[Lightning44]

Hey guys, looking for some feedback on my cam timing after doing a valve clearance adjustment. I got all the new shims in place, but when I went to put the cams back, I can't seem to get my exhaust cam to time "perfectly" to the top of the engine case as per the owner's manual. I'm trying to figure out if what I have is as close as its going to get or if I need to pull it all apart and try again. It seems like it is like 1/2 cog off or something which doesn't make any sense. The motor does turn over by hand with essentially the same stiffness points as before the cams were out.

Bike is a 2009 V650 with 22500 miles. The chain was held in place during the whole process so I think a kink is unlikely.

 

[onewizard]

How To Forum

You will find a video on page #2 of here https://www.kawasakiversys.com/foru...shim-check-valve-timing-valve-adjustment.html

Also I have a much better photo of my 2015 , I have done my previous 07 and also my 2015, since I was aware of mistakes in the printed copy of the service manual, I noted this in my 2015 instructions, also the mechanical of the 2007 through 2016 are all identical. I took extra time to get detail on valve timing, as you screw up , usually damage occurs. Go to post #8 through #9 https://www.kawasakiversys.com/foru...e-shim-vacuum-sync-2015-650abs-onewizard.html

Any questions,just ask, several of us have done this valve shim multiple times.

 

[invader]

Cam timing looks fine in your photo... You should be able to confirm that it is in fact correct as it is.

 

[onewizard]

Hey guys, looking for some feedback on my cam timing after doing a valve clearance adjustment. I got all the new shims in place, but when I went to put the cams back, I can't seem to get my exhaust cam to time "perfectly" to the top of the engine case as per the owner's manual. I'm trying to figure out if what I have is as close as its going to get or if I need to pull it all apart and try again. It seems like it is like 1/2 cog off or something which doesn't make any sense. The motor does turn over by hand with essentially the same stiffness points as before the cams were out.

Bike is a 2009 V650 with 22500 miles. The chain was held in place during the whole process so I think a kink is unlikely.

Be very careful , a piston hits a valve, it is the end.There is only one correct valve timing position,, unfortunately there are mistakes in the service manual, I and others have addressed this and so noted in both the MK-1 valve shim in How To and the MK-3 also there.

 

[Lightning44]

Thanks onewizard & Invader!
I felt like it was right, but I just had trouble convincing myself. So when I got home from work today I pulled the cam caps back off rechecked everything and if I moved the exhaust cam one cog further in either direction it was too much.
I feel like I read every thread on doing the valve adjustments ahead of actually doing them, but I still missed things in the more detailed posts, thanks for those reminder links.

Now on to the front fork oil change...
I'm doing every piece of maintenance I can think of right now while the bike is apart. Had an off back in December so while I'm doing repairs, might as well fix/upgrade!

 

[Heywood]

...
Now on to the front fork oil change...
I'm doing every piece of maintenance I can think of right now while the bike is apart. Had an off back in December so while I'm doing repairs, might as well fix/upgrade!

What fork oil and weight will you be using? After some reading and looking at this chart http://qemsc.com.au/documents/suspensionoils.pdf it appears that what one mfgr calls 5 wt can really vary.

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

What fork oil and weight will you be using? After some reading and looking at this chart http://qemsc.com.au/documents/suspensionoils.pdf it appears that what one mfgr calls 5 wt can really vary.

Ever since I raced FIM Enduros in Ontario and Quebec in the '70s and '80s, I've used ATF in my forks, and BOTH my '08 and '15 have this ATF in them.

The oil I removed was fairly dirty, BTW.