Razorback

Ok. I got the lower tubes off, but not without slamming the tube into the concrete floor with my index finger going with it, tearing through the top of my fingernail. Never done that before. I can get over that alright, but more importantly, I'm now missing one of the super thin washers. I've swept a 6' x 12' section of the yard with a 3" magnet, adjacent to the carport where I'm working. Found nothing. I suppose I'll fire up the metal detector, when I figure out where the kids stashed it. The rest of the washers all fell within a one foot radius is of the bottom of the upper tube. Maybe someone lost it in a previous life? Should that provide fruitless, is there chance of finding a local substitute or will I have to order one specialty washer to finish the job?

Sorry to not have made that clearer. By bolts, I meant each one in each lower tube. Both of them. I remember them well. I made the all thread damper holder tool and bought a new Allen wrench set for the 10mm, then proceeded to hoping that sudden snap when loosening it was loosening and not breakage. That was unnerving. I got them out (one from each fork, with brass washer).

There's nothin left up top except the seals that I can see, but I'll check again to be sure. I got the bottom bolts out. The bike is giving a little because I don't have it blocked real tight up front. It will rock a little on the center stand. I'll tighten that up and give it another go.

Working on replacing fork seals on my '87 Venture. removed lower bolts in each tube (10mm) removed top cap and spacers, spring etc. removed dust cap, wire spring retainer thing and washer loosed and held up out of the way. upper fork tubes still clamped in at top. Per every instruction I can find on the 'net, I should just be able to whack down with the lower tube in slide hammer fashion and it should come off after several good whacks. I'm wailing away on this thing and not seeing any progress. Do I just keep at it, or did i miss something? I'm afraid I'll pull it off the blocks and center stand if I keep this up.

This has me thinking.... With the prospect of re-using many of my shims by moving them to other positions, How will i accomplish that without first having any spare shims to put in place while i move them around?

Perhaps I'll throw my wrench across the yard after I get the cam set to pull a set of shims. Rinse and repeat. 😃

Here is the spreadsheet on my correctly checked numbers. The new numbers are highlighted in yellow, not much difference. I'm still mostly out of spec. I'll have to get the shims out to see where I need to go from here. I'll resist the urge to put the carbs back on until I get done with valves. I had them off going through them, then decided to check the valves. I will probably go ahead and do the forks seals though while I wait on a tool, and then correct shims. Thanks to everyone for their input.

That was it Niel86 As luck would have it, and not realizing what was required, I would line up on T1, scratch my head because the lobes didn't look right (position) and decide to spin it around again, overshoot the T1 mark and have to make another revolution to line it up again, on the wrong stroke, same as I started. Boy do i feel silly now. I was able to read every clearance per the specified method, with a couple .001" changes to some of my numbers. Now I still need a shim tool, or any other DIY method to depress the buckets to remove the shims. I'll post up my numbers shortly.

oh no, I got measured gap, as long as I was measuring between the base circle of the cam lobe and the shim, it's just that it wasn't always possible when lined up with the timing marks. It's not riding the lobe all the way around. I think i'll line up T1 and take a picture of the cams/shims and then T2 and take a picture so you can see what i'm talking about. I still don't understand it. It was running great (as far as i know) before I had carb issues and took it off the road for a while. It cranked up and ran so-so (attributed to carb pilot jet issues) just 2 weeks ago before i yanked off the carb bank. i figured I had read enough times about checking my valve clearance that i should make sure that's right.

I've only measured "my way". It's not a done deal yet. Everything is still open as i confirm that my method is valid, or terribly unreliable. i can still attempt to remeasure with the timing timing marks As it is, I see the need to get the tools and change the shims anyway so it's still ready for remeasuring. Partly depends on why they specify that reference point IMO, but i do generally agree with the guy that built the thing. It's just simpler to watch the cams rotate and measure after they've relieved the pressure from the pad, if my assumptions are correct based on standard cam lobe geometry. If they're still contacting the shim, i can't slide the feeler gage under there, and i still have contact on the timing marks. i don't understand why i have zero gap on the timing marks, T1 or T2. Is it reasonably common to have NO gap on a low mileage bike that was running fine before a carb went goofy? ] 10% of my largest gap is only .0006, which our feeler gauges won't do, nor can we shim for that type of difference (I'm hearing that the shims are in .005 increments anyway). So maybe that type of difference won't matter too much? Specs are given in both SAE and Metric, so although I can convert mm to inch and back, I didn't have to. I appreciate the discussion (that is why i posted after all), keep it coming. My measured values, with lobes up, are in the attached file.

I figured as long as I'm measuring only between the base circle of the cam lobe and the shim, I should get the same result as at TDC, when the valves should be closed (lobe base circle above shim, no lobe ramp/flank involved) It's certainly easier to just point the lobes skyward and measure for each set of valves. I'll post my results shortly, which shows all are tight.

I tried using T1 and T2, but could not get a feeler gage under the lobes. Isn't it just as good to point the lobe straight up so there is no pressure on the valve train and then slip the feeler gage under there? I got readings similar to Droneh8tr, except mine are a tad tighter, therefore my numbers look believable. Was my measurement method acceptable? Thanks, Kenny

yeah, and i just went through them in September and put them back on.. never finished the other tasks, therefore never put it on the road. This is what i got for it. They're clean again, as is the tank, and new lines and new filter. I'm anxious to try it out, as soon as I get that pilot jet and get it all back together.

jet ordered. now i wait impatiently. i suppose I can start on the fork seals while I wait. For your viewing pleasure, the attached pic of what i found when i opened my carbs. Wonder why 3 out of 4 pilot jets were plugged?

I'll be searching out the proper jet today, ordering a set if necessary

Locally? Lol! Sorry, not likely around here, but there is one atv shop that might surprise me. I'll check with them tomorrow. What about the whole gang of 1200 carbs with their respective correct jets? Wonder what that would do?

Here's why i ask: I have an 87 1300, with one boogered pilot jet (stripped head inside jet block). So now I have 3 correctly sized pilot jets. I do have a set of 1200 carbs with 42.5 jets I can use (just the pilot jets), if it doesn't kill my gas mileage or cause other problems. I was really hoping to get the carbs back on this afternoon rather than order and wait on a new pilot jet. Thoughts?

This is what I want to do with mine.

i accidentally dumped most of the mercury out of my Motion Pro carb sticks. Any idea where i can get replacement mercury?