Noticeable Changes Following Valve Adjustment (R1150R)

[popgazer]

I adjusted the valves last weekend and noticed the following: the bike runs smoother and has much less hickups especially in low rpms

However, and this is IMPORTANT and started right after the VA: at startup, the engine requires several rounds before it fires up. As a result IMHO this is putting a drain on the battery, since each time, now, it's taking more rounds to fire up the engine.

I also noticed that sound got noticeably much deeper.

I used the valve adjustment procedure described on advrider, i.e. 0.15mm intake and 0.30mm exhaust.

So, according to you mechanical gurus, what happened ? Did I lose compression or what ??

Thanks for the input.

[Acacia]

Tell us more please.
How many miles on the motor?
Were the valves out - and by how much and which ones?
Did you use 2 feeler guages at the same time?
Did you re-check your adjustment after the 1st adjustment?
Did you re sync. the throttle bodies?
Did you do anything else besides adjust the valves?

Should be no problem on the battery - the alternator will charge it back up in 15 minutes of good riding.

[popgazer]

Tell us more please.
How many miles on the motor?

18k mi

Were the valves out - and by how much and which ones?

The intake ones were off compared to one another by ~0.01mm, on both cylinders.
The exhaust valves were very tight (using 0.3mm) and slightly off to one another, again on both sides.


Did you use 2 feeler guages at the same time?

Yes.

Did you re-check your adjustment after the 1st adjustment?
Yes.

Did you re sync. the throttle bodies?
Yes. But like I said, the changes were noticeable following the VA and before the TB sync.


Did you do anything else besides adjust the valves?

Oil&oil filer change. Tightened a clip on the fuel line, it started leaking.


Should be no problem on the battery - the alternator will charge it back up in 15 minutes of good riding.
It gets recharched just fine after a ride to work, but in the morning the bike is having a hell of a time, which it did not have before VA.
BTW, outside temps is in the low 50's these days in Los Angeles. VERY cold!

[Acacia]

I presume that once fired up the bike runs, pulls well? 50 degrees should not make any difference.

If the bike is running well, apart from the starting difficulty and louder 'noise', that it is not a VA issue. Too tight ex valves can lead to them being burned, but them you would be down on power.

What kind of noise? - from the intake side? If this is the case then check your air fiter. Some times they dont stay placed and seal. This alters the noise from the intakes. Is this the 1st air filter change? Was the old one dirty? I have noticed a small change in intake noise due to the older filter being partially blocked with dirt.

Read you plugs? Consistant color?

Any changes to your fuel filling habits - a reliable service station? - possible water with you last fill up?

[popgazer]

I presume that once fired up the bike runs, pulls well? 50 degrees should not make any difference.
The bike runs like a charm once fired up. it is running better than ever. Even better than after the dealer did the 6k and 12k miles service. I am now a firm believer that one gets better results doing the VA oneself.


louder noise
No, not louder, just deeper. Maybe the exhaust pops are now generating less harmonics in the upper fequencies :020:

Thanks for the tip about the air filter. I am doing the service one thing at a time, I will get to the filter soon. Maybe I will redo the VA to see if it changes anything!



Read you plugs? Consistant color?
Any changes to your fuel filling habits - a reliable service station? - possible water with you last fill up?

Negative. Fuel and all were the same. The plugs were dry with a thin layer of carbon. They looked good so didn't get new ones! Maybe, I'd better get new ones. What do you think ?

Actually the bike sat for a couple of weeks, then I fired it up and went for a warm up. Changed the oil and filter, then went for a run. Next day, I did the VA on cold. Right after, I tried to fire it and it immediately had difficulty turning the engine. And it still does since then.

[Dallara]

Is the battery fully charged up?

(low battery voltage can no only cause slow cranking but also make the bike harder to light off at cranking speeds)

Have you popped a cable out of the throttle body ferulles?

(this causes all sorts of havoc at low speeds)

Did you get the plug caps down all the way, and on tight?

(if they aren't down and on all the way the bike will have trouble firing at cranking speeds but the sprk will jump the gap from the plug cap to the top of the plug once the bike is fired)

Hope this helps!

Allan (Dallara - NACD)