Check Valve Clearance (How To: with '03 600rr)

[imprez55]

I still need to check the socket size on the timing hole cover and cylinder head cover bolts and snap two pictures of assembly, but I had some spare time so I thought I would write this up now. IF there is anything else I should change let me know

I decided to make a little tutorial on how to check valve clearances while I did mine.

NB: My engine did not need to be shimmed, so I did not write on that subject.

I will assume you know how to move the tank, remove the throttle bodies and PAIR system (if you have it) and get to the cylinder head cover.

First you must disconnect and remove the ignition coils and spark plugs (not absolutely necessary, just makes it easier to turn the crankshaft position rotor, or CKP)

*picture or ignition coils*

After that you can remove the 4 (four) cylinder head cover bolts (__mm here), circled below. along with the washers beneath them and finally the cylinder head cover. Between the cylinder head cover and the engine casing is a thick rubber gasket. This gasket should come off with the cylinder head cover as it also seals the ignition coils on the cylinder head cover too. You can re-use this gasket even though it might not be recommended in the service manual.

*picture of cylinder head cover bolts*

Then you need to remove the timing hole cover (__mm here) and the o-ring below it

The crankshaft position sensor rotor (CKP) must then be rotated to the correct markings to measure the clearance in each valve. First, to ballpark the position, the "T" mark should be aligned with the index mark on the crankcase (both circled below).

The “I” index mark should then line up with an index notch marking inside the crankcase (it cannot be seen very well when the CKP is being turned)

The “IN” and “EX” markings on the cam chain sprockets will then be flush with the top of the crankcase as seen in the picture. If they are on the inside and upside down, the CKP needs to be rotated 360 degrees.

To measure clearances, simply measure to where you cannot fit another size larger feeler gauge and the one that does fit is the gap.

Now the intake (side closest to where you took the throttle bodies off) of cylinders 1 and 3 can be measured with a feeler gauge.

Now rotate the CKP 180 degrees such that the “I” index line is facing "up" (what the service manual means by this, is I assume to be directly up in line with the inner crankcase notch). You want the index line to be in line with the "notch" but on the other side of the CKP. This is what it should look like

The exhaust port on cylinders 2 and 4 can then be measured

You should then rotate the CKP 180 degrees again, lining the “I” index marking up with the inner notch again. The cam sprockets will NOT be in line with the cylinder head casing surface this time, as seen in the picture.

The intake valves on cylinders 2 and 4 can then be measured.

Rotate the CKP 180 degrees again so that the “I” index line is again facing up in line with the notch.

Measure the valve clearances for the 1 and 3 cylinder exhaust valves.

Spec for the intake is 0.008+/-0.001 and exhaust is 0.011+/-0.001. My measurements were 0.008 on all intakes and 0.010 on all exhaust so they are within spec. How to shim them will have to wait for the 32K mile mark!

Before assembly, if you are going to reuse the gasket, show your bike some love and clean up the mating surfaces and gasket, it can get quite dirty over 16K miles.

After this you can put the cylinder head cover back on. Make sure to apply silicone sealant on the half circles on the cam chain sprocket side. Also, make sure the gaskets around the bolts are “UP”

Bolt down the cylinder head cover and torque the bolts to 7 ft-lbs. Then, apply some grease to the threads of the timing hole cover and torque down to 13 ft-lbs. Re-attach the ignition coils and sparkplugs and reassemble as it was taken apart. See, not so bad and you just saved yourself a couple hundred bucks!

[jbot]

i just let Isaac's Papa do it.