Valves

What tools do i need to check valves.
And is there any how to vids. Wanna learn this myself as the shop gets pricie.

 

http://xjbikes.com/forums/threads/airhead-valve-adjustment-with-pics.14827/
http://xjbikes.com/forums/threads/airhead-valve-adjustment-part-2-the-tool-vs-ziptie-w-pics.29209/

Don't know about any videos and I believe the pic links are dead.
BUT, you are correct about the price of a shop doing it AND more importantly, when you work on your bike you know exactly how it was done (ideally in a very competent manner).

 

Its a 86 maxim X 750. Forgot to add.

 

maxim-x liquid cooled valve adjusment with pics.

 

Doh!

 

Take your time and make sure that you cover up the center hole the chain rides down when you start to remove the cams. Once you get it on TDC you might even want to take a few pics of what it looks like in there. Finding the shims will be the next step and make sure you get the right ones. Dave F has a small shim pool for the "X" and you can find the rest at other places. Just make sure you get the shim that is like a pencil eraser and not the flat small shims. Once you get that far you will see what I mean. They look like a little cap as they fit over the valve not just on top. Good luck and take your time.

You will also need some of the narrow feeler gauges as the normal round ones will not fit where you want them too.

 

So. What does TDC mean lol.
And when i take the cams off is it gonna mess the timming up. Or can i just pht the cams back on and away i go.

 

Top Dead Center, I am not sure about 750's - so in a nutshell... at TDC there are timing/position marks on the sides of the cams that match up with a mating timing/position marker. Like Timbox said - pictures, pictures, pictures, major photo shoot, different angles, different distances.

 

TDC top dead center.....OF THE COMPRESSION STROKE OF #1 CYLINDER. both valves will be closed

 

Joe34, did you find a manual for it yet? Download on if now and do some good research of the process. There are also a few vids posted by some of the forum folks. Just make sure you wrap your mind around it and understand what is expected of the process and feel comfortable with trying this.

Let us know if you have the manual or if you need help finding one.

 

I have the manual. And i think i have a pretty good understanding. Bike seems to be working just fine, so im gonna wait till the winter break to give it a go.
Thanks. And i will have lots of pics.

 

Joe click on your name at top of page then signiture and put your bike in the sig line.

mmmm wrench ride wrench ride which to do sometimes it is better to wrench than ride and it is always better to ride than wrench
agggggghhhhhhhhhhh.

 

What does that do?

 

Makes it easy to remember/ know what bike you have when others reply.

Cause your 750 Maxim X is a lot different then my 650 Maxim. I (kinda) know 650 Maxim's, not so much the Seca's, X's, XS's , RD's (I want one of those), etc.

 

Airheads- big shim on top of bucket.... 2 per cylinder

X- small shim under bucket.... and the buckets are under the cams---- 5 per cylinder

 

How many miles on her? The X has longer valve clearance check intervals, and yours might not need even one adjustment pad changed. It's still good to do the clearance checks though. You don't have to remove the cams unless clearance needs to be adjusted.

 

Thanks k-moe
It has 55k on her. And my father had them checked 2 years ago and was told they were within spec.

 

I have a bridge for sale.....

 

Whats a bridge. ? The piece above fender between forks?

 

Dave is referring to an oft-repeated axiom here; don't believe what a shop tells you (or a PO, even when the PO is a relative).
At 55k she's due for another clearance check.

 

So at how many kms should i check it after check if there in spec

 

Every 42,000 kilometers/ 26,000 miles.

 

it shows us your bike in every post just under the dashed line makes it easier for people to help

 

The valve clearances should be checked / verified by the person (you) that will be riding the bike. Because if You do the work proper then you WILL be riding the bike, not pushing it home (or worse ).

 

22T-000xxx maxim as my 2 have
22T-100xxxmidnight maxim..yes?

 

It's definitely not a MM rear cover on the gauge cluster....yes, of course the Midnight Maxim plate would be on if it were original, but the originals for MM were also black, not chrome.

 

So 6 intake valves ate out of spec. Should i replace to spec now and stop riding.

 

What makes you say they are bent?

 

How far out of spec?

Out of spec is out of spec. You should do them. reality is that if they are just a bit out, you'll still be able to ride, your bike just isn't g owing to be breathing as well, and performance degrades. You DON'T need to worry about a valve getting bent by contacting a piston though....remember--the valves are receding into the head, therefore moving FARTHER AWAY from the piston when closed. BUT..what that also means is that the valve is opening sooner, and closing later---hence you're losing compression and power.