Valve adjustment, picture needed. - Ducati.ms

joeracing1 · Jun 30th, 2010, 11:14 am

Hi Guys,
I'm currently attempting to adjust my valves on my hypermotard 1100 2008 and I can't figure out to put it at the TDC on compression stroke. When my pulleys marks on the right side are align with the casing marks I can't see any marks in the timing window on the left side casing? Maybe I'm not looking at the right place? On the flywheel the only thing I see is marks like this: "I"

I don't see any "O" like stated in the shop manual. Can someone supply me a picture of the pulleys and the timing window at TDC?

Thanks

yellow cake · Jun 30th, 2010, 3:29 pm

I just did this, as you can see from my thread from the weekend still up here.

I didn't even undo the belt covers; all I did was line up the flywheel mark, check for the piston to be at TDC, and then wiggle the rocker's. put it to TDC, check the exhaust rocker, if it's super-tight, then spin the motor 180 degrees, and check it again. if it's suddenly looser, than that is true TDC for that cylinder. If it's gotten tighter (meaning, the rocker is loading the poppit) then you've gone to the wrong TDC.

joeracing1 · Jun 30th, 2010, 7:05 pm

OK but what mark? the ''I'' or the O?

jboothe · Jun 30th, 2010, 8:59 pm

I can't help with a picture. I always remove the plugs, put the bike in 6th gear and rotate the rear wheel while feeling for the air to be pushed out during the compression stroke. If you have the valve covers removed you can watch the valves as well because on the exhaust stroke (when the piston is coming up to push the exhaust out) the exhaust valve will obviously be down (open). When I know I am on the compression stroke you can take a flash light and watch the piston come up. When it gets to the top, stop. It takes a couple of times but I think you can quickly get the hang of it and having the plugs out makes the engine turn easier.

So on a four stroke during the intake stroke the piston goes down with the intake valve open (fuel/air is pulled in), compression the piston comes up with both valves closed, (spark will fire a few degrees before TDC) power stroke the piston goes down with both valves closed and then the piston comes up with the exhaust valve open to push out the used fuel/air mixture. Also between the exhaust/intake strokes there is usually a slight over lapping between the exhaust and inatke valves as old gas leaves and new mixture is inhaled.

I know its very basic but I hope that helps. I have never been all that concerned with getting the engine at "absolute" TDC because (someone correct me if I am wrong with a desmodromic engine) the valves are "at rest" for a long time in between compression and power strokes.

Gilly · Jun 30th, 2010, 9:15 pm

I tend to do it old school... remove one plug per cylinder. I use an engine turning tool... and stick my finger in which ever cylinder I'm working ons spark plug hole. During compression, air in the cylinder pushes your finger from sealing the spark plug hole. Then you can goto the glass window and look for the timing mark for TDC.

Using the rear wheel method makes it sorta difficult to put your finger in the spark plug hole or to peer in the glass window without some back and forth. I would get frustrated.

jboothe · Jun 30th, 2010, 9:19 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by billg69gmc

I tend to do it old school... remove one plug per cylinder. I use an engine turning tool... and stick my finger in which ever cylinder I'm working ons spark plug hole. During compression, air in the cylinder pushes your finger from sealing the spark plug hole. Then you can goto the glass window and look for the timing mark for TDC.

Using the rear wheel method makes it sorta difficult to put your finger in the spark plug hole or to peer in the glass window without some back and forth. I would get frustrated.

That's funny! I think we were responding at the same time

dreyes · Jul 1st, 2010, 7:05 pm

So joeracing were you able to finish the job? Have the 15k mile belt change & adjustment coming up very soon & contemplating doing the job myself. A little nervous about it though...

joeracing1 · Jul 1st, 2010, 10:12 pm

No offence to anybody but I like doing things by the book and sticking my finger to feel the air or piston head is not my prefered way to do this so no I'm not done yet. Still looking for a picture of what I should see cause in the manual they are taking about an arrow that does not exist, the dot im not sure to see it so...

I tried to illustrate what I see in the hole in the casing but still is it the ''I'' or the ''O''? I'm asking cause my timming could be off...:

yellow cake · Jul 2nd, 2010, 8:32 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by joeracing1

No offence to anybody but I like doing things by the book and sticking my finger to feel the air or piston head is not my prefered way to do this so no I'm not done yet.

You can lead a horse to water....

It really isn't hard, not even close to being this hard.

Sadly this makes ducati's "look" as hard as people say, when in reality it's dead simple.

joeracing1 · Jul 2nd, 2010, 8:57 am

It's just that I bought the bike used so by knowing the right mark on the crank it would allow me at the same time to verify if my timming with the cam is good...I know that normally it should be fine but since I suspect that this bike had a hard life before me I woud just like to confirm that everything is OK.

By the way I think that DUCATI mechanic is not more complicated than any other it's just different... hopefully there is a lot of good information to read about on this site.