Hey everyone just checking the valve clearances while bike is apart how do I know if the bike is on the compression stroke when finding TDC
Compression mate. That's the key word. Stick your finger over one of the spark plug holes (sealing it closed) and rotate the crank. If it compresses you'll feel the force of it (ie all valves are shut) then you're at the right part of the cycle.
go by the timing marker, line up the 1/4 line and you will be on tdc for 1 and 4. honestly to check the clearances you just have to get the cam lobe off the bucket, but doing it by the manual is quicker.
ok so the cam lobes dont need to be facing any certain way just as long as theyre off the bucket when measured?
Cheers I was just confused because in the manual it says to check some when cylinder 1 is at TDC then to check the rest when cylinder 4 is at TDC but aren't they at TDC at the same time it's probably simple it's just confusing me
yeah they are mate, the camshaft moves at half the speed of the crank, so getting it to tdc will allow you to check certain valve clearances then spinning the crank 360 will allow you to check the others. i just turn it until the the timing mark is lined up and the exhaust valves for cylinder 1 are checkable then i know its at tdc for cylinder 1, turn the crank 360 degrees and your at tdc for cyl 4 so you can check the rest. it confused me the first time i read the manual aswell.
I'm in the middle of doing my clearances too as well and was confused by the "TDC of compression stroke" too. I was thinking, wouldn't you be able to physically see the cam lobes and whether its TDC with ex valves open or closed? The manual says- "When positioning #1 piston TDC at the end of the compression stroke: Inlet valve clearance of #1 and #3 cylinders and exhaust valve clearances of #1 and #2 cylinders are able to be checked." So yeah like if you rotated the crank to TDC #1 and you were unsure if it was on compression stroke or not, whether or not you could access the specified clearances would tell you what stroke it is, right? Say if you couldn't get the feeler in the inlet clearance of #1 at TDC #1, you mustn't be at the compression stroke. Please someone slap me if that sounded stupid or was completely wrong, I was just speculating as I am new to clearances and was trying to figure out what the manual meant. Thanks!
