2talltim's spring maintenance-apalooza 2015 edition questions thread.

[2talltim]

Okay so I'm on this journey into the unknown to freshen up the old girl and fix a couple known issues. Things i hope to accomplish on this adventurer are as follows.

1. Valve check and adjust if needed.
2. Coolant system flush
3. Replace spark plugs
4. Fix cam sensor oring leak.
5. air filter replacement.
6. Check battery and clean terminals.
7. Oil Change
8. Final drive oil change
9. Flush and bleed fluid to all brakes and clutch
10. (maybe) fork oil change

Anything else that's slipping my mind, let me know i dont want to tear her down a second time. Also ill post more pics and questions as i come to them I'm sure there will be more later.

It all began tonight and I'm already at a snag. I've removed all the plastics and faring stays and brackets(bla, bla, bla) and im basically down to the point where I can remove the valve cover and get to the Cam sensor and it's oring. But there is sooo much muck around the sensor and above it now i wondering if its us the oring or do i have a leaking valve cover gasket? So im going to post a few pics i took and would like some of you fine folk to tell me you opinions on what you have seen before and ask should i also replace the valve cover gasket just incase?

[2talltim]

[2talltim]

couple pics of the Connie looking all pitiful...

[Deziner]

I'm doing the same thing. I replaced the valve cover gasket because I had no idea how old it was. I also replaced the spark plug seals and the rubber seals on the valve cover bolts. It wasn't cheap but I have no regrets.

I also pulled the driveshaft and lubed the splines. And lifted the fuel tank to access the plenum to clean the crap out of there. And cleaned the ground points to the frame. And used silicon dielectric on every connector I pulled apart. While I was taking things apart, I pulled the headlight fairing so I could check all of the windshield mounting bolts, then cleaned and all the moving parts on the lift mechanism.

While it was down for maintenance I pulled the drive cushion out of the rear wheel and cleaned and lubed that. I'm sure I did other stuff too but that's what I can remember off the top of my head.   

[2talltim]

the more i look at it im thinking i should just do the gasket too

[Riverszzr]

$40 spent now on the gasket could save you a ton of extra time having to go back in later. And looking at the mess, probably needs it.

[JS_racer]

$40 spent now on the gasket could save you a ton of extra time having to go back in later. And looking at the mess, probably needs it.

 

[twowheeladdict]

I'm thinking it might be time to trade her in on a new model.   

I could replace both the Concours and the Versys with a Super Tenere or GS and probably be happy.   

[MAN OF BLUES]

Tim, got your note, that looks pretty much to be the Oring, especially if its an 08' and the cover has never been off. For $1 and an envelope, you can't beat the deal, and at least you can scratch the ring off on the probable list for a few years after its replaced..... clean all that goop off before you pull it tho, you'll know when you pull it if it was leaking, for sure.... as for the cover gasket, when I did my last check, I carefully removed the gasket and inspected it, it was not compromised in the least, and I could see clearly it was sealing fine, when I replaced the cover, I meticulously cleaned the gasket groove with a scraper and brakekleener, and the mating surface, applied a 1/8" bead of black hightemp RTV in the center of the groove, and reused my old gasket, which I cleaned with brakekleen also, gotta by oil free..... its a timing thing, I made sure the cover install could be uninterrupted by anything else at that point, applied the RTV and gasket, let it sit flat on my bench for 10 minutes, tyhen without interruption installed it and snugged it down. Never leaked..... make sure to sop up all the pool of oil sitting in the well on the head, and degrease everything.

[2talltim]

Yup went ahead and ordered a gasket. Why go cheap when $40 is a small price to pay for piece of mind. Also ordered everything else I need and will be stopping by parts store after work for some cleaner, coolant and oil. Will be mapping the valve clearances tonight, and making any adjustments this weekend. Hopefully I'll have her wrapped up and ready to roll for the season by mid next week.

[tomp]

I'm thinking it might be time to trade her in on a new model.   

I could replace both the Concours and the Versys with a Super Tenere or GS and probably be happy.   

