[HB3]

I am in the middle of doing a valve adjustment and changing the belts on my 2012 Multistrada 1200 PP and I am confused on cam/piston position when measuring the clearances. It seems that in LT Snyder’s book he sets the lay shaft at TDC (top dead center) for the horizontal cylinder; marks the belts and removes them. Then he rotates the cams by hand so that the opening cam lobe is pointing straight up and takes the measurements.

Other instructions I have seen say that the piston needs to be at TDC to measure but the opening cam lobes are not pointing straight up or out on the horizional cylinder.

Do I follow my interpretation of LT’s book and remove the belts or go to TDC on both cylinders and rotate the engine until the opening cam lobes point to the sky??? I am sure I am making it harder than it is!!!

 

[t-bills]

You will need to have the belts off when doing the valves. You set the horizontal cylinder to TDC when first marking the belts. Once the belts are off, the piston position longer matters when measuring lash. Move the cams so that the lobe is pointing away from the cylinder. This ensures the valves are closed with no load.

If you have to replace a closer shim, you will want to put that piston at TDC or somewhere close. The reason is so that when you have the shims off, it prevents dropping a valve into the cylinder.

I hope this helps.

 

[Essing]

You will need to have the belts off when doing the valves. You set the horizontal cylinder to TDC when first marking the belts. Once the belts are off, the piston position longer matters when measuring lash. Move the cams so that the lobe is pointing away from the cylinder. This ensures the valves are closed with no load.

If you have to replace a closer shim, you will want to put that piston at TDC or somewhere close. The reason is so that when you have the shims off, it prevents dropping a valve into the cylinder.

I hope this helps.

I'd like to echo this comment with another pointer. It helps to be able to hold the valve from sliding into the head even if at TDC. In the past I've fashioned a hemostat with bent ends and electrical tape on the ends to prevent marring. It looks like EMS now has a 7mm plier for this purpose. Currently out of stock, I'll be buying pair of these for the next desmo service.

 

[dspear99ca]

I'd like to echo this comment with another pointer. It helps to be able to hold the valve from sliding into the head even if at TDC. In the past I've fashioned a hemostat with bent ends and electrical tape on the ends to prevent marring. It looks like EMS now has a 7mm plier for this purpose. Currently out of stock, I'll be buying pair of these for the next desmo service.

I do the same, I wrap hemostats with teflon tape, they still pop off from time to time but overall it works. You need to do this or you can't push the rocker arm down enough to allow the half-rings to be installed.