Valve Clearance.

[RooK]

I actually ordered a plastigauge kit this morning, mail order is the way to go around here
I hate not doing things right.... or being cheap, I'm just not this kind of person. But what started as a simple valve clearance check is really getting out of hand, and I'm definitely getting out of my mechanical comfort zone :0

I'll check if it's still within tolerance and go from there.

 

[sonny]

I have only done one valve adjustment on the Rocket at 25,000 miles and the cams and ladder were clean. On the Bonneville did it numerous times. Bonneville did not have a cam ladder just individual caps. Even at 95,000 miles still clean.

 

[RooK]

As requested. Parts list and chain guides
Le me know if you need a different angle.

 

[warp9.9]

As requested. Parts list and chain guides
Le me know if you need a different angle.

Ok so they did change the cam guide as you have the updated one. I also see they changed the main and rod bearings which means they at the least let the tension off the cam chain which we know they changed the guide. This is good probably just lifted the crank enough to change the mains and rod bearings can be done while she is split open. I see no shims for the cams my guess they check clearances and they were good to go. I can only suspect then if they did not pull it totally apart either the cam ladder was already damaged and they did not notice it or some other areas should have been cleaned that weren't. Like just shoving new main and rod bearings in without pulling the crank shaft and cleaning oil galleys and other oil passages that would require a complete strip down or new crank and block and head because of dirty galleys its hard to say but one thing for sure from the parts list I would say they were not intentionally trying to push it thru and out the door. Just my opinion which might not count for much.

 

[RooK]

Question is.... What should I do now...

 

[Neville Lush]

Looking at the pictures, which aren't great really. I would say the marks look like most of the bikes I pull apart. Either your pictures are crap or my eyes are crap or there is not much wrong. At 86000kms one should not expect a brand new surface. Can you feel any ridges with your finger nail? Is the clearance too big? What is your idle speed? Do you use good oil? Was the engine noisy? Is the head surface marked?

 

[RooK]

Looking at the pictures, which aren't great really. I would say the marks look like most of the bikes I pull apart. Either your pictures are crap or my eyes are crap or there is not much wrong. At 86000kms one should not expect a brand new surface. Can you feel any ridges with your finger nail? Is the clearance too big? What is your idle speed? Do you use good oil? Was the engine noisy? Is the head surface marked?

I will try to take better pictures and post them.
I can feel tiny ridges with my fingernail, definitely not soft but it's not major.
Idle is set at 850RPM. Mobil 1T 10W40 since it was new. No issues with engine. Head surface is just like the cam ladder so I didn't take pictures. As far as clearance I'm waiting on a plastigauge kit to check.
My main concern is the circled one on the ladder. It almost appear the crankshaft is bent to do that.

Again I will take better pictures.

 

[skydog1000]

Find yourself a good machine shop and have them put it between centers. Can not imagine the cam being bent.

 

[Neville Lush]

I am guessing you mean camshaft bent. The load goes in that direction, due to valve spring pressure, that is why the pattern. Do you ride in temperature under -5deg C? if not I suggest you use an oil with 50 wt as the hot end of the scale. Unless I miss my guess that journal is the last place in the engine to get oil, so it will have the lowest pressure. Sooo, when idling in traffic on a warm day with thin oil, there will be very low pressure at this point in the engine, hence the marks. Speed the idle up to 950 from the stock idle will add about 25% oil pressure in that situation. This is well documented on this site and I am sure others, it is a rocket specific problem right from the get go. Yours is an 06 model, CHECK the size of the oil feed insert in the head. Hope this is useful.

 

[RooK]

I am guessing you mean camshaft bent. The load goes in that direction, due to valve spring pressure, that is why the pattern. Do you ride in temperature under -5deg C? if not I suggest you use an oil with 50 wt as the hot end of the scale. Unless I miss my guess that journal is the last place in the engine to get oil, so it will have the lowest pressure. Sooo, when idling in traffic on a warm day with thin oil, there will be very low pressure at this point in the engine, hence the marks. Speed the idle up to 950 from the stock idle will add about 25% oil pressure in that situation. This is well documented on this site and I am sure others, it is a rocket specific problem right from the get go. Yours is an 06 model, CHECK the size of the oil feed insert in the head. Hope this is useful.

Yes I meant camshaft
As you can see on my avatar, I often ride in cold temperature. It rarely get over 25C over here so most of the riding is in the 12C to 22C
I tried the (if I recall) 15W50 once but didn't like the feel on the clutch.

I have kept the stock 750RPM idle until about 2 years ago. My fault...
The size of the oil feed insert? I wasn't aware that got changed. What size should I hope for?