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Asking this after reading the chopstick in the engine thread.....I had a cafe Cali 2...adjust the valves the usual way I've always done on dozens of auto and bike engines without needing to find TDC...It ran well ,sounded like a Guzzi, sold the bike to Petrus Rocks on this site and he has ridden it hard for several years without adjusting the valves... So why the need to find TDC??
I know you know bike engines intimately ... so where do YOU position the crank to set the valves on a V-twin as opposed to, say a 360 degree parallel twin? Does it matter whether the tappet is JUST about to contact the cam for that pushrod, or whether the tappet is on the base circle directly opposite the point of highest lift .... ?Trying to understand the reason for the question ... ? Lannis
Guzzi cams are different, at least their relationship to the crank is Rough, just saying.On all my other bikes I can put a pencil in the spark plug hole, rotate the crank until the pencil is fully out, check the lash and move the crank a few degrees either way and the clearance stays the sameDo that with Peters 950 and moving the crank one way the lash tightens, the other way it loosens. TDC is on the ramp not on the base circle. Your way may have worked if Peter's 950 hasn't burnt a valve but that may only be luck.Pete
That's because centering the S and D marks is not TDC for valve setting, the horizontal lines next to each are and they are a degree or so off from the letters.Center the lines in the timing hole, mine are faint and hard to see so I put paint on them.I doubt it will make much difference if any but its the proper procedure.
I'm not sure about Guzzi . But it has been my experience that some Mfgr.want valves adjusted @ tdc. Because the heel of the lobe is not prescision ground , only ramps & lifting area.Feel free to criticize at will
Damn, as a kid I was taught to look for where the cam rocks, both valves closed around tdc.As the rods spin loosely there I’m good, tbh I’ve never looked for flywheel markings but have confirmed piston location.
Well, I do know old Triumphs as far as making them go fast in a straight line.... I don't do adjustment by crank position, I do it by valve position... I have been using the following method for many years as recommended by USA high performance auto cam manufacturers.. To adjust the intake, rotate the engine in the normal direction until the exhaust valve on that cylinder starts to open, now adjust intake... To adjust the exhaust, rotate the engine until the intake on that cylinder cycles until just about closed, now adjust exhaust This has worked on Chevy V-8's, vintage Triumphs, Guzzi, OHC Honda's and Ducati... I'm not saying there's anything wrong with using TDC, I just prefer this way...Try it, and see if it works fr you and save the chop sticks for Kung Pao Chicken... On the Guzzi 950 I rotated the engine using a screwdriver in the timing hole ....
It's French. That explains everything..