Gen III Valve Check - Anything Different?

[SkooterG]

I will be helping a forum member complete a valve check soon on his 2014 Gen III FJR.  I've done several on Gen I and Gen II, but so far not on a Gen III.

Anything different I need to know about?

 

[Fred W]

Nope.  Everything was pretty much the same.  

 

[SkooterG]

Thanks Fred!

 

[FJRay]

wading through the plastic is a bit different. If you want to turn it over by hand then you need to remove the right side cover so have a gasket handy. I've done two now and both times the gasket died. You can put it in high gear and turn it with the wheel but I prefer turning it by hand. Otherwise it's just nuts and bolts. Make sure you have fresh o-rings and coolant handy. 

 

[escapefjrtist]

To save the gasket, I clicked the '15 into 5th gear and used the rear tire to spin the engine. S-Plugs were out as I always change those and check valves at the same time. Valve cover access is a snap if you unhook the throttle cables from the lower linkage.

~G 

 

[hppants]

^^^ these are the only two differences that I know of between Gen 1 and Gen III.  Timing cover has to be removed (or turn the rear wheel), and you have to unhook the throttle cables from the bottom as they do not provide enough clearance to remove the cover.

 

[dcarver]

Skooter, here's a gen3 how to.

https://candybuttorg.ipage.com/cba/node/720

 

[rbentnail]

^^^ these are the only two differences that I know of between Gen 1 and Gen III.  Timing cover has to be removed (or turn the rear wheel), and you have to unhook the throttle cables from the bottom as they do not provide enough clearance to remove the cover.

Just asking, but the throttle cables can't be unhooked at the top to "provide enough clearance"?  On the Gen 2 it's much easier this way and gives me the opportunity to drip a drop or 2 of cable lube in each one.  If you've ever snapped a throttle cable you know how important this is.

 

[dravnx]

Most modern control cables, the FJR included, are lined with Teflon. You should not lube these. 

 

[dcarver]

IIRC removing throttle cables looked nearly impossible with out removing throttle bodies. 

 

[hppants]

I unhooked the cables at the throttle (handlebar) to generate slack, then remove the screw that holds the bracket on the bottom and slide the cables to the right out of the way.  Didn't have to do that on the Gen 1 (enough slack built into the cable to wiggle the cam cover around it).

 

[rbentnail]

Most modern control cables, the FJR included, are lined with Teflon. You should not lube these. 

And you came up with this info from where?

pg. 2-27 of my FSM specifically lists throttle cables as a lube point.  I've had a frayed one on the FJR and 1 broken one on another bike.  I lube mine with just a drop or two every few years.  If you've ever ridden with a pair of vise grips for a throttle you would too.  To each his/her/its own.

 

[escapefjrtist]

IIRC removing throttle cables looked nearly impossible with out removing throttle bodies. 

They're not too bad coming off dc. It's the hooking back up that takes some ingenuity!

~G

 

[SkooterG]

They're not too bad coming off dc. It's the hooking back up that takes some ingenuity!

~G

Whatcha mean Georgie?

We did the '14 valve check the other day.  We didn't loosen the throttle cables at the handlebar.  We did loosen them at the throttlebody.  We loosened the bracket on top that is secured with the two hex bolts.  That allowed us to slide them out of the way enough.  I would have liked more room.  We were going to try to remove the lower bracket with the two philips head screws.  That looked like it would provide more slack, but we stripped one of the screws.  They are in there tight.  I shoulda taken photos.  Which bracket do other folks loosen to get them out of the way?

I initially thought Georgie was full of caca when he said Gen 3 was easy.  We had a tough time removing the valve cover.  We fubar'd the valve cover gasket removing it.  I will re-use that gasket if it can be removed without damaging it.  Not this time.  So, we then practiced re-installing the valve cover before gluing on the new gasket.  After some fiddling we figured out our system and when it was time to re-install the valve cover with the new gasket it went on easy-peasy.  Like the easiest one I have ever done!

This was a '14 with 35k on it that was having the valves checked for the first time as far as we know.  One intake was just out of spec so we had to re-shim.  I was surprised at how tight the other intake clearances were.  All were at the tight end of spec at .15mm except the one out of spec at .14 and one other that was ok at .17.  Exhaust side was pretty good.  #4 cylinder was the worst with both valves at the end of spec - one tight and one loose.  In all we ended up re-shimming 3 exhaust valves and all 8 intake valves.

We  used the zip-tie method on the cam sprockets and the socket against the chain at the crank sprocket to make everything easy-peasy.  For the first time I used a dremel to slot the CCT bolt which saved a metric shitload of aggravation!

 

[escapefjrtist]

Skoot, unhook the cables at the throttle body pulley and you have complete open access to R&R the valve cover. IIRC, I removed the lower cable bracket. You are using JIS screwdrivers, right??

~G

 

[FJRay]

It was a game changing day when I discovered JIS screw drivers.

 

[dcarver]

Skoot, unhook the cables at the throttle body pulley and you have complete open access to R&R the valve cover. IIRC, I removed the lower cable bracket. You are using JIS screwdrivers, right??

~G

I'd like to see a video of this...

 

[escapefjrtist]

^^^^don't hold your breath for a video dc!

Once they're unhooked, there's no choice BUT to hook them back up.

~G

 

[dcarver]

anyone can take it apart...

it's the putting humpdy Dumpty back together again that baffles me..