How to adjust your valve clearances
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- bikommuter
- Posts: 26
- Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2014 3:37 am
- Location: Amsterdam, NY
- Motorcycle: 1983 GL1100I (sold),1980 CM400T, 2004 VTX 1800 N, 1986 VT1100C Shadow
Re: How to adjust your valve clearances
Not entirely wrong.
Step 1:
Cylinder 1 Intake
Cylinder 1 Exhaust
Cylinder 3 Exhaust
Cylinder 4 Intake
Step 2:
Cylinder 2 Intake
Cylinder 2 Exhaust
Cylinder 3 Intake
Cylinder 4 Exhaust
Read more: viewtopic.php?t=2229#ixzz3lTcNnZXp
Rotate the engine 360 degrees between step1 and step 2. Valves in step 1 will be closed (rockers loose) so you can adjust them. After rotation, the valves in step 2 will be closed (rockers loose).
Step 1:
Cylinder 1 Intake
Cylinder 1 Exhaust
Cylinder 3 Exhaust
Cylinder 4 Intake
Step 2:
Cylinder 2 Intake
Cylinder 2 Exhaust
Cylinder 3 Intake
Cylinder 4 Exhaust
Read more: viewtopic.php?t=2229#ixzz3lTcNnZXp
Rotate the engine 360 degrees between step1 and step 2. Valves in step 1 will be closed (rockers loose) so you can adjust them. After rotation, the valves in step 2 will be closed (rockers loose).
- gristleheadsgoldwing
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Sat Feb 25, 2012 2:32 pm
- Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Motorcycle: 1982 GL1100 Goldwing Aspencade
Re: How to adjust your valve clearances
Thank you very much?
A project for tomorrow.
Gristlehead
A project for tomorrow.
Gristlehead
It is as clear as mud now...
- Scooter363y
- Posts: 154
- Joined: Mon Jun 29, 2015 7:39 pm
- Location: Marysville,ohio
- Motorcycle: 2014 gl1800
Re: How to adjust your valve clearances
I worked in a motorcycle shop for years and an older experienced mechanic showed me this trick to adjust valves making sure they were always end up adjusted on the cam base circle.
1. Only work on one cyl at a time
2. Remove plugs (at this dealer we always replaced plugs)
Turn engine over (hand crank or starter bump)
Now here is the secret
Turn the engine over
When the exhaust valve starts to open adjust the intake valve
Rotate the engine over
When the intake valve starts to close adjust the exhaust valve
Repeat for other cylinders
The valves are adjusted on the cam base circle
Happy motoring
1. Only work on one cyl at a time
2. Remove plugs (at this dealer we always replaced plugs)
Turn engine over (hand crank or starter bump)
Now here is the secret
Turn the engine over
When the exhaust valve starts to open adjust the intake valve
Rotate the engine over
When the intake valve starts to close adjust the exhaust valve
Repeat for other cylinders
The valves are adjusted on the cam base circle
Happy motoring
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- Posts: 4
- Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2015 6:49 pm
- Location: Toronto, ON, Canada
- Motorcycle: 1981 GL1100 Interstate
Re: How to adjust your valve clearances
Just checked and adjusted the valves on my '81 Interstate. These instructions were excellent, thank you.
All of the intakes were good; 3 on the exhaust side were a little tight, about 0.10 mm. a 1/8 turn was about all I needed to get them each to 0.13 mm.
All of the intakes were good; 3 on the exhaust side were a little tight, about 0.10 mm. a 1/8 turn was about all I needed to get them each to 0.13 mm.
---David
Re: How to adjust your valve clearances
Thanks for the write up, made it an easy to follow job.
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- Posts: 46
- Joined: Sat Jun 18, 2016 10:35 pm
- Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- Motorcycle: 1981 GL1100
Re: How to adjust your valve clearances
Do I have to drain the oil before I start this? How much oil comes out? Just did an oil changed before deciding to change the timing belts
Re: How to adjust your valve clearances
I did it on the main centre stand ,no oil comes out
- Scooter363y
- Posts: 154
- Joined: Mon Jun 29, 2015 7:39 pm
- Location: Marysville,ohio
- Motorcycle: 2014 gl1800
Re: How to adjust your valve clearances
You don't have to change the oil. Only a little will dribble out with the valve covers off. But it's a good time to do it. Just don't excessively spin the engine over when adjusting the valves. Maybe better to crank engine over by hand. Either by hand rotating the rear wheel (in highest gear) or using the alternator bolt. Or by carefully bumping it over with the starter.
I always did mine along with a tune up so oil and plugs were out. A good job to do in the morning with a cup of coffee. Relax and take your time. Don't hurry or force anything and you're gonna be fine. Buy yourself a genuine Honda service manual and read it.
When I worked on my race car I took notes of what it took (tools & procedures) and this would remind me of things that needed to be done. I have a notebook with these notes in my toolbox.
Good luck and have fun
Scott
I always did mine along with a tune up so oil and plugs were out. A good job to do in the morning with a cup of coffee. Relax and take your time. Don't hurry or force anything and you're gonna be fine. Buy yourself a genuine Honda service manual and read it.
When I worked on my race car I took notes of what it took (tools & procedures) and this would remind me of things that needed to be done. I have a notebook with these notes in my toolbox.
Good luck and have fun
Scott
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- Posts: 1
- Joined: Thu Apr 13, 2017 12:37 pm
- Location: Tulsa, OK
- Motorcycle: 1982 GL1100
Re: How to adjust your valve clearances
Thanks for the awesome tutorial.. this is my first wing and your site is incredibly helpful!
- RuDogGL
- Posts: 75
- Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2017 9:05 am
- Location: Dixon, CA
- Motorcycle: 1982 GL1100 Interstate GoldWing
Re: How to adjust your valve clearances
WINGADMIN,
your the (LWMM) living Wing Manual Man and I want to leave work early just to go home and adjust my values, thanks again and Keep on Writing LWMM. 


Live Life The Way It Was Meant To Be,
Sin Free
and then
Ride On
The Wings of a GoldWing
GL1100i
Sin Free
and then
Ride On
The Wings of a GoldWing
GL1100i
- RuDogGL
- Posts: 75
- Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2017 9:05 am
- Location: Dixon, CA
- Motorcycle: 1982 GL1100 Interstate GoldWing
Re: How to adjust your valve clearances
WingAdmin in your instruction on the setting gaps went well, but I have a questions. When getting to step ten and eleven were you slide the rocker arm back and forth, my did move but more than I expected reading the post is that normal.
Live Life The Way It Was Meant To Be,
Sin Free
and then
Ride On
The Wings of a GoldWing
GL1100i
Sin Free
and then
Ride On
The Wings of a GoldWing
GL1100i
- WingAdmin
- Site Admin
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1982 GL1100A Aspencade (sold)
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Re: How to adjust your valve clearances
The movement is just checking that you do in fact have the engine in the correct part of the cycle - you don't want to adjust valve clearance on a valve that is currently being compressed. Once you adjust all of the valves, the amount of movement will be correct.