Valve adjust help

[ErikU]

So I did my first valve adjustment tonight.. went pretty well, and even though it was long overdue, it wasn't that far off.

Moments away from being finished and congratulating myself, I went to install the little rubber plug back over the hole that shows the timimg marks and TDC. The rubber piece pushed right through and fell in!!! Now what do I do?

crossing my fingers...

-Erik

[iowabeakster]

i believe the proper procedure is to:
1. walk down to liquor store
2. puchase some beer
3. call it a job well done.

Tomorrow purchase a replacement and take it for a ride. This is a common occurance i believe.

P.S. this is a little late, but you do not have to remove the plug next time.
the cam gear has an arrow on it. just turn the motor until the arrow is parallel with the ground. this will be TDC.

[ErikU]

Whew!

Went staright for the beer after that one.

[trbaldridge]

The rubber piece pushed right through and fell in!!! Now what do I do?

-Erik

Iowabeakster gave good advice, but he left out one step that I used after dropping mine down the hole. I stuck a piece of duct tape over the hole so nothing decided to move. I think it came off during the next rainstorm I rode through, but it worked for a while.

The usual recommendation is to get a replacement hole cover from an air head. They are a tad bigger so they don't go through the hole as bad. When I got mine the parts guy was asking me a bunch of questions about the size and year. I think I just made it up as I went along. It does a good job.

I think next time I will use iowabeaksters advice about not removing the plug. I have even heard you can put it in like third gear and turn the rear tire so you don't have to take the front cover off either.

terry

[Boxer]

I used the cam chain hole arrow for the first 30K miles and found out my constant oil loss was partly to the covers leaking. I replaced the o-ring seal and they still leaked. The plastic covers had become warped. I had to buy the metal ones from MotoTechniques. Now I only use the other method to find TDC. It's easier to take that alt. belt cover off anyway than to turn that rear wheel.

[CycleRob]

I recommend you always take the belt cover off so you can inspect the alternator belt's integrity. That's the one part whose failure can not only ruin your day, but run your battery down before you're able to get it home.

BTW, if that should ever happen during daylight hours, a belt failure, and your red charge light glows brightly, remove the seat with your other key while the bike idles, then remove the load relief relay. It's the big yellow one in the front left of the fusebox. When you pull it out, all non-critical loads, like all the lights, are turned off. That'll buy you lots more time to make it home.

[kjax909]

I did the exact same thing the first time I did a valve adjust. Called my dealer, he tole me not to worry. It drops into a "dry area" so no possibility of blocking any oil passages and if anything, it would just get ground up by the gear wheel.

[priapismic]

Despite my best efforts at securing the plug(s) with with safety wire glued or taped to the plug, I STILL managed to push two of those suckers right down into the bowels. I have since procured a larger, more flexible rubber plug from an airhead R80RT. Works sooo much better ...

After thousands of miles with those plugs down there, I haven't noticed any harmful after effects.

[priapismic]

I recommend you always take the belt cover off so you can inspect the alternator belt's integrity. That's the one part whose failure can not only ruin your day, but run your battery down before you're able to get it home.

BTW, if that should ever happen during daylight hours, a belt failure, and your red charge light glows brightly, remove the seat with your other key while the bike idles, then remove the load relief relay. It's the big yellow one in the front left of the fusebox. When you pull it out, all non-critical loads, like all the lights, are turned off. That'll buy you lots more time to make it home.

My bike is now three years old and approaching 30k miles. I know alternator belt replacement is a recommended service item soon. Are these fairly easy to change out? Has anyone ever posted a how-to for this, as some have done for valves adjustment, etc.? A search didn't turn up anything. I'd feel better about doing it in advance of my planned 3,000 mile trip coming up in June.

[Boxer]

Are these fairly easy to change out?

Yeah. I did it in the Fall. At 30K you may not even need it though. You take off the left oil cooler cover and the belt cover. Loosen the three nuts/bolts and the tensioner bolt is accessed from the back next to the alternator, thus the removal of the oil cooler cover. It's a bolt that you turn with a socket and it puts tension on the new belt while you tighten up the other nuts/bolts on the front side.

Piece a cake.