Feeler Gauge Feeling

littlebill31

littlebill31

Smells of Raw Fuel
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I have been wrestling with my valve tappets and wanted to get opinions of how the feeler gauge should feel.
Should it just be touching, should it drag, should it be tight, but not have to be forced. My intake valves are driving me nuts. Either too loose for my judgment or too tight. I'm having trouble finding a sweet spot.

Also, my carbs are tuned, cam tensioner good, ect, but left side spark plug is a little dark and has some oil on it. Not as bad as the manual says in "oil fouling", but a little damp and smells rich. While the right spark plug looks normal per manual. The left is also backfiring. I synched my carbs yesterday and mix screw is 3 out. I am really hoping it's not a ring or guide. That's why I am checking the valves.
Thanks all
 
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I adjust mine so that the right blade will go through, but the next larger one won't. There's a fair amount of drag on the thinner one, to let that happen. I have a set with a lot of blades, so the next larger isn't much larger.
 
Feeler guage should have a "slight" drag to it. Never tight and never loose.

Are you sure the left side spark plug has oil on it and not gas? I'm assuming you have installed fresh plugs? When its running is there blue smoke out of the left pipe?
 
You might also need to replace some of your adjusting screws. The tip that contacts the valve wears on these. It gets all dimpled and pitted up. Then an accurate adjustment is difficult.
 
I just ordered new adjusters with the hex screws from Mikexs. Hope they are a little easier to adjust.
The plugs are new, but the left is dirty and the right is clean. The left exhaust pops and smells rich. There is just a bit of smoke when you first start it. I'll take a picture when I get home of the plugs. It was all running good, then the other day I started it and this happens. Ugh.
I have NGK plugs, but one is gold and one is silver. There should be no difference as long as the numbers are the same correct?
Thanks for all the help.
 
Left and right plugs.
 

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    plugs.jpg
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Those plugs look familiar. rich on the right correct. I have rejetted to 132.5 left 130.0 right mains (recommeded by the German manual). problem solved.

Well maybe not if your left pictured is the left cylinder plug
 
Rich is on the left. I have pods and Harley exhaust, which is pretty baffled. I just looked and the top of my left piston is a little gooey. Not too bad, but has a light oily look. It also looks as if it has collected on the top. I wish I could get a picture. There are some bits of gunk, very small though. The right is carbon dirty, but dry and looks fine. Obviously the tops of the pistons match the plugs.
Thanks all
 
Well you know the engines a bit sick. If it's oil the carb won't fix it, so is it just a leaky valve seal or..................... Course if the LH carb's been leaking for years it may have washed the oil off the cylinder repeatedly and then..... The Good news is it's Feb. in Delaware so there's time to do a top before riding season. What's compression like?
 
Haven't checked the compression yet. I know it's not a good test, but the engine is pretty tough to turn with both plugs in. It'll kick back at ya. Guess I'll pull it and do a top end.
 
When you check compression, remove both plugs. Hold the throttle wide open and kick it. Takes three or four kicks to get a max reading.
 
3 or 4 kicks, maybe more. Just keep kicking it until the gauge stops rising. Also, you usually get a better reading on a warm motor so run it for a few minutes before testing if possible.
 
I got my mikesxs hex head adjusters. Really nice to have. I like the ease of adjustment.

My left intake is still picky. I adjust it, then I'll rotate the engine and check it again, but it'll be off a little. I'm puttting the timing mark in the "T" area, TDC. When I turn the engine, with the line in the "T" nothing moves. The piston starts to move either on the line before or after the "T", but not within that area which is what should happen, correct?
And the adjusters were quite dimpled as 5twins warned.
Thanks again all
 
If you slowly crank it toward tdc, when it gets there it has a tendency to flip past. I always turn it again rather than backing it up, to keep any slack it might have on the same side it's on when it's running. Also, make sure you check it again after you tighten it down; the lock nut wants to move it sometimes.
 
That's what I'm doing. I know you should really not turn it back when adjusting the valves and cam tensioner. I think I'm just over thinking. I just wanted to make sure there was no movement within the "T" area.
 
I have a different kind of mark on mine. But when I adjust the valves it's with the assumption the rest of the engine is working like it's supposed to :)
 

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