Since the weather is going to be crappy for at least another week, I figured it was time to do the 600 mile valve check on the 690. I removed the 2 front side fairings, the voltage regulator on the right (for access to the right airbox bolt) and the air box.
To remove the airbox, you need to first remove the lid as well as the 4 screws that hold it in place (2 front, 2 back). You should be able to hold the voltage regulator aside to get to the right front bolt. Next, disconnect the 2 or 3 hoses that are connected to the air and the electronic sensor. Once that is done, just loosen the clamp where the air boot connects to the throttle body. You should be able to work it off pretty easily. Now you have the cylinder head cover expose. There are 2 hoses that connect into a metal dealie on the top, unclamp and remove them. There is also an electrical connector that kind of lays on top of the head cover, it helps to disconnect this. You can remove the spark plug while you are at it. I found the tools that came with the bike the easiest to use to do this. Here's a few pics of the plug. Certainly looks lean to me:
Now simply remove the 4 bolts that hold the head cover on. You might have to wiggle the head cover a bit to get it loose, but it should come off pretty easily.
Now you have the valve drive exposed and it's time to find TDC. To do this, I had the bike on a stand and put it in top gear. Roll the wheel forward until the valves close after the compression stroke. There also appears to be a way to identify TDC by looking at the cam. There is a line engraved on the backside of the cam gear that appears to line up with a bolt at the top of the head right after the valves close on compression stoke. Not only that, but the 2 outside holes on the cam gear line up perfectly with the rocker arm shaft removal holes (as seen in the first pic below. That way, you can remove the rocker arms without removing the cam. Can anyone confirm is if this method of the little mark lining up and the rocker arm shaft removal holes lining up is TDC?
Here are some pics.
Assuming that I am at TDC, I went ahead an measured the clearances. There is a label on the frame that gives the valve clearance specs. Both intake and exhaust appear to use the same specs which are .07mm - .13mm (approx. .003in - .005in). Can someome verify if this is the case?. Here's a pic (had to read it with a small mirror, then use photoshop to "reverse" it for pic):
Anyway, here are my numbers (valve orientation as if sitting on bike):
Exhaust
LFr = .102 (.004) - dead center
RFr = .102 (.004) - dead center
Intake
LRr = .076 (.003) shim= .255 - slightly tight
RRr = .051 (.002) shim= .260 - slightly tighter
So my intakes are on the tight side, time to check the shims. Remove the 2 bolts that hold the rocker arm shaft in place (circled in pic):
Here is a side shot of the intake valves:
Remember how the cam gear holes line up with the rocker arm shaft removal holes? I now took the longer rocker arm shaft bolt and, going through the right hole on the cam, threaded it into the rocker arm shaft a few turns. Next, simply pull out the shaft and you can remove the rocker arm. I removed each shim with a magnet and measured them with a digital caliper and got the numbers I listed above. There were printed numbers on the shims, but all I could read was the first and last numbers: 2 and 5 on the LRr shim, and 2 and 0 on the RRr shim. The digital caliper read 2.54 on the RRr shim and 2.61 on the LRr shim so I came to the conclusion that they are 2.55 and 2.60 shims based on the KTM part numbers.
If my math is correct, I will need the following shims now for my intake valves:
LRr 2.30 shim should make clearance .102 (.004) center
RRr 2.10 shim should make clearance .102 (.004) center
Can someone confirm if this is correct?. If so, I'm going to go ahead and order them from the dealer so I can get back to riding!
I am new to shim type valve adjusts so I just want to make sure that I am doing it right. SO far, it's really not much harder than the screw adjust type, just some more parts involved.
Well, I hope that I have done this right and I hope that these pics and write up might help someone else.
To remove the airbox, you need to first remove the lid as well as the 4 screws that hold it in place (2 front, 2 back). You should be able to hold the voltage regulator aside to get to the right front bolt. Next, disconnect the 2 or 3 hoses that are connected to the air and the electronic sensor. Once that is done, just loosen the clamp where the air boot connects to the throttle body. You should be able to work it off pretty easily. Now you have the cylinder head cover expose. There are 2 hoses that connect into a metal dealie on the top, unclamp and remove them. There is also an electrical connector that kind of lays on top of the head cover, it helps to disconnect this. You can remove the spark plug while you are at it. I found the tools that came with the bike the easiest to use to do this. Here's a few pics of the plug. Certainly looks lean to me:
Now simply remove the 4 bolts that hold the head cover on. You might have to wiggle the head cover a bit to get it loose, but it should come off pretty easily.
Now you have the valve drive exposed and it's time to find TDC. To do this, I had the bike on a stand and put it in top gear. Roll the wheel forward until the valves close after the compression stroke. There also appears to be a way to identify TDC by looking at the cam. There is a line engraved on the backside of the cam gear that appears to line up with a bolt at the top of the head right after the valves close on compression stoke. Not only that, but the 2 outside holes on the cam gear line up perfectly with the rocker arm shaft removal holes (as seen in the first pic below. That way, you can remove the rocker arms without removing the cam. Can anyone confirm is if this method of the little mark lining up and the rocker arm shaft removal holes lining up is TDC?
Here are some pics.
Assuming that I am at TDC, I went ahead an measured the clearances. There is a label on the frame that gives the valve clearance specs. Both intake and exhaust appear to use the same specs which are .07mm - .13mm (approx. .003in - .005in). Can someome verify if this is the case?. Here's a pic (had to read it with a small mirror, then use photoshop to "reverse" it for pic):
Anyway, here are my numbers (valve orientation as if sitting on bike):
Exhaust
LFr = .102 (.004) - dead center
RFr = .102 (.004) - dead center
Intake
LRr = .076 (.003) shim= .255 - slightly tight
RRr = .051 (.002) shim= .260 - slightly tighter
So my intakes are on the tight side, time to check the shims. Remove the 2 bolts that hold the rocker arm shaft in place (circled in pic):
Here is a side shot of the intake valves:
Remember how the cam gear holes line up with the rocker arm shaft removal holes? I now took the longer rocker arm shaft bolt and, going through the right hole on the cam, threaded it into the rocker arm shaft a few turns. Next, simply pull out the shaft and you can remove the rocker arm. I removed each shim with a magnet and measured them with a digital caliper and got the numbers I listed above. There were printed numbers on the shims, but all I could read was the first and last numbers: 2 and 5 on the LRr shim, and 2 and 0 on the RRr shim. The digital caliper read 2.54 on the RRr shim and 2.61 on the LRr shim so I came to the conclusion that they are 2.55 and 2.60 shims based on the KTM part numbers.
If my math is correct, I will need the following shims now for my intake valves:
LRr 2.30 shim should make clearance .102 (.004) center
RRr 2.10 shim should make clearance .102 (.004) center
Can someone confirm if this is correct?. If so, I'm going to go ahead and order them from the dealer so I can get back to riding!
I am new to shim type valve adjusts so I just want to make sure that I am doing it right. SO far, it's really not much harder than the screw adjust type, just some more parts involved.
Well, I hope that I have done this right and I hope that these pics and write up might help someone else.