Hi Guys, doing a full service during this lock down and decided to check valve clearances. I tackle most things myself and don't tend to have any dramas. Clearances all in-spec However, I cannot for the life of me get the cam cover back up through front of frame. I have rad out, exhaust headers off, clutch cable removed, even taken the pair valve covers off the cam cover but still cannot get the cover through the gap. Came out relatively easily so I'm obviously missing something. Any suggestions?
Had the same problem this afternoon on a 2007. Came out relatively easily but wouldn't go back in. My rad was pushed down out the way and front wheel off and forks out as I have to do the seals next weekend and it wouldn't go through the frame. All it came down to was wiggle it this way and the other and eventually I found the magic path. Doesn't really help but it will go eventually.
Funnily my experience is only RR7 too but I know how to do it. The Honda manual says remove the throttle bodies and lift it off but it can go through the frame front opening, as you know, since that's how it came off. The radiator has to be lowered down on its hoses but that's all. Put the rear of the cover into the frame opening a little, just enough to tilt the front edge down behind the radiator. You now have the cover nearly vertical with the rear edge still looking into the opening but the cover now behind the rad. Now wiggle it up in an arc into the frame opening. The loom on the right, as you look at it, will be in the way so a finger has to edge it past. Once past about 45deg it becomes easier and drops straight on the head.
OK. It's in at last. Also removed the breather tube from top of cover which helped. It's the loom fastened to inside of frame on nearside which causes the agro.
Hopefully this’ll help someone. Excuse the grunts kneeling down and getting up, getting on a bit. This is a 2007. Other than the obvious the forks are out and the radiator has been lowered. This is the second time I’ve done this in a fortnight as I didn’t take enough care last time and didn’t notice one of the gasket lobe things wasn’t sat correctly and had folded in under the cover resulting in an oil leak. I’m going to fit a new gasket as I think I’ve stretched this one last time by not being careful. The lesson is that if you are forcing it, you’re doing it wrong.
Got mine to do soon, so this will come in very handy dern thanks. Got myself a replacement gasket just in case. Ironically previous owner had it serviced and receipt shows expensive valve check - garage noted will need adjusting on next service as tight, so why not do it then when everything is off! Makes me think they didn't check but just charged!
I know it sounds a bit daft but it's worth trying to fit the cam cover with the old gasket a few times before you put the new one on. It's really easy to snag it. Stupidly tight. The inlet side on my bike was all in spec but the exhausts were all tight. My bike has done 20k miles.
Makes sense - was going to see how the old gasket looked (not sure if it was replaced on the last check), and maybe smear with a bit of instant gasket. The new gasket i have is a Chinese version but should still be OK - wasn't going to pay £62 for a Honda one! Mines for 43K on so if not done properly before will likely need some attention. Will have to work out what shims to get once i know all the clearances
I put a smear of gasket on but it's difficult not to get it everywhere when installed the cover. I'm going to do what this guy does when my new gasket arrives... Looks a piece of piss with the engine out
Almost time to tackle the valve clearances, will do once bike is layed up for the winter. Got mostly everything I need for this other than shims - am guessing will need to adjust if the garage highlighted to previous owner they were tight some 15k miles ago!. Anyways options on getting shims, buy a box full and hope I have right ones or order as I need them, although seem pricey at £7.88 each from fowlers - and some are on backorder so might take time. Any other make recommended, just bit cautious of ebay ones and quality!
When I did this I bought a box of shims made by hot cams for my cbr1000rr and another box for my ktm. If I didn't need the bike from one weekend to the next I'd spend the first weekend measuring the clearances and then measure the shims that you need to change so that you know which ones to change. You'll need a half decent micrometer for this. Then work out what the most cost effective way to buy the shims is. On the blade I ended up needing the 8 shims on the exhaust side and I needed more than 3 of the same size which meant I had to buy a top up set on top of buying the box. If you need multiples of the same size you can get top up bags of 5 hot cams shims for about 8 quid.
The hot cam shims are less than the honda ones and 5 of them! Think your right dern, if the bike is apart then no issue with leaving a week to order up what I need - will just have to try and not forget how everything goes back together! . Got a good calibrated set of digital vernier calipers so that should to the job
Plenty of photos and a bit of cardboard to remember the layout of the bolts etc and you can't go wrong... The hardest bit is the fecking cam cover and getting it back on without snagging the gasket. I got all my shims from an ebayer called dirthut. He specialises in offroad bikes and they supplied the box I got for my KTM but I also saw that he did the 7.48 shims I needed for the Honda. From memory their prices were good and they delivered quickly for both sets and the top up bag. Also, check the sizes of the shims you take out and see if they'll be right for one of the others you need to adjust. It's unlikely but you never know. Forgot to mention, if you haven't already got a magnetic pen pick up tool then it'll make the job of getting the shims out so much easier.
