will need it so I can have it on hand. Now turn the engine over COUNTER CLOCKWISE ONLY until the rear cylinder mark is aligned with the pointer and verify with the scribe line on the cam chain sprocket (from the right side of the bike). Use the feeler gauges to determine each valves clearance and record. If all valves are within spec, congratulations, proceed to assembly section. Now you must determine what shim you will need to bring a valve back within spec. Say for example; you have an intake valve that you could not get the 0.10mm feeler gauge in but a 0.05mm would slide in fine and the shim currently in that position is 2.65mm thick. You will need a 2.60mm shim to bring it back into spec. By analyzing your record you should find that in some cases you can swap shims between valves to bring them back into spec. In boarder line cases, it is better to be a little over then under specification as once the clearance reaches zero or below, the valve will not be closing fully. The cylinder will start to loose compression and the seat of the valve will start to burn away. Note that due to expansion, clearances WILL get tighter when the engine is at normal operation temperature. Be sure to recheck a valves clearance after changing it’s shim and remember its cylinders piston MUST BE at top dead center when the clearance is checked.
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