new old slightly used usmc engine in and running.

[Jeffrey]

1)The valve cover bolts are very easy to strip; actually the alu. that they screw into--esp. the 2 longer bolts. Don't even try without an inch pound torque wrench. I stripped one even using an inch pound torque wrench. You also need the inch pound torque wrench for the cam caps. 2)You can often swap valve shims from one bucket to another. 4)I found that 255 260 265 were the only sizes I needed. So if you want to get a some extras to have on hand, I suggest 250, 255, 260, 265, and 270 5)I had an extra blown engine on hand so I didn't have to buy any shims. I only had to take 1 shim from the other engine...the rest were just swapped around. One valve didn't need any adj. If anybody needs any engine parts(except doohickey side) let me know. 6)You don't need to take the upper timing chain guide off. Nor do you have to take the whole timing chain tensioner mechanism off. Just take out the spring; the one center bolt. You don't need to remove (just take the cam caps off and watch the dowels/pins)the cams. This just makes it more involved and thus more likely to make a mistake or more likely to drop something in the void. There is an instructional video on you tube that does it the unnecessary long way. 7)While shim calc can be useful...usually you are just going to move only 1 shim size per valve max so the math is mostly a no brainer.

[Jim Tegler]

Howdy, As I was adjusting my valves I did the classic stuffing of a rag down the "maw" or tunnel on the left side of the engine. I later decided the engine cam needed rotating and so was wrenching the engine externally to turn it. That caused the rag to get pulled into the gear on the cam shaft and when this made the engine bolt harder to turn to rotate the cam I, in my ignorance of what was going on, just pushed harder on the wrench. In a classic display of "strong like bull - smart like dump truck" I broke the cam chain as I wrenched the rag into the cogs.... I'll let you know how the repair goes if I ever get to it. Jim A5

[mechanizeinc]

Nice. Sounds like you got it buttoned up. The engine is in and up to snuff... How does it ride? Mech

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Jeffrey" wrote: > > 1)The valve cover bolts are very easy to strip; actually the alu. that they screw into--esp. the 2 longer bolts. Don't even try without an inch pound torque wrench. I stripped one even using an inch pound torque wrench. You also need the inch pound torque wrench for the cam caps. > > 2)You can often swap valve shims from one bucket > to another. > > 4)I found that 255 260 265 were the only sizes I needed. > So if you want to get a some extras to have on hand, I suggest > 250, 255, 260, 265, and 270 > > 5)I had an extra blown engine on hand so I didn't have to buy > any shims. I only had to take 1 shim from the other engine...the rest were just swapped around. One valve didn't need any adj. If anybody needs any engine parts(except doohickey side) > let me know. > > 6)You don't need to take the upper timing chain guide off. Nor do you have to take the whole timing chain tensioner mechanism off. Just take out the spring; the one center bolt. You don't need to remove (just take the cam caps off and watch the dowels/pins)the cams. This just makes it more involved and thus more likely to make a mistake or more likely to drop something in the void. There is an instructional video on you tube that does it the unnecessary long way. > > 7)While shim calc can be useful...usually you are just going to move only 1 shim size per valve max so the math is mostly a no brainer. >

[Jeffrey]

Breaking the timing chain should not be too big a deal because from what I understand, you just need to take off the doohickey side cases and pull the rotor...You should be able to borrow the rotor pulling tools from a member of the group. That is also why I didn't pull the cams and timing chain guide ie dismantle the least I can and button it up as fast as possible... Just slightly lift the cams for shimming. J#3

[Jeffrey]

2 main glitches 1)valve cover stud--had to heli-coil 2)The guy who sold it to me claimed the water pump was just missing the nut that holds the impeller. In fact, a seal was torn and had to do a water pump rebuild. Engine swap wasn't very hard...thanks to your tips...and my pro-mechanic friend who helped. FOR THOSE WHO ORDERED PARTS OFF MY OLD ENGINE...I WILL TRY AND TEAR IT DOWN TOMORROW, SO I CAN SHIP ALL OF THE PARTS YOU GUYS ORDERED NEXT WEEK. THANKS FOR THE ADVICE! J#3