You can quiet it down a little by going with the minimum on the valve adjustment spec.

Set the Intake valve for .0025 - .003

Set the Exhaust valve for .004 - .005 (this is slightly less than the OEM manual calls for, but this still leaves plenty of room for heat expansion. This is what Mickey @ Four Stroke Tech recommends).

 

I am going to try to tackle it myself now. I found a complete step by step procedure for it , looks simple enough. Thanks for all the help.

 

tackled the job myself and I have a victory thanks for all the help

 

Nice work! Wasn't too bad, was it?

 

For what it's worth, I have a 2006 350 air-cooled Bruin and it makes the same obnoxious ticking sound. I, too, thought it was abnormal and let a Yamaha technician listen to it - he didn't think there was a problem. Still, I was concerned about the valve adjustment. So, I checked the valves and they were only a couple of thousands off. I made the precise adjustments to both intake and exhaust and then changed the engine oil and filter. It's still loud. Bottom line is that it appears to be a normal sound for this engine.

My 2006 400 liquid-cooled Kodiak concerns me with the knocking type sound it makes, which in the end will also likely turn out to be a normal sound for that motor. Both machines have been making these sounds since the day I brought them home.

Vince

 

those specs are way off... i wouldn't recommend using them just because the exhaust calls for .00630 ~.00787

 

I set the intake at 0.005 and the exhaust at 0.007 and I have no engine tick at all,it runs great. My timing is slightly advanced (less than a tooth) I think my cam chain is just stretched. That will probably be my next repair.

 

congrats man...