If you trade, go for a 2015  Multistrada, or a KTM 1290 Super Adventure, instead.  Both have the same basic power specs as the C14, but in a twin format.  Either of those would be exciting to ride anytime, anywhere.  tp

[MAN OF BLUES]

Yup went ahead and ordered a gasket. Why go cheap when $40 is a small price to pay for piece of mind. Also ordered everything else I need and will be stopping by parts store after work for some cleaner, coolant and oil. Will be mapping the valve clearances tonight, and making any adjustments this weekend. Hopefully I'll have her wrapped up and ready to roll for the season by mid next week.

When you are making your map, mic all the shims, don't trust the markings....

Also, as you pull each bucket, mic the head thickness also, and record those for each position.....
This allows you to swap buckets to dial in the clearances for those marginal positions where a specific shim can't be considered as ideal.

See my map below for how much difference it can make

[maxtog]

When you are making your map, mic all the shims, don't trust the markings....

Also, as you pull each bucket, mic the head thickness also, and record those for each position.....

Hmm, I would have never thought of measuring the buckets, but that makes sense.  Hey- you wrote everything under the sun on your paper.... except the bike mileage!!

[2talltim]

Never thought of measuring the buckets either. I ran out of 2.30 shims in my kit(needed 5 and only had 3), need to run to the dealer in the morning for 2 more. i think even with out measuring the buckets ill have everything wth in  .001" of each other, all at the middle spec or at the high spec. And i did mic each one, there were 5 of them i couldnt even read the numbers.

Here is a pic of my plugs, got some carbon build up but not really worn, tey are getting replaced anyway.


here are some random mechanical porn pics...

[VirginiaJim]

Those plugs looked like mine.  The Kawi Tech said I wasn't riding it hard enough (easy boys).  Made me feel bad.

[MAN OF BLUES]

Hmm, I would have never thought of measuring the buckets, but that makes sense.  Hey- you wrote everything under the sun on your paper.... except the bike mileage!!

Its a secret.....

Joking.

That was right around 23k,  I checked all with precision feelers around 17k and none seemed to be at the low end, so I buttoned it up, and cranked out 5k more before that point. That tells the tale of just how much they CAN change in 6 or 7 months. Mind you that last 5k was mostly cold weather riding, and flogging it pretty hard also.... I think the colder air, combined with the flogging made a big difference. 

My plugs looked pristine @ 17k, and slightly darker when I did the adjust, but my air filter was grottey at that point.....

Tim, while you have that all apart, pick up 4 feet of vacume hose, and install sections onto the vac plugs on the throttle body, run those out to the left side, mark them, plug them, and use a spark plug wire loom to hold them together.... that way when you are all buttoned up you can easily get your vacuume readings to see if you want to do a tb synch, and you'll never curse about getting the vacuume hoses on......heheheh luckily after buying the right angled driver and stuff my tb's were fine, but I can easily check anytime I want to now as the hoses are right there.

[2talltim]

My bike has 32k miles. Converted every thing in inches when i check because that was the only set of feelers i had. So in the Intake side i only had 2 that needed adjusted one was .001 off the other was .002 off of the middle spec. On the exhaust side they were all needing adjustment. 6 of them were .001 off and 2 were .002 off of middle spec. So really i only 3 valves off of the low spec, they are all perfect now.

Bleed the brakes and clutch with new juice. Flushed the coolant. New plugs installed. Checked the header bolts. Gave the entire engine whip down, and got her insides all cleaned up.

Still waiting for the Cam Sensor o-ring and new valve cover gasket to be delivered before I can put her all back together. Will still need to the heat cycle the engine a couple times then top off the coolant and then change the oil. Then ill move on to the suspension, wheel and final drive check. Then it's ready for the season.

[2talltim]

Its a secret.....



Tim, while you have that all apart, pick up 4 feet of vacume hose, and install sections onto the vac plugs on the throttle body, run those out to the left side, mark them, plug them, and use a spark plug wire loom to hold them together.... that way when you are all buttoned up you can easily get your vacuume readings to see if you want to do a tb synch, and you'll never curse about getting the vacuume hoses on......heheheh luckily after buying the right angled driver and stuff my tb's were fine, but I can easily check anytime I want to now as the hoses are right there.

thanks for the tip, ill check it out.

[gPink]

So you set the valves to middle spec?

[Deziner]

It would behoove you to set the valves to the MAXIMUM recommended clearance. After aadjusting valves for nearly 40 years, I can't say I have EVER seen shim type valves get looser, always tighter. A little loose is INFINITELY better than on the tighter side of the spec.