Valve adjustment

[hotdog7]

Ok I am going to check and try to adjust if needed my valves myself in the repair manual it says to remove carb is this necessary?2002 wr426

[byggd]

No it's not. I'm not sure why they would say that.

[matt4x4]

No, just remove the shrouds, tank, top engine supports, the breather tubes and two bolts that hold the lid down.

[bhiggins25]

I think the reason the manual suggests that you remove the carb is because the cam chain tensioner can be difficult to remove and install with the carb on.

On my '04, it was necessary to remove the drain plug from the carb, and use a 1/4" universal joint and a long extension to get at the inside tensioner bolt. Still wasn't easy.

[rdefonce]

No, just remove the shrouds, tank, top engine supports, the breather tubes and two bolts that hold the lid down.

They also say ya gotta remove radiators; that's also not true!

[William1]

Only need to access the cam chain tensioner if the valves need reshimming. I'd check the valves first and then deal with the tensioner only if I had to adjust.

[hotdog7]

Thanks it did not look like I would need to remove carb. Next ? I have feeler gauge set and manual say intake between 0.10 to 0.15mm exhaust 0.20 to0.25 my feeler gauge says from.051 to.381 mm so I guess intake should be as close as I could find .102mm to.152mm hope I got this right exhaust .203 to.254mm:bonk:

[matt4x4]

This is how I do it, now granted, I'm not totally anal about shimming for several reasons:

1. Feelers (although supposedly accurate), can still hang up with their edges and give you some false info.

2. Shop temperature can affect readings.

You should be measuring at room temp (22 deg. celcius), however, many times up where I am, the temps are at freezing or lower which can tighten things up and it doesn't take that much temperature difference to throw a measurement out .05mm. Now granted, I could point a space heater at my motor, but realistically.....I got better things to do.

So here's what I do:

If you can't fit the .102 but can fit the next smallest you're just under minimum spec and should reshim if at room temp, however, I leave it alone and take note to check again in a couple of months. (ideally at room temp)

If you can fit the .102 but not the .152, you're in business (within spec) and don't need to do anything.

If you can fit the .152 but not the next size up, your just outside of your maximum spec and should reshim if at room temp, however, I leave it alone and take note to check again in a couple of months. (ideally at room temp)

If you can fit the next one up or down from max or min, you're definitely out of spec and definitely should reshim - which is what I do in no uncertain terms.

[hotdog7]

Yea Im right there I would say room temp around 60 to 65f