CB 360 valve clearance

[boulevard]

I am adjusting the clearance on my valves and finding it extremely hard to be exact. My brain tells me that I have them set close enough. Then I look at the small differences between intake and exhaust. Not even visible to the naked eye. I know I dont have them set that precise.

Am I worried about nothing. Right now I have screwed the tappet down onto the feeler gauge. Then backed off just a hair so that I can pull the gauge out. Does that sound good enough?

Boulevard

 

[Sonreir]

"Good enough" isn't a term you really want to apply to your valve clearances.

Too close and it's possible you'll be holding the valves open as the heat causes the metal to expand. Engine will stop running.

Not close enough and you're pounding the heck out of the tappets (accelerated wear) and all losing duration on the valves. Down on power.

Use a "go, no go" approach when setting the clearances. After pulling the feeler gauge from the gap, you should be able to slide it back in with a bit of work, but the next biggest size should not fit at all. This usually translates into about a pound of force to remove the feeler from the gap.

 

[boulevard]

Haha. True. Good advice I'm gonna try that. The next size up shouldn't fit and I should be able to get the right gauge in with a little work.

Boulevard

 

[born2expire]

also make sure that nut on the valve tappet is TIGHT. it's a pain in the ass to set the valve clearance with the engine in the frame and i guess i wasn't able to torque it properly and after about 10 mins of idling it backed up broke my cam chain bent a valve and caused a bunch of headache. go the extra mile before you do what i did!