How to adjust Kawasaki Vulcan valve clearance with replaceable shims
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- Опубликовано: 6 окт 2020
- This is the second of a two part video set describing how to adjust valve clearance in a motorcycle with replaceable shims (1995 Kawasaki Vulcan VN800A). In the first video we replaced plugs, disassembled the engine, here
• Understanding your mot...
Along the way we have a close look at the Air Suction Valve emission control system used by Kawasaki.
For a pdf guide to doing valve lash, the following file is helpful, though their exhaust valve target is similar to the oldest version of the dealers repair manual. drive.google.com/file/d/0Bzok...
For a free pdf copy of a more recent dealers repair manual, try this
www.werder.ee/Manual/VN800.pdf.
Or for the most recent version of the manual you can purchase this electronically from Kawasaki directly.
This video is an amateur effort, published in good faith but with no guarantees as to accuracy or safety. It would be wise to get your own copy of a dealers repair manual and double check any critical information. Always read widely and never rely on a single source for important detail. 
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You are a very smart person and deliver this information better than any instructors I've ever had in the many years of automobile repair, A true professional , Thank you, Russ
What a kind remark, thank you.
HE'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THIS PROCEDURE BE PERFORMED EVERY 6,000 MI OR 10,000 KM FOR YOUR EUROPEANS, JUST ANOTHER GREAT VIDEO BY THIS GENTLEMAN, BY THE WAY I'M ABLE TO SLIDE MY FRONT VALVE COVER WITHOUT REMOVING ANY RADIATOR APPARATUS. This is exactly how you do a valve clearance adjustment on the Vulcan 800.
Fantastic content. Please keep it up I have a 98 vn800a and have begun diving into repairs and maintenance following your guidance. You explanations of the systems operations and very good filmography make these tasks so much easier. Thanks and keep up the good work sir.
Since I no longer get notified via email that you've posted, I really need to pay attention. You've got the correct tools, specifications and skills to nail this job. Your one of the best at explaining the process.
Likewise, I've noticed the same thing. For those with eclectic interests it is easy to overlook new videos, youtube browse algorithms aren't perfect. I liked the old method better, even though it meant a lot of email. It looks like the bell means nothing after all. Thanks for popping by, Wyatt!
I’ve been waiting for you to do this thank you great job 👍
That is a great video. More detailed than others I have watched. Thank you
Great work , that will run well for many miles ! ENJOYED..
Thanks for all of the details. Well explained!
Bill
Good video, very helpful. Thank you! Subscribed.
Thanks, man. Nice to meet you.
great video and very helpful, thanks a lot. Fred
I'm sure there's a more appropriate place to ask you a question not pertaining to a specific existing video... 🙂 Smart phones. Lol I'm curious if you have any footage of working on your Vulcan carburetor? I've had mine rebuilt awhile back, but believe it's having issues due to some lingering rust from the fuel tank breaking free. The mechanic is now 8-10 weeks out and I'm thinking I'd like to see what I can do/learn/discover. No experience makes me hesitate. Thanks for your time. Always a pleasure to learn from you.
I've not done a carb cleaning on my Vulcan so I can't help with that. Those little things are surprisingly complex, it would be easy to make a mistake and the cost for it to be done by a pro isn't usually that high. The weakness of my Vulcan is absence of a fuel filter, and of course it has no fuel pump. I'd check your vacuum lines looking for a vacuum leak, which can cause difficult starting and idle issues. If you get a crack or pinhole in the vacuum tube leading to the fuel petcock it could cause poor fuel delivery. Many people modify the routing of the vacuum lines which can cause issues. In V twins you can have vacuum leaks on the intake side between the two cylinders, and poor fitment when it is reassembled would cause problems, too. Also bad fuel needs to be considered, especially if you have lingering rust. The fuel petcock has a screen on it that is designed to trap bits of rust, so it would be wise to remove and have a look inside the tank. Even water in the fuel could cause hesitation and weird performance issues. Good luck!
@@spelunkerd is a fuel filter something I could just add? I have an ‘05 800, I’m pretty sure it doesn’t have a fuel filter, at least I don’t think it does. Can I add one?
@@lyingliar Yup, I did. Choose one made of metal, I suspect the plastic ones may not be appropriate or safe when positioned so close to the cylinder heat. Most have a directional arrow, but if yours doesn't, orient it so the dirty fuel comes down the outside, with clean fuel inside. I did a video of what I did, I think it was a vid describing how the petcock works. You'll want to measure the diameter of your fuel line to match it up with the right size filter. If in doubt, take the line in to the shop where you'll be ordering the filter.
