[arizona brutale]

Would anybody trust a well qualified tech that has not much MV experience to check and/or adjust valve clearance on 2007 Brutale? Otherwise I drive 350 mi. to nearest MV dealer

[The_castle]

Check, yes, adjust, not so sure about that.
In fact checking the clearances is something you can do yourself at home. It's not that difficult at all. All you need is some basic tools, a new rubber valve cover gasket, some gasket sealer and some metric feeler gauges within the range specified in the service manual.
It is quite likely that you'll find that they are in spec and you'll have learned a new skill.

[kieran323]

How many km's on your Brutale? I would agree with Mr Castle.

Happily trust them to check, could do this yourself if you feel thus inclined. As far as adjustment goes, probably very little chance any adjustment will be required but if there is it would help to have someone who you definitely trust as knowledgeable with this stuff (Don't want just any Bloggs messing with ya valves).

Cheers

[arizona brutale]

Thanks. I've managed to change hub bearings with good results. I think I'll re-read all I'vlearned on another thread and go for it. Thanks again!

[esq'z me]

Adjustment is similar procedure to any shim under bucket bike engine. An experienced tech with good skills could handle it regardless of brand background. Providing the technical manual info on cam timing is essential.

Bear in mind that many shim under bucket valve trains do not even call for inspection until 16,000 miles or more....and most need no shim changes even then. My 910R has 21,000 miles now and all the valves were still in clearance spec at last check.

[theknurl]

arizona brutale;
i wouldn't bother checking them......i know what the book says 7,500mi/12,000km
i'm a little over 16k mi so they "should" have been checked twice.....did I ? nope

but it says to change the plugs then too.....and look what cars get out of fine wire plugs

Aprilia used to say even check at 600mi/1,000km
my RSVR is at 30k mi/50k km and haven't moved a bit....i'll peek again at 50k mi/80k km.....my friend Paul in J'town was at 80k mi/130k km and they were fine

Dave why spend the money for a new gasket? they want you to use sealer on it anyway!
glue the whole damn thing, not just the half moons

you can get shim assortments from Hot Cams, you will need the 7.48mm ones....don't use shims under 1.60mm

[The_castle]

Originally Posted by theknurl

Dave why spend the money for a new gasket? they want you to use sealer on it anyway!
glue the whole damn thing, not just the half moons

I use a new gasket each time I inspect the valve clearance because it is not uncommon for a leak to develop at the front left of the valve cover (riders perspective). You can clean the rubber gasket all you like, and I've tried, but the OEM gorilla snot is almost impossible to remove and that's why you'll likely find a wee leak and it just pisses me off to have to go back in there to resolve the problem. It's just easier to spend $25 USD and stick a new one in there and be done with it.
I'm batting less than 50% on cleaning the old gasket and avoiding a leaky little leak.
So, you want me to send you my old gaskets?

See what I did with the red writing there, Noel? I know you love that red writing.

Love you.
Dave.

[theknurl]

Originally Posted by The_castle

You can clean the rubber gasket all you like, and I've tried, but the OEM gorilla snot is almost impossible to remove and that's why you'll likely find a wee leak and it just pisses me off to have to go back in there to resolve the problem. It's just easier to spend $25 USD and stick a new one in there and be done with it.
I'm batting less than 50% on cleaning the old gasket and avoiding a leaky little leak.

Dave at present my 910R STOCK untouched valve cover gasket is leaking

can i fix it? yes, will i use a new gasket? no!

i will use Permatex RTV Silicone;
http://www.permatex.com/products/pro...-gasket-detail

will it leak again NO, trust me, i've been doing this a long time

re; cleaning old gasket material.....
i use lacquer thinner or acetone, if they don't remove it, it can stay

my Aprilia RSVR valve cover gaskets started pouring oil at ~13k mi, both cylinders......at 30k mi the same gaskets are on there....glued on there with high temp silicone......they DO NOT leak
apparently MV got their cover gaskets from the same supplier as Aprilia they shrink on the exhaust side and leak

do the F4 covers leak? a lot of the time
are they flat? no.....is mine? yes, i flattened it with one of these;
http://vintagemachinery.org/photoind...es/10064-A.jpg

its glued on too

my '67 T-100R didn't leak, i fixed that.....so why would i let my MVs leak?

[gotojoe]

"arizona brutale;
i wouldn't bother checking them......i know what the book says 7,500mi/12,000km
i'm a little over 16k mi so they "should" have been checked twice.....did I ? nope"




I asked a little while back if any of us after having the valves checked had to actually adjust them. The answers came back as an emphatic "no" The only one I remember was a bike that came out of the factory with a gross error in clearance. I would personally have the valves checked once at first recomended interval and then go and worry about other things...

However if the bike is in stripped down condition then it would make perfect sense to check the valves at that convenient moment.

I'd be interested in Donsy's experience on this subject in the racing field....

Just my opinion ..but I do wonder if we get stuck in a bit of a time warp on this. Now my old airhead beemer..I check the valves on that twice a year usually...

joe

[Donsy]

You just put me on the spot didn't you .
No problem mate, when I do a bike that has only done 8-12000km, I re-use the gasket, but I always keep one spare just in case.
I find as the bikes get past that age/milage, the gaskets seem to get harder and might have crack's in them, but keep in mind, over here the bikes run a lot hotter than up your way.

I have never replaced the gaskets on my motors cam covers, they are now going towards 10 000km each, and I will check valve's again on my 07 #2 motor as I just threw her down the road and she was spinning on the 13 700rpm(set in 3rd gear) rev limiter for a while before cutting out. I don't have gasket's on any other parts of my motors (sump, clutch ...etc)

When I help someone else on their bikes, I tend to play safe as some of these guys come a long way to get their bikes serviced.
When I install a new gasket, I use sealnt all the way round though.