Well after getting the DS I went through the jetting, changed the oil oh my good there was alot of oil. and checked the valve clearences just to make sure.

Well after getting to the valves and getting to top dead center I soon found out changes needed to be made. The left exhaust was good at .005 the right exhaust was at .003, the left intake at .0025 and the right intake at .0015. I have a strong feeling the DS had not had the lash set since it was new.

Well as normal I dove right in took the cams off got the shims out and such and things got strange. None of the shims except one had any numbers stating what they were and no I don't have a micrometer to tell. Well about that time I realized I need to put TDC plug in which I dont have.

All kinds of bad things started to run through my head like smashed valves broken and forced in the piston etc etc. This is where my questions start.

1) Is the TDC plug a must have or am I ok with out it the Kind of the dont touch it it it will be OK just make sure it is at TDC when putting the chain on.

2) In the past I have used a small dowel rod placed in the cylinder and have watched it rise to it's highest point to find a true TDC am I ok to do this till I get the TDC plug or are the cames degreed into the crank. They looked like they go in straight up with no advance if you know what I mean

3) With the motor at TDC will it stay there till I move it I cant see why it would not.

4) Is there any way to put the motor 180 out if you know what I mean or does the DS fire at TDC every time like the Honda and others do.

5) Also does anyone make a shim kit for these things I tired 2 stealerships with no luck one more to go and they will have to be ordered.

Thanks for the help
Clove

 

1,2,3) very advisable to install the crank locking bolt to be certain you are at TDC before installing cams, looking at a dowel in the plug hole can mislead and easy to be one or even 2 teeth off on accident, locking crank makes CERTAIN its where it belongs. recently looked into the head of a bike on a trip in utah last week who unfortunately made this very mistake - two teeth of and piston hit valves. all you need is a long threaded bolt with the tip ground kinda to a point to help pilot it into the locking hole inside, I think about 40mm or 50mm long from the hardware store, screw it in and wiggle your allen wrench stuck thru the hole of the stator cover to jimmy it and be sure you cannot rotate the crank after inserting and you are good to go.

4) she fires at every tdc, on compression and exhaust strokes, no way to be 180 off, just position the cams with lobes facing out away from each making all 4 valves closed and line up the marks.

5) yes you can order a shim kit but they cost big time, shims are $5 each, your old shims used to have writing but it must have gotten worn off from the cam lobe, put the new ones in writing faced down then it can't happen. you need to measure your shims with a micrometer to find out what you have, the mic is cheaper than a shim kit and worth having down the road. shims come in intervals of .05mm, roughly .002", er to the larger side of the gap when selecting new shim, valve gap diminishes over time as valves wear, the intakes always wear faster than the exhaust and always need adjusted before the exhaust do, and usually after the first initail adjust after break-in its a very long time before they need it again unless aftermarket cams are installed and used with incorrect springs.


Welcome to the forums, good luck and have fun!

 

Thanks for the help. I went ahead and put it back together without the bolt after watching the dowel rod for about an hour Im pretty sure Im good, but I still have that what if feeling so I will be back into it in this evening. I turned everything over really slow to check for any type of binding and felt none at all.

Saying worse case would I be able yo tell right away if the valves are being smacked by the piston loud noises etc. This noise I have never heard so I have no idea what it would sound like.

Also if it is not a top dead center what can I do to get it there. Back to the good old dowel rod or are there any marking anyewhere I could use.

 

Well got back into it and started to freak. I fired it up and heard a metal on metal sound clanking sound I looked at the tach and it was below a 1000RPM and it would not take throttle. Oh friken shicken stuff. It then it and would not start. Looked at the fuel pet **** and it was off, no gas, no run, no shizt,. Turn the gas on fires up and idles at 1300 like a good DS. Sound is gone. Is the sound I heard the decompressor trying to do its thing?

Checked TDC again and it all seem good watched my dowel get to its hightest point and all the marks line up. Move it just a wee bit and it starts back down so I hope Im good.

I guess in my spare time I will make a TDC bolt and also figure out a way to mark the crank a TDC with something.

 

If you want to check the decompression let it idle & slowly turn the idle up. It should go away. At 1300 I think it would by then.

 

You don't need to mark the crank. There is a notch in it. When you thread the TDC bolt in it will slide into the groove and lock you in at TDC. That is why you need to sharpen the end of the bolt... so it will slide into the groove. Put the bolt in and make sure you are in the groove (and no just butted up to the crank) by trying to spin the crank and if it does not spin you good to go.

 

Got everything back and it sems right but Im way to much a worry wort to it. I ordered the bolt today and wont ride till I go through and double double check and make sure it is all good.

Thanks for all the help.

 

My 04 DS650 had the valves adjusted at 10 hours by my stealer. I haven't checked/adjusted since fall of 2003. I bet it's time to check the valves and make shim changes where necessary.