One reason why some owners delete the air suction valve is to eleminate decel popping in the eshaust.
Thanks!
Thank you
Great video.. just purchased a 95 vulcan.. trying to find all info on the bike..
Glad I could help. I rode the bike today.
The next time I do this procedure, I'm going to try a slightly different approach to make it harder to accidentally drop a shim. I'm going to use a small neodynium magnet on the tip of an index finger, with a latex glove holding it in place. I think this method will make it easier to hold the shim without fumbling before sliding it into place. Does anybody have any other ideas for making this task easier?
I had a skinny but kind of long neodynium magnet. But your idea is way better than mine. That's a great idea.
You can get tiny magnets from pocket screwdrivers. Put them in a vice to squeeze the plastic and crack it free from the magnets
Hi I really appreciate your video and at the moment my bike seems to need this procedure to be done but I am not mechanically inclined. When I take my motorcycle to the mechanic what exactly should I ask him to do is it calibrating the valve caps, or adjusting the shims?
"Please check and adjust valve lash" will do it. If you own a Vulcan, the procedure is required every 10,000 km. Other bikes are different, some have automatically adjusting valve lash, some are adjusted by turning an adjustment nut on the top of the head. Kawasaki uses replaceable shims of varying thickness that are swapped as needed. It is not very expensive at a pro shop, usually a few hundred dollars. This procedure adjusts the position of the valves so they seal tightly during compression but also so they open completely at other phases of the combustion cycle. If neglected, the engine could be damaged, or perhaps even destroyed. Good luck!
@@spelunkerd thank you
@@spelunkerd thank you
Great video!!! Does this pertain to a 2003 Vulcan 1500 as well??
Probably, but I would check the exact manual for your bike. Kawasaki make that convenient on their website, and in contrast with other OEM manuals, pdf copies are not that expensive. Alternatively you can go to Ebay or a generic competitor, but the latter is not specific for your exact model.
Ok, that definitely makes sense!! I do have a manual here and the supplement one as well I'll look at!! Thank you n thanks again n for the video!!!
Hi Paul, my name is frank and I just done the motor in my 2001 kawasaki vulcan 800 it turns over wants to go but no gas getting to the front piston. Your thoughts on the problem
I don't have any special expertise in the area, but common problems in bikes generally are vacuum leaks and carburetor issues. I'd carefully inspect the intake manifold looking for an air leak leading to the lean cylinder. To diagnose that, a smoke test is reasonably easy, and propane gas is fairly safe to blow onto suspect connections looking for a rise in rpm. The traditional method of spraying brake clean, carb cleaner, or even WD40 onto suspect connections will work but is much more risky because of fire. Some guys spray water but I haven't had a lot of success with that. If you don't find a vacuum leak I'd remove and clean the carburetor.
@@spelunkerd thanks ill try that and let you know how it turns out, watch your videos all the time like how you explain things,(thanks)
Hello friend, I would like some help if possible, I have a vn 800 1996, and when I start it, it just does not start ... and it makes a noise of something hitting very hard (as if it were an iron hitting inside) it will be possible a video or some tip to fix the starting plate. Sorry bizarre english ...from Brazil.. thx
Gee, that sounds serious, let's hope it is just a problem with the starter motor. Make sure the oil level is good. I would begin with trying to turn the engine over by hand, using the crank bolt under the timing cover with engine in neutral (you see me do this procedure later in this video set, I forget exactly where). Don't force it, it should turn over easily, if you force it you could damage valves. Hoping this is simply the starter gear locking up, you could take the starter motor off and inspect the gears, rolling the engine around and looking for missing teeth, etc. This may be hard to fix but easy to diagnose, so you might ask for pro help if feeling uncertain about your skill set. With starter off if it is still hard to turn, I'd be wondering if your engine skipped time, damaging valves, or worse. Good luck!
@@spelunkerd Hello friend I'm back haha, I discovered the problem and I already solved it ... it was the starter engine that was damaged ... and now the radiator water is disappearing, probably the head gasket is burned because at cold start the bike it takes a long time to "turn on" a cylinder, and practically every time I walk I need to put in the other 25 to 30ml of demineralized water, so I will replace it.
@@RfPrivateCollection Gee, that's too bad. On my channel in the cooling system playlist I show how to use a coolant pressure tester in a Suburban, to help decide where coolant is leaking. Head gaskets can leak coolant to the outside, into oil, or into a cylinder. If coolant leaks into the cylinder you may have back pressure on the cooling system while running, and overheating. Make sure your valve lash is OK, to give the new head gasket every chance. Others have remarked that valve problems and secondary head gasket issues may be related to valve lash that has drifted out of spec. You might be able to see coolant in the cylinder if you have access to a borescope. I'd probably do a baseline compression test, though if the head gasket is blown the results may be hard to interpret. The other thing you can do is look for exhaust gasses in the cooling system, with an inexpensive chemical tester. In severe cases you can see bubbles when looking in the rad cap opening while running, but never open a hot rad cap. Good luck!
@@spelunkerd Thanks for the strength and help friend, soon I will bring news about the case, have a nice day
Hi bro for vn400 adjustment same to the vn800 ?
I don't know. I'd visit the Kawasaki website and download the dealers repair manual for your bike. It's not free but the price was very reasonable when I last looked, and you'll use it many times in the future.
How can I tell if my bike needs valve adjustment? Or is this something routine?
On the Vulcan, it's a routine service item in the manual, I think it was every 8000 km. The Vulcan can grenade if you don't keep up with shim adjustment, it's important. Shims for adjusting valve clearance are uncommon but not rare, check your manual. Traditional engines just had bolts and adjustment screws you tweak manually. It's pretty easy, I did a video of valve adjustment on a John Deer lawn tractor a few years ago, their design is flimsy. Manually adjusting valve clearance would be the most common design for small engines, including a few Honda cars from the early 90's. More modern designs on bigger engines use hydraulic lifters that adjust themselves.
@@spelunkerd thanks for the response! I appreciate the explanation
I’m back! I took my bike to the local shop. I explained to him that Its about that time to do the valve adjustment, he told me it didn’t need a valve adjustment. That if it needed an adjustment I would hear the engine clank clank clanking. I got the bike with 9K miles, it’s up to 12 now. Should I follow his suggestion or should I just tell him to do it whether he feels I need it or not.
@spelunkerd you are tryin to fix problem where there is no problem . The lack of clearance comes from the carbonization around the valves where they sit and not from the shims since the shims didn't get worn out from the original specs. The way you did it ,you will only end up with tighter valves clearance once the engine hot ! Kawasaki manual is wrong , they just want you to fix a problem that's not really the problem so your engine doesn't last ... think about it and let me know if you understand .
I love remarks that challenge conventional wisdom. What you're really trying to do is regulate and normalize the force holding the valve against the seat. Hydraulic lifters do that by applying exacting force directly, and when clearance changes the lifter automatically expands to compensate, so force is unchanged. Old style designs like this one use a spring and a shim. When the spring is more compressed, it applies greater force. As you say, over time carbon builds up on the edge of the valve and the seat, moving the valve slightly up, which compresses the spring more to apply greater force against the localized crud on the valve lip. A little of that might be OK, crushing the carbon to wet dust, but if the force is too high you could get damage to the valve lip because all of that force is aimed at a tiny spot. Of course the flip side of that is the valve that is held off the seat by the cam if the clearance is too small, reducing compression. So there's a sweet spot you need to be on. In the original design of the internal combustion engine, valve clearance failure was identified as a common cause of engine death. That led to the strategy of replaceable shims. There are many anecdotal stories here of poor valve clearance on the Vulcan leading to engine failure. So, I try not to question decisions made by engineers who designed and built these magical sleds.
Do you think there might be problems if it works without Air Suction Valve emission?
Nothing much the rider would notice. Increased emissions and more unburned carbon soot in the exhaust is the only change.
@@spelunkerd There are also no pops when discharging gas and the exhaust pipes do not overheat. Tell me more, I think I also hear this obsessive clatter at idle from your motorcycle. Do you have it? Does it leave after warming up?
@@TIGROWL My engine sounds normal to me, it hasn't changed over 25 years. The air suction valves vibrate really fast, each of the two opening every second crankshaft revolution. I'd expect a high pitched humming sound if they make any noise at all.
@@spelunkerd www.vulcanforums.com/threads/vulcan-800-engine-knock-clip-clop-help.306114/ can you take a look
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