timberguy

Member
May 10, 2006
19
0
KLR650 Valve Adjustment - Issue with bucket or not???

The bike has around 6500 miles on it.

This time, I decided to go ahead and make some adjustments.

In getting the shims out, I noticed that the bucket for the left intake valve (which incidentally had clearance just barely in spec; (.0045" vs minimum .0040") was somewhat binding in its hole.

It was tight enough that I spent over an hour turning it around with a small brass hammer against a screwdriver in the edge of the notch.

Too bad the screwdriver wasn't a very good fit, but I managed to get it to the point where I could twist it with the tip, and then finally another half an hour later, I could get about .1" of up & down movement. Finally, I got it out with more agressive lifting and twisting.
There was no dryness or galling on it, and it needs only minor dressing where the screwdriver went. It looks good inside and out.

The other three buckets spun freely and could be removed by hand easily. So could it simply be rubbing against aslightly off-center spring?

Something that a few thousand more miles will eliminate?

Or is it more serious than that? One thought I had was that possuibly a shaving was missed during manufacture, but I can't see well in there.
Since checking the valves about 3000 miles ago, I find that the clearances have stabilized on the inta
 
Last edited:

Ol'89r

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jan 27, 2000
6,961
45
timberguy said:
The bike has around 6500 miles on it.

This time, I decided to go ahead and make some adjustments.

In getting the shims out, I noticed that the bucket for the left intake valve (which incidentally had clearance just barely in spec; (.0045" vs minimum .0040") was somewhat binding in its hole.

It was tight enough that I spent over an hour turning it around with a small brass hammer against a screwdriver in the edge of the notch.

Too bad the screwdriver wasn't a very good fit, but I managed to get it to the point where I could twist it with the tip, and then finally another half an hour later, I could get about .1" of up & down movement. Finally, I got it out with more agressive lifting and twisting.
There was no dryness or galling on it, and it needs only minor dressing where the screwdriver went. It looks good inside and out.

The other three buckets spun freely and could be removed by hand easily. So could it simply be rubbing against aslightly off-center spring?

Something that a few thousand more miles will eliminate?


timberguy.

This is not that uncommon in high mileage engines. I have seen it in two engines. A YZ426f and a RM400Z. Both very high mileage engines. The cups tend to wear-in to the bore surface and produce a small lip at the top of the cup travel. Since there is nothing to grip on, it makes it very hard to remove the cup or pull it past the lip. On the RMZ, the cup was so stuck that I had to tig weld a long 1/4" bolt on to the top of the cup and improvise a small slide hammer to get it out.

Inspect your valve spring to insure the inner spring is not broken and causing the outer spring to sit an an angle. If it is just a matter of high mileage wear, you can take a piece of emery cloth and massage the lip down. That will make it easier to remove the cup the next time. It would be a good idea to replace the cup with a new one.
 

timberguy

Member
May 10, 2006
19
0
Thanks, Ol'89eer - seems probably the head might need to be removed - even if I can get at it, using compressed air to hold the valve up is not an option for me.

It seems odd that this would occur on a bike with only 6500 miles on it, and I've never red-lined it, but the previous owner put on the first 3500, and who knows what THEY were like. He seemded to take great care with things, but it could happen.
 
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