First time valve adjustment with bucket/shims

I'm about to attempt a valve adjustment on an '85 FJ600 and it'll be my first time dealing with bucket/shim adjusters.

I've had plenty of experience with "traditional" valve adjustments.
I can borrow the lifter tool.

What can I expect? Can you re-use the valve cover gasket on the XJ motors?
When do you do the cam chain adjustment....before or after the valve adjustment?

Any other words of wisdom or encouragement?

 

What to expect: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=14827.html

Yes, you can re-use the valve cover gasket on your bike, it's similar to the earlier XJ YICS motors. That being said, to prevent leaks, I would replace the gasket as well as the rubber "grommets" on the bolts the first time you have it apart; then you can re-use the gasket for multiple cover removals afterwards. You're likely to find the original is a bit crispy-crunchy in spots. The rubber grommets on the bolts are important because they're what push the cover against the head; the bolts have stop collars on them that limit how far they tighten.

Do the cam chain adjustment beforehand, not that it really matters.

Do yourself a favor; get a real METRIC feeler gauge (rather than an American gauge with oddball metric equivalents) such as the KD 2274. http://www.google.com/search?q=KD+2274& ... 57&bih=837

 

Thanks, bigfitz!
That link is invaluable.

That wasn't the lifter tool I was expecting to see. A friend just did his DOHC Honda CB750 and his tool looks like a small spanner; like the shock adjustment tool.
I pulled out our shop manuals and will read over them tonight....maybe I DON'T have access to the proper lifter tool right now...

 

The later bikes (like the Seca II) used the U-shaped tool you're describing.

I don't know when the bolt-down tool got superseded by the newer-style tool; your shop manual will hopefully provide that answer.

You COULD always use the "down-n-dirty" alternate method: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=29209.html

 

I wish Yamaha stayed with the bolt-down tool.

The scooper tool is a pain in the backside.

 

This tool is a pain in the backside?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Motion-P ... _704wt_937

That's the one my buddy has.

Also, I see the bolt down tool listed for several bikes, but not the FJ600. I know the FJ engine is essentially the same thing as many XJ engines. Which model should I look for? Are all the bolt down tools the same?

 

The bolt-down tool depends on using one of the holes for the valve cover hold-down bolts. Yours may be located differently, necessitating the use of the other style tool; I can't say for sure.

What does your manual say?

 

It shows the bolt down tool OR a generic tool and a "shim" to hold the lifter in place.

My question was about the bolt down tool. I see several listed on ebay but not specifically for the FJ600. It lists the XJ, though.

 

It is an XJ, just sold in North American as an FJ. I don't know why they do that.

Since your valve cover anchors to the head and you have the available mounting hole for the bolt-on tool, I would say that's the way to go. Especially if that's what the manual shows. There's only one kind of bolt-on tools for Yamaha bikes, so it's either you use that one or you don't.

The valve cover on the later model FJ600 (the '92+ XJ600) mounts to the cam caps, which is why they developed the scoop tool.