What did you do to your FJ-tracer-gt today?

[theog]

Pull the shims, don’t stack. They are marked, but measuring is never a bad idea. If you’ve owned Ducatis, you know why measuring is best. 

[skipperT]

What do you mean by “stack” the shims?

you need to remove the cams and measure the installed shim size, yes. 
On your sheet of measurements for cyl 1 Ex, you wrote 1.78 which could be an installed shim size. Did you mean to write 0.178mm ? Just for clarity. 

Cams are removed and installed at a different mark on the flywheel, in case you weren’t aware. When you calculate your new shim sizes, shoot for 0.30mm clearance measurement. Also of note, you CANNOT compress the cam chain tensioner while it’s installed, you must do it once removed and with pressure on the “foot” of the tensioner while your turning the 3mm Allen wrench. 

HTH,
-Skip

[Ride365]

I have now had 3 mechanics tell me to check valves when Yamaha suggests, 2 of which are familiar with these engines and claim the valve clearances don't move much. 🤔

[theog]

27 minutes ago, Ride365 said:

I have now had 3 mechanics tell me to check valves when Yamaha suggests, 2 of which are familiar with these engines and claim the valve clearances don't move much. 🤔

They move quite a bit during the first interval. But that’s true of many engines. I’d do the first one early and then take a cooler approach. 

[Ride365]

4 hours ago, theog said:

They move quite a bit during the first interval. But that’s true of many engines. I’d do the first one early and then take a cooler approach. 

Interval is like 26600 I believe, and that is insane mileage for a valve check......so I call BS on Yamaha's interval and what those motorcycle mechanics say. I don't baby this engine either, which I'd imagine would shorten up that interval mileage as well? I am almost at 17K miles, am thinking of 20K miles for the first check. 

[2and3cylinders]

11 minutes ago, Ride365 said:

Interval is like 26600 I believe, and that is insane mileage for a valve check......so I call BS on Yamaha's interval and what those motorcycle mechanics say. I don't baby this engine either, which I'd imagine would shorten up that interval mileage as well? I am almost at 17K miles, am thinking of 20K miles for the first check. 

That's a conservative but wise approach in 60000 plus miles. I've done it 4 times because after the first time at 20k they were ALL tight so I checked it within 10000 needed to do 3 exhaust  & 1 intake again. Then I checked again at about 50 and all was but  I may be check it again for the fifth time this winter.

I have to change the air filter anyway; although I can swap plugs by just tipping down the rad, and check (but not adjust) TB sync anytime because I put extension hoses on the TB nipples that I can pull out from behind the frame on the left side.

I have several tricks if you want to call him that for making it easy to pull the cams. By by removing the APE manual cam chain tensioner the tensioner shoe and it's pivot pin to obtain lots of slack so I can hang a cam above the head well out of the way.

The cam sprocket tool Yamaha lists can be had for like 15 bucks and it makes holding the exhaust cam in place easier. Because that's the one that wants to fight the valve springs. Of course I zip tie the cam chain to each of the cam sprockets before I remove anything.

[Kemp]

I added some goodies from SW-Motech today. The crash bars and front spoiler were discounted recently, and I took advantage of it. Hopefully, I'll never get to learn how well they work, but I think if something does happen these pieces will do their job. I also took a ride with my new Arai XD-4 and learned that you can do head checks at 90 mph without pulling your head off.

[2and3cylinders]

What is that a Honda one twenty five on the bumper of you're my Miata?

Quite the little load huh

You can get carbon fiber case covers for a 100 bucks or less that will go a long way with your new but high up bars...

 

[Kemp]

@2and3cylinders it's a 2022 Honda CRF300L, which is really why I bought the Arai. But, if it was good enough for adventure riders, I thought I might try it out on the Tracer as well. It will definitely be my winter helmet, since it performs so well with the peak attached. Takes care of that low sun.

[kilo3]

21 hours ago, skipperT said:

What do you mean by “stack” the shims?

you need to remove the cams and measure the installed shim size, yes. 
On your sheet of measurements for cyl 1 Ex, you wrote 1.78 which could be an installed shim size. Did you mean to write 0.178mm ? Just for clarity. 

Cams are removed and installed at a different mark on the flywheel, in case you weren’t aware.

Oh yeah, my helper had issues with thousandths to mm, hence the decimal discrepancy.

Say what now? Or do you mean you measure and remove at different points? I thought you measure at the line tdc and remove/install cams at triangle btdc?

I hate four strokes.... Hope I don't screw it up. But if the holes in the cam are correctly lined up, and the timing mark is at the triangle, should be fine no? Like the picture?

 

[skipperT]

15 hours ago, kilo3 said:

Oh yeah, my helper had issues with thousandths to mm, hence the decimal discrepancy.

Say what now? Or do you mean you measure and remove at different points? I thought you measure at the line tdc and remove/install cams at triangle btdc?

I hate four strokes.... Hope I don't screw it up. But if the holes in the cam are correctly lined up, and the timing mark is at the triangle, should be fine no? Like the picture?

 

@kilo3 yes, we mean the same thing just typing it differently. Your attached pic looks perfect as long as the tensioner is installed and the crank is at the “triangle” or “k” mark. 
-Skip

[fr8dog]

Last swing arm removal I forgot about being careful with the bearings and had them falling out of the relay arm. Got it back together, and had a local shop order everything.

Took a few weeks for everything to arrive. I dropped off the swing arm and relay arm. All bearings, spacers, collars and seals were replaced. It was ready the next day. I had ordered a new master link. Chain and sprockets are good, but had to remove chain to get swing arm off. 

All back together. Rode it to work. All good. 

After washing it today I was using some Plastx on the chain guard and noticed  the guard was loose. Great. I must have reversed the two different size collars. Fixed that and now it sits. Not sure for how long. Kind of cool and wet here.

Not sure how long bearings are supposed to last, but I had that yellow plastic coming out last time. If not careful bad things happen. Bike has 70k miles. I'm good for another 70k or more.  

[kilo3]

While I'm here. Shims came in while I was out on work, we'll see what we get accomplished today.

[texscottyd]

Today, we ride… 🤘

[2and3cylinders]

3 hours ago, kilo3 said:

While I'm here. Shims came in while I was out on work, we'll see what we get accomplished today.

That's pretty oily how many thousand miles do you have

You can clean up that one in the dishwasher on cold and mild (LOL) or just put it under the laundry sink with some mild surfactant and maybe a touch of kerosene but that stinks in the house so odorless mineral spirits will do

Of course it's helpful to have an air compressor to blow it out before after brushing lightly with an old toothbrush and then to dry it

If it's really dry you can give it a light misting of k&n filter oil

Been doing it for eons including on my 110,000 mi Plus 98 VTR