the badest guy alive

[Jeff Saline]

Listers, I've currently received data for 8 KLR650 first valve adjustments. I could use some more data if you have it available. The original request for data is below. Thanks for your consideration. Best, Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT --------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Jeff Saline To: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2008 07:36:10 -0600 Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Valve Shim Size Data Collection Message-ID: Listers, I've been asked a question about valve shim sizes and would like to gather a bit more data to provide a more complete answer. I need your help. The gist of the question is what valve sizes should I get to hopefully have the correct ones on hand when I do my first valve adjustment? I like this question as it shows clear thought and forward thinking. It's also a money and time saver if you are in a remote area and shims are tough to get. I realize answering this question is kind of like trying to give an answer to the question "How long is a piece of string?" Data I currently have is for my bike which I consider hard data since I know it to be correct. I also have a bunch of shims collected from other valve adjustments but I didn't keep data showing what shims were in place and when or what they were replaced with. So I'd like to gather your HARD data in the below format. I appreciate folks trying to remember or "thinking" this is what I did but today I'd like only hard facts. I'm looking for FIRST valve adjustment HARD data. Year/Model Miles Ex/In clearance shim start shim replacement (inches or mm) 2003/KLR650 3269 ex 0.004" 275 265 3269 ex 0.004" 265 255 3269 in 0.005" 270 265 3269 in 0.005" 265 260 Please either post your data to the list where I'll capture it or send it to me directly at salinej1@... . I'll see how I do with a response and post the results to the list in a few days. Thanks for your consideration and accurate data. Best, Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT

[Mike]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Jeff Saline wrote:

> > Listers, > > I've currently received data for 8 KLR650 first valve adjustments. I > could use some more data if you have it available. > > The original request for data is below. > > Thanks for your consideration. > > Best, > > Jeff Saline > ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal > Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org > The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota > 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT >

Jeff, I can't give you the data in that format right now. We've had hundreds of KLR650's get their valves adjusted at our tech days, but I didn't record the data. I can provide some general information: Measured clearance at inspection varied from less than .0015 inch to with .001 of high limit at time of first inspection at the tech day. Valve shims sizes installed range from 275 down to 220 Most common sizes 255 and 250 Quite common sizes 260 to 245 Most commonly removed 265 - I have lots of these! Largest shim removed 280. Most important adjustment is the first one. Need for actual adjustment is usually at least 20K miles if set near high limit at first adjustment, still check them as recommended in OM. Most dealers take the $$$ and don't bother to even check. Owners that have paid for the work have found the valves out of limits at the tech day - even checking them withing a couple of weeks of the dealer "work." all the best, Mike

[Michael Nelson]

On my A17 at 11K miles (first valve check, bad bad PO), I removed four 260s and installed two 250s and two 255s to get all valves to the loose end of the spec. Another data point for ya. Michael -- "Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into an open manhole and die." -- Mel Brooks San Francisco, CA

[Jeff Saline]

> Jeff, > > I can't give you the data in that format right now. We've had > hundreds > of KLR650's get their valves adjusted at our tech days, but I > didn't > record the data. I can provide some general information: > > Measured clearance at inspection varied from less than .0015 inch > to > with .001 of high limit at time of first inspection at the tech > day. > Valve shims sizes installed range from 275 down to 220 > Most common sizes 255 and 250 > Quite common sizes 260 to 245 > Most commonly removed 265 - I have lots of these! > Largest shim removed 280. > Most important adjustment is the first one. > > Need for actual adjustment is usually at least 20K miles if set > near > high limit at first adjustment, still check them as recommended in > OM. > > Most dealers take the $$$ and don't bother to even check. Owners > that > have paid for the work have found the valves out of limits at the > tech > day - even checking them withing a couple of weeks of the dealer > "work." > > all the best, > > Mike

<><><><><> <><><><><> Mike, Thanks for your comments and info. I think the small amount of data I was able to collect is very similar to yours. That's really to bad to have your verification that some dealers aren't doing the work they're paid to do. But it's good that owners hear that so they can make a better decision on how they approach the issue of valve adjustment. Best, Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT

[Mike]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Jeff Saline wrote:

> > > Jeff, > Mike, > > Thanks for your comments and info. I think the small amount of data I > was able to collect is very similar to yours. > > That's really to bad to have your verification that some dealers aren't > doing the work they're paid to do. But it's good that owners hear that > so they can make a better decision on how they approach the issue of > valve adjustment. > > Best, > > Jeff Saline > ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal > Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org > The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota > 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT

Jeff, I remembered a couple of things that might be useful (after hitting the send button, of course). My experience has shown that 8 or 9 out of 10 bikes can use adjustment somewhere between 500 and 2500 miles. Most of these have one valve at or just under the low limit of clearance, and 2 valves close to the low limit. Others that need adjustment vary from having a valve very close to zero clearance to having three that are under the low limit. I've yet to see a bike that required all 4 to be set. Key word required..... When I'm in there I usually set them all at or near the high limit. I've not yet seen any negative effects from running them near the high limit. I've observed that some bikes with starting issues seem to start easier after the valves are adjusted, if they were below or at the low limit. I can't say I understand why .004 to .006 clearance increase makes such a difference, but it seems to....... I'll be opening up another bike that's been "dealer maintained" Saturday morning. I'll report on what I find. IIRC this bike has about 25K miles. I guess we have a pretty good cross section...... all the best, Mike

[Darren Clark]

That guy could be Maddox! http://maddox.xmission.com/ Darren Clark 2004 KLR-650 Fowlerville, MI P.S. one year ago today it was 75 degrees, and I was riding. Today it's 28 and there's 3" of snow on the ground. Michael Nelson wrote:

> On Thu, Mar 27, 2008 at 07:03:19PM -0500, Jim Douglas wrote: > >> looks somewhat like a KLR, who in the group is this? >> >> >> http://www.fazed.org/blog/view/5/the-coolest-guy-on-earth/ >> > > Well, I have a KLR and a Blue & Gold Macaw, but no seegar and Chico thinks > motorcycles are something to chew the soft parts off off. > > So I guess it ain't me. > >

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[Bill Watson]

Jeff, Sorry I waited so long to give you my numbers. I have a 2004 KLR and did the first valve adjustment at 1192 miles (I bought it with 990 and the original owner had not yet taken it in). Both exhausts had 260 shims in them, both intakes had 255's. I left one exhaust and one intake as-is, and went one shim thinner on the other exhaust and intake. In your format: 2004 KLR650 1192 ex .0075 260 255 1192 ex .0090 260 260 1192 in .0060 255 255 1192 in .0050 255 250 I did the next check at 16,500 miles - both intakes OPENED by .001" (measurement error most likely) so no changes were made. Both exhausts closed .002" so they both got one size thinner shim. I've got 30K miles now and plan on checking before 35K. My opinion is once you've got 5K or so on the bike, it's probably not extreme to use a 20K inspection interval if you're not a "5500rpm all day" rider, which I am not. Bill Watson Phoenix, AZ www.xanga.com/watt_man --------------------------------- Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Spike55]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Jeff Saline wrote:

> > Listers, > > I've currently received data for 8 KLR650 first valve adjustments.

I

> could use some more data if you have it available. > > The original request for data is below. > > Thanks for your consideration. > > Best, > > Jeff Saline > ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal > Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org > The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota > 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT >

Jeff: Here's mine first valve adjustment - 2006/KLR650 5047 L ex 0.007" 255 250 5047 R ex 0.007" 255 250 5047 L in 0.004" 255 245 5057 R in 0.004" 260 250 Don R100, A6F