Valve clearance |
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And now it's enough!. Noises, knocking, undefined sounds from the
engine block. Enough !
It's time to adjust the valve clearance, and there no better time than
now. So, on a good and sunny day I'm at the back of the house, in one hand a
pipe-wrench 19mm and a set feeler gauges,
in the other hand the CX500 manual. Inside, on the PC screen, a web-page
with valve adjusting tips. There we go!
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First I have to loosen the tank. I remove the saddle, the bold, pull the
rubber backwards and the tanks is loose. That part was easy, and it
gives me the courage to proceed. A piece of wood is enough to lift the
tank, and now the valve caps are free.
The sparkplugs are easyli removed, but the cilinder head covers aren't that
easy. A very flat ring-spanner does the trick and the first cover,
on the right-side, is off. Now the left-side, and without any damage
I remove the left cilinder head cover. The removal of the inspectioncap on
the carter is simple. Right. The engine lais a little bit open, but it
has to close once, and hopefully in good working order.
 ... lifting the tank ... |
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According the manual I can, with the gear shifted into five, move the
pistons by rotating the rear-wheel. Marco Beckers says it's better to
open the inspection cap under the radiator at the front of the
engine, and use a pipe wrench 17 to rotate the crankshaft that will
become visible. I don't have a pipe wrench 17 and use a socket spanner
17 instead. But I have to rotate the crankshaft in the right direction !!
But I don't know what the right direction is. Counter-clockwise,
that I know. When I look from front to back ? Or just the other way around ?
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I can't for some reason switch into fifth gear. Third is possible, but
for some strange reason it won't go further. But know I can see how the
socket spanner 17 on the crankshaft turns, when I rotate the wheel.
Turning the rear wheel into the driving direction, with the gear
shifted into third, lets the crankshaft rotate. The socket spanner's
handle moves slowly up, towards the right side of the motor.
Clockwise, looking toward the inspection hole, Counter-clockwise, when
looking from back to front along the motor. Simple, if you know
how it's done. ... valves ... |
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The right cilinder follows the manual preceisly. I have to look three
or four times before I know that those da$#%^%@ed tappets / valves are open
or closed, but in the end I am victorious. The score is Tappets 0, Me 1.
The only small problem was the lack of a very small spanner, to adjust the tappets. I used (I know, it's a bad move ) combination pliers. Not the most correct tool, but it worked. I go to the left cilinder. And encounter a problem. What I do, how I try, the valves and tappets and everything, I can't get it right. I cannot find the TDP and if I look at the markings on the dynamo the result varies. I decide to do it on feeling. No problems. big screwdriver in the top, where the spark-plug used to be, rotate the crankshaft, and look. If all the valves are closed, and the tappets are at thier lowest point, I adjust the clearance. But all the tappets are still under pressure, and it's not possible to slide anything between the tappet and the valve. I adjust the clearance, by the book. And that's that. At the end the cam-chain is released, and tighend again. |
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The hardest thing is to place the inspection cap on the frontside back.
The radiatorhood is bloking the way. At the end it fits. Now will the
big question be answered : Does the Honda start, or did I create a big mess ?
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I place the key into the ignation, en turn. All lights that normal
lit are on. So far, so good. And now the moment of truth. I push the
start-button and then..... start the Honda with a satisfied purr.
For the first time in my life I'v adjusted valve clearance, and it works!!
Now, first diner, and than.....a test-ride !
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It was intented to be a small testride, but gets a bit out of hand.
50 Kilometre later I'm back. The CX performs great, much better than
before, and the knocking at 5500 rpm is gone from the engine block.
But there is something else in it's place. At 6000 rpm I feel a
vibration. Not disturbing, but a vibration none the less.
I feel great ! The Honda feels more calm, and the roughness that
was inside is gone. I am sure that the adjustments can be better, but
for now I an very satisfied.
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