no start? Adjust those valves folks!!

[Coopart1]

Hello all, new and old. I have not been here for a spell since a very busy summer. FINALLY got started working on a 84 200es BR i got back several months ago, maybe close to a year now. Sat in a chicken barn for over ten years before i got it, wires were all jacked up, no key ignition, but other than that looked pretty well all there. SOOOOOoo geting to the reason for this post...this is the second Honda ATC i have gotten (first a 185) that i had trouble getting to fire up thinking it had to be gas..low spark issues, dirty electrical connections etc...and in the end FINALLY go ahead and set the Valve lash / adjustment and BAM fired right up. So the moral to the story if your fighting with any of these bikes mostly 84 and older ADJUST THOSE VALVES ! on both the 185 and this 200es the intake valve was a little too tight and the exhaust was a little too loose...just enough for compression of gases and burn to fail...Thanks for reading my rant...hope it helps someone.

[Big G]

I'm guilty of this. I've never adjusted the valves on a trike before. And because I've never done it I'm always hesitant to do it as a maintenance step for fear of screwing something up. I have a manual that shows the step by step procedure. One of these days I'm going to just go ahead and do it. Reassure me it's not a big job to do...

[Coopart1]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHeIXalJ9N8 I would fallow the directions on this guys video, thats what i have done. its hard to get a feeler gauge in there and if you take the CDI cover off to see that your not on the exhaust stroke and the plug out so its much easier not to "spin" past the "T" mark every time its not to hard of a job, pretty easy. In the video he shows you how to just feel the gap without trying to stick a gauge in there, if you can make it "tick" its too loose, so get them just loose enough to release pressure on the valve at TDC. if you have an 85 250 it will sure help eliminate some backfire issues on the throttle down also.. Cheers

[Big G]

I tried to adjust the valves on my 83 200 last night, but didn't get too far before I ran into a problem. The timing plug (on top of the crankcase) is seized into crankcase. I've owned this trike for 19 years, and have never removed this plug, so it's no wonder it's become part of the engine! There's no way it's coming out. So I'm wondering if there's another way to determine TDC without looking at the "T" and "F" mark on the crank? Can I just go by the marks on the pulser coil/rotor?

[Coopart1]

did you try putting some penetrating oil around the threads? let that sit for a day soaked in WD40 or some other type of oilspray for rusted or seized bolts that works for me, yes they get pretty tight over the years of never coming off. My take if you guess at it..chances are you will be off just enough to screw it up..lol

[kb0nly]

Generally what i do is pull the valve caps then rotate it until the mark lines up, but if you don't have access to the timing mark because the plug is stuck pull the pulse rotor cover off and spin it around until the advancer and pickup are lined up, thats the F on the flywheel, the T is just a smidge past that point. But i have adjusted the valves with it set to the F going by the advancer and its just fine as thats the top of the compression stroke minus a few degrees, perfectly fine doing it that way.

[Big G]

Generally what i do is pull the valve caps then rotate it until the mark lines up, but if you don't have access to the timing mark because the plug is stuck pull the pulse rotor cover off and spin it around until the advancer and pickup are lined up, thats the F on the flywheel, the T is just a smidge past that point. But i have adjusted the valves with it set to the F going by the advancer and its just fine as thats the top of the compression stroke minus a few degrees, perfectly fine doing it that way.

Okay, thanks KB - that's what I was looking for. Also in the video D-Ray doesn't bother using a feeler gauge, he just "feels" how loose they are, and adjusts from there. Have you guys tried this method, or do you maintain the only proper way to set the valves is with a feeler gauge? I'm just thinking it may be tight on the intake side to get a gauge in there...

[tvpierce]

I used D-Ray's method for checking that rear valve this spring because I didn't feel I got an accurate measurement using a feeler gauge. I was very skeptical, but gave it a try. Then just to satisfy my curiosity, I adjusted the front valves in the same manner and followed up by checking my work with a feeler gauge -- it was dead nuts on!

Chock up another one for D-Ray -- that guy is great! BTW: check out his other videos too -- especially the one where he demonstrates how to get a perfect adjustment on the timing chain (even if your tensioner is sticky) using a 50 cent bolt you can find at any hardware store. That tiny bolt is now in my Special Tools drawer. It works really slick!

[kb0nly]

I don't use a feeler gauge either... I do it by feel and sound. If you can rattle the rocker up and down with enough play to make noise its too loose, get it to where it just has a bit of movement to it but doesnt but not enough to can move it up and down and make it click, if that makes sense. I have had some i worked on set so loose when they came to me it sounds like a diesel engine rattling away... LOL