This is driving me bonkers.  On the compression stroke you should hear intake noise and if you don't stop at TDC you get a poof of air out of the spark plug hole.  Next go round those sounds are absent.  Next go round stop at TDC and viola.

Right???

If so then I got TDC, got my decomp cable set but there is STILL no free play in either rocker arm.  Actually no matter what there is no free play in my rocker arms.

Both arms are up, piston is TDC and no play.  And I cant get a feeler guage in anywhere for the life of me to check clearance

Anyone have any advice on this?

It is a good Idea to take the feeler gauges that you know you will be using (.003-.006") and make two 90 degree bends about 1/4 inch from the tip making an L shape. This allows you to get better access to the valves.  A lot of times it can feel like you cant even get the gauge in there but actually the gauge is close but not dead on the gap. Can you feel any free play in the rocker arm or are they stiff?

Another tip I read here somewhere....

Spec calls for 0.003 to 0.005 inch,  

Well.... Loosen the lock nut on the valve adjuster and back the adjuster off.   Then using the 0.004 feeler,  stick the feeler gauge in there,  finger tight the adjuster down on it so that it just touches.  Then get the lock-nut just touching, which is basically finger tight but a loose finger tight..... .  Then holding the adjuster with a wrench, tighten down the lock nut.  

The tightening action will take it to between 003 & 004.......  

Works wonderfully......

splash07 wrote on 03/14/09 at 19:01:00:


No free play in the rockers, no matter when I stop at TDC

On my bike, I have been unable to detect free play in the rockers on either of the two occasions I adjusted the valves.  Nontheless, I had the proper clearance when I was all done and the bike runs like a champ.  I can't remember now if I had free play on Kay's bike or not.  She did most of that adjustment, and I just supervised.

I don't have any free play at all no matter were the piston is,bike runs great so I don't worry about.

Grab that thing & Lift it away from the valve tip, then press down, dont be shy. You really should be able to feel it "click" back down.
Finding the correct Top Dead Center.
As was mentioned, only one stroke creates pressure in the cylinder, & thats compression,once you feel the way the engine "does things" like suck & blow thru the plug hole, you can easily find the compression stroke.
Someone mentioned bending the feeler gauge. Mine are out of the holder, single strips of shiny steel,with a Ski Tip Lip bent into them& a 90* bend about 3/4" or so back & then another 90 about 1/2" from that, making a Z, so I can get it between valve tip & riocker.
I start by seeing if I can cram the Feeler I want in. If so, & it feels snug, I call it good. Otherwise I loosen it up to make it easy to get the feeler in, run the adjuster down finger tight, hold it with a screwdriver & snug the jam nut. Snugging the jam nut Lifts the adjuster into its threads & can change the adjustment a bit, so then I slip the feeler back & forth to see if I messed it up. I RAssled this Hard the first few times. I finally started using the thinnest feeler allowed & set it as close as I could & it stopped requiring such regular adjustment.

REcommend blowing the dirt out from the plug hole before removing the plug. I Didnt do that once & discovered a pile of crap around the hole. I spent a couple hours fishing sandy crap out of the cuylinder, with grease on a piece of weed eater line. The front tire does toss stuff that general direction.


I have a couple of offset screwdrivers that make getting onto the adjuster & holding it while setting the jamnut easy. Also,after I see I am close I can loosen the jam nut a hair & EEEk a tiny adjustment into it with that offset driver.
I Wish I had a 10 mm that drops off on the ends, BUT I dont,, daggummmittt..

Take yer time, have a flashlight & a magnet handy. Ive dropped the feeler before.


Ohh Yea, as someone pointed out.Watching the valves will allow you to confirm what the pressure on your finger tells you.
You can watch the exhaust valves pushed down, then close & the intakes open, then close. Then, when the marks line up on the L end of the crank, thats TDC.

Good Going. It gets easier & easier. I dont know about you, but my guts were in a knot for quite a fdew miles after I did it. Even after Id done it a few times, I was still concerned I hadnt gotten it right or got the jam nuts tight enough to stay. Those things get some serious shakin & rattlin. Never had a problem but I am still very careful in there.