Er6 -- Valve Adjustment

[TongueThaied]

My ER6n is at about 2 1/2 years and 40,000 Kilometers. As you may know, the first scheduled valve adjustment is at 42,000 kilometers. What are the folks out there without the luxury of living close to the only reliable service shops (Rama 9 and Chiangmai) doing about this?

Having watched the "techs" in some of the other shops has not instilled any sense of confidence in me. I have never seen them use a torque wrench or apply grease or thread lock to parts as indicated in the shop manual. I get the feeling most of the "techs" are just "wrenchers" that have had no training. If one of these guys does the "adjustment" incorrectly, the results could end up being a very expensive nightmare.

Are you folks doing your own adjustments or taking a chance with the shops? Has anybody had it done, only to regret it?

Thanks for your input.

[TongueThaied]

Have any ER6 rides out there hit 42,000 yet? Anybody adjusted the valves?

[BSJ]

Valve adjustment on most bike engines is easy peasy. Do when engine cold (ambient temp). Take the spark plugs, out take the timing cover off & the valve adjuster hole covers, grab some feeler gauges and spanners 'n' get into it!

Your owners manual will probably have the settings.

PS: Unless of course, the engine is fitted with shims. then you need to know the present clearance to order new shims to suit!

Edited August 23, 2012 by BSJ

[TongueThaied]

I have the shop manual for the ER and all the valve adjustment specs and instruction. Unfortunately, adjusting the valves is quite a complex procedure (it has shims). Off with the tank, the airbox, air suction valve, throttle cables, stick coils and cylinder head cover, If the valves are checked and need no adjustment, then not so bad. but if they need adjustment, the its off with the camshaft chain tensioner, out with the camshafts and off with the valve lifters. Before one (who lives far, far away from any Kawasaki shop) begins to tear into it, one should have a complete set of shims for the event that the valves need adjustment. No way to know which shim will be required, if any, until the check is made. There are also various o-rings and gaskets to be replaced. Everything has torque specs, somethings require certain sealants and some locking compound, all of which are typically ignored by the "techs" I have watched working at the Kwacker shop.

It's not like the old VW days when one scooted under the rear with a screwdriver, two wrenches and a feeler gauge. In and out in about 15 minutes.

[JSixpack]

It's not like the old VW days when one scooted under the rear with a screwdriver, two wrenches and a feeler gauge. In and out in about 15 minutes.

Ah, those were the days!

[BSJ]

I have the shop manual for the ER and all the valve adjustment specs and instruction. Unfortunately, adjusting the valves is quite a complex procedure (it has shims). Off with the tank, the airbox, air suction valve, throttle cables, stick coils and cylinder head cover, If the valves are checked and need no adjustment, then not so bad. but if they need adjustment, the its off with the camshaft chain tensioner, out with the camshafts and off with the valve lifters. Before one (who lives far, far away from any Kawasaki shop) begins to tear into it, one should have a complete set of shims for the event that the valves need adjustment. No way to know which shim will be required, if any, until the check is made. There are also various o-rings and gaskets to be replaced. Everything has torque specs, somethings require certain sealants and some locking compound, all of which are typically ignored by the "techs" I have watched working at the Kwacker shop.

It's not like the old VW days when one scooted under the rear with a screwdriver, two wrenches and a feeler gauge. In and out in about 15 minutes.

Bl00dy hell! Back in the day a Kwaka Z was a snap compared to that!