Neophyte V7 Mechanical Advice

[adventurelounger]

So I decided to tackle the valve adjustment on my 2016 V7II Stornello this weekend. And after watching several YouTube tutorials, got up the mustard to try it myself.

Got the valve cover off and the sparkplug out with relative ease. Now comes the fun part.

In order to find Top Dead Center (TDC), one YouTuber recommended removing the alternator cover, and using a socket wrench to turn the engine in a clockwise direction until your TDC plastic straw is at its apogee, in which case you’ve achieved TDC.

My question comes from the step before that. I’ve started removing the bolts for the alternator cover, and…there’s a lot of them. Of non-uniform length. I think there’s one or two near the horn/top of alternator cover remaining.

In the YouTube video I watched, it must have been a V7I or V7III, because the alternator cover came off much more quickly and easily.

So my question is this: stop now, replace the alternator cover bolts, and use the “bike in high gear, turn the rear wheel” method to find TDC?

Or proceed and commit to getting the alternator cover off? Thanks in advance for any Sunday morning mechanical wisdom.

[kingoffleece]

wheel

[adventurelounger]

And couple other things:

1) when replacing the valve cover bolts, use “anti-seize”? Or use Locktite?

2) torque values for valve cover bolts? For alternator cover bolts?

Many thanks in advance!

[Vagrant]

Get the rear wheel off the ground and use the 5 or 6th gear. Use a big straw to find TDC.
Use your thumb and two fingers on a ratchet to snug bolts. Just put them back in as is.

[Perazzimx14]

I have no idea of you mechanical ability but I always get nervous when people ask very basic questions on their way to attempting something more complex. Maybe a better way to go to task is look for someone local to you that can help you perform this service. There are some nuisances like how should a "feeler" gauge feel and knowing you are the compression stroke verses the exhaust stroke.

FWIW i you do move forward with this I suggest the rear wheel off the ground, both spark plugs removed bike in 6th ear and a softie like a plastic straw or chopstick inserted into the sparkplug hole. Rotate the rear wheel forward until you find TDC on the compression stroke on the cylinder you want to check the valves. 

[guzzisteve]

Make sure you don't have oil inside front cover, some V7 models do.  Use back wheel to turn.

[Kev m]

If you haven't already STOP... Ever since the last year of the MkI the alternator cover is sealed and contains engine oil.

You Boober sucks because he didn't reference that and that was about a decade ago.

[Perazzimx14]

If you haven't already STOP... Ever since the last year of the MkI the alternator cover is sealed and contains engine oil.

You Boober sucks because he didn't reference that and that was about a decade ago.

Dog only know how old of a YT video the OP was watching. Quite possible it predates his model.

 

[Kev m]

Dog only know how old of a YT video the OP was watching. Quite possible it predates his model.

Point remains the same. It's up to the Boober to make sure his/her content is clear with applicability. Give years and models, come back and update list periodically.

Granted it's also on the consumer to keep their eyes open but I put the majority of the children on the supplier of the tech info.

[Kiwi_Roy]

There are two Top Dead Centres one on the exhaust stroke on on compression, its the later you want.
As others have said the later V7s have an oil cooled alternator, don't take the cover off unless you have replacement oil on hand.

[Huzo]

There are some nuisances

Nuances…

[dguzzi]

   I thought boobers was a good thing?
  Really you should be able to see when a valve stops closing and has maximum clearance, that's when to check it.

[Perazzimx14]

Point remains the same. It's up to the Boober to make sