Stella valve adjustments - where to get the tool?

desmolicious · Post by **desmolicious** » Wed Jul 27, 2011 4:01 am

I watched this Stella prep video provided by JimmBomb (thanks!)

http://vimeo.com/20618680

It shows them adjusting the valves, which looks quite simple. Anyone know where to get the tool they use? They mention to snug it up and then back it off two clicks of the tool, so I guess it is somehow calibrated.

Thanks.

edit: I think I found it:

http://www.scooterworks.com/Tool-Motion ... 6C570.aspx

Silver Streak · Post by **Silver Streak** » Wed Jul 27, 2011 3:46 pm

Yeah, that's it. I bought one recently, but haven't had the opportunity to try it out yet.

mlee10018 · Post by **mlee10018** » Thu Jul 28, 2011 2:52 am

When you guys get the chance to adjust, it would be great to hear and see more specific how to's. I could not really understand that part of the video and would really love to do this maintenance myself. Thanks!

Silver Streak · Post by **Silver Streak** » Thu Jul 28, 2011 3:35 am

It's really not that hard to do it the old-fashioned way, with a feeler gauge, a box-end wrench, and a screwdriver... it's just that, with three tools involved, sometimes you feel like you need three hands.

desmolicious · Post by **desmolicious** » Thu Jul 28, 2011 5:43 pm

Silver Streak wrote:It's really not that hard to do it the old-fashioned way, with a feeler gauge, a box-end wrench, and a screwdriver... it's just that, with three tools involved, sometimes you feel like you need three hands.

I've done it that way on other bikes and I found it really fiddly. This tool makes it a snap - judging by the video. It took them all of maybe 1 minute!
Of course a shop will charge 3 hours labour at $90/hr. And you still don't know if it was done....

All kidding aside, I've had the experience of shops charging for service but not actually doing anything. I bought a used Ninja 250 that had just had its 500 mile initial service done. Kawi recommends a valve check/adjust. The seller gave me the receipt from this service showing that Burbank Kawasaki had done the work, and charged big bux for it.
I had a bad feeling about that shop, and decided to check it myself. All the valves were crazy tight so they obviously just ripped this guy off.
I adjusted them correctly and the bike ran much better.

So there you have it - Burbank Kawasaki - avoid.

PeteH · Post by **PeteH** » Thu Jul 28, 2011 5:50 pm

Also possible that they actually did the work, but did it with a warm engine rather than waiting for it to be stone-cold, but I can't remember if that makes the tappets tighter or looser.

desmolicious · Post by **desmolicious** » Thu Jul 28, 2011 6:09 pm

PeteH wrote:Also possible that they actually did the work, but did it with a warm engine rather than waiting for it to be stone-cold, but I can't remember if that makes the tappets tighter or looser.

That would make them looser.

Warm engine causes the metal to expand so gaps would tighten. Which means if they adjusted them to 'correct' spec, when the engine cools, the gaps would be much larger.

Nope, they did nothing.

jimmbomb · Post by **jimmbomb** » Fri Jul 29, 2011 1:23 am

What are the "correct specs" for our 4t Stellas? ..
I did not watch my dealer "do it"... but when I walked out there when he was buttoning up... his feeler gauge set was laying there.
I nominate Silver Streak Dave... to do a "How To" on this maneuver WITHOUT the 40$ tool set!!!! What say you, Dave .????

Silver Streak · Post by **Silver Streak** » Fri Jul 29, 2011 2:07 am

jimmbomb wrote:What are the "correct specs" for our 4t Stellas? ..
I did not watch my dealer "do it"... but when I walked out there when he was buttoning up... his feeler gauge set was laying there.
I nominate Silver Streak Dave... to do a "How To" on this maneuver WITHOUT the 40$ tool set!!!! What say you, Dave .????

Hey... I bought the tool set just so I wouldn't have to do the "three-handed" thing any more!

My 4T Stella valves were just checked a month ago at the dealer, and I ain't touching them again until 4K!

I did it the old-fashioned way on my kitted Vespa LX last fall. That's a lot harder than on the Stella because the access to the head is so much more restricted.

jimmbomb · Post by **jimmbomb** » Fri Jul 29, 2011 2:10 am

Well crap! Day late and a dollar short,

desmolicious · Post by **desmolicious** » Fri Jul 29, 2011 6:21 pm

In the service video it mentions using the tool and he adjusts it a couple o clicks (on the tool). He also mentions the gap size (I can't look at the video at them moment), but the tool made it look so incredibly simple and quick that no way am I going back to fiddling with feelers and doing the 3 hand thing!

My bike is running fine (idles properly, revs cleanly, no hesitation), but after 850 miles its top speed seems to be only about 50mph (60 indicated), so I'm thinking the valves need to be adjusted.

Or maybe that really is its top speed, and the claims I've seen have been from an optimistic speedo reading, down hill, tail wind, slip streaming a Buddy 150!

desmolicious · Post by **desmolicious** » Mon Aug 15, 2011 9:25 pm

Woo hoo, got the tools!

Now if I don't sell my Stella I'll get to use them...

bilyum · Post by **bilyum** » Sat Oct 08, 2011 2:58 am

It seems that all of the Buddy go the same approximate speed. Just depends on who is writing the article.
But after some reading I think the way to go is the 170i.No valve adjusts and no carb adjusts.
I am thinking that a trip to a dealer would cost about $300 minimum for first 500 mile service?
With an oil filter how is it possible that any debris could contaminate oil in the first place. If anything , an oil change without a new filter would be more than enough...Personally I think it's overkill.Maybe valve clearance would be enough at 600 mi. Maybe they just want dealer to check for factory flaws or to line pockets with the green stuff.Just saying!

desmolicious · Post by **desmolicious** » Sun Oct 09, 2011 11:23 pm

bilyum wrote:It seems that all of the Buddy go the same approximate speed. Just depends on who is writing the article.
But after some reading I think the way to go is the 170i.No valve adjusts and no carb adjusts.
I am thinking that a trip to a dealer would cost about $300 minimum for first 500 mile service?
With an oil filter how is it possible that any debris could contaminate oil in the first place. If anything , an oil change without a new filter would be more than enough...Personally I think it's overkill.Maybe valve clearance would be enough at 600 mi. Maybe they just want dealer to check for factory flaws or to line pockets with the green stuff.Just saying!

No valve adjusts???
The Buddy 170 has valves, and they need adjusting.
No carb adjusts? Sure, but carbs rarely if ever need adjusting. Issues normally happen only if someone has started to tinker with it..

Oil filters filter out debris and dirt from the engine, ensuring longevity of the motor. Dirt/debris gets in the oil from various sources - combustion process, oil break down, wear and tear of internal motor bits, anything that somehow managed to by pass the air filter.
The reason that there is a recommended filter replacement interval for almost every four stroke engine made, is that as the filter starts to fill up with debris (both visible and microscopic), it starts to clog and thus will impede the correct oil flow in the motor. Most filters do have a by pass spring to prevent catastrophic failure to ensure oil flow if the filter is blocked, but that is a 'when all else fails' scenario.

Maybe oil filter change schedules do er on the conservative side, but that is to insure that the probability of motor damage is minimized. This is not something to cut corners on. And why would you? A filter is only $10, while your bike cost $3000....

viney266 · Post by **viney266** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 6:38 pm

desmolicious wrote:
Silver Streak wrote:It's really not that hard to do it the old-fashioned way, with a feeler gauge, a box-end wrench, and a screwdriver... it's just that, with three tools involved, sometimes you feel like you need three hands.
I've done it that way on other bikes and I found it really fiddly. This tool makes it a snap - judging by the video. It took them all of maybe 1 minute!
Of course a shop will charge 3 hours labour at $90/hr. And you still don't know if it was done....

All kidding aside, I've had the experience of shops charging for service but not actually doing anything. I bought a used Ninja 250 that had just had its 500 mile initial service done. Kawi recommends a valve check/adjust. The seller gave me the receipt from this service showing that Burbank Kawasaki had done the work, and charged big bux for it.
I had a bad feeling about that shop, and decided to check it myself. All the valves were crazy tight so they obviously just ripped this guy off.
I adjusted them correctly and the bike ran much better.

So there you have it - Burbank Kawasaki - avoid.

^^^ I hate to hear that, but its SOOOO true... I owned a shop for 14 years and we always charged for what we actually did. Somedays I felt like I was the last honest bike shop on the planet .

jmer1234 · Post by **jmer1234** » Sat Aug 18, 2012 2:05 pm

There was some discussion in this thread about the gap and cold vs. warm. According to the video, the valve adjustment should be done cold, and the gap should be 2/1000 of an inch.

Tipper · Post by **Tipper** » Sat Aug 18, 2012 4:29 pm

If one of you guys adjusts the valves on your stella can you take a few pics and write up a little how to please ?

I have watched the video but its really not clear what he is doing or how he is doing it.

Since my second service my engine is making a bit of a tapping noise, I cant remember if it was making that noise before the service but I would like to be able to check the valve clearances myself.

Cheers

Tipper · Post by **Tipper** » Sat Aug 18, 2012 4:31 pm

Also, is this the same tool ?

http://www.dirtbikebitz.com/motion-pro- ... -3089.html

The scooterworks link is broken.

jmer1234 · Post by **jmer1234** » Mon Aug 20, 2012 3:20 am

Ok, SOOOO, I can say the 2/1000th is not really the correct spec, despite what the video states. I set mine yesterday at .0015" (2/1000 is .002). Tapa, Tapa, Tapa, everywhere now. I talked to my dealer, and he said "yea, thats what the book says", but he never uses a feeler gauge. He just sets it with a tiny bit of movement. On the positive side, he did state that it is better to have a little valve noise, than none when the valves are not fully closing.

Also, the "arrow" that the video refers to lining up for TDC, turns out to be a small notch on one of the fan vanes. I spent half an hour looking for that. The dealer also said he never lines it up. He just rotates the engine until the valves are loose.

Obviously there is a fair amount of art to this.

Tipper · Post by **Tipper** » Tue Aug 21, 2012 1:22 pm

According to the uk importer the valve clearances are ,

Inlet 0 .06 ± 0.01 mm
Exhaust 0 .1 ± 0.01 mm

The tool you need is bassically an 8mm spanner with 3mm square insert.

Modern Buddy

Stella valve adjustments - where to get the tool?

Stella valve adjustments - where to get the tool?

valve adjust and Buddy speed

Re: valve adjust and Buddy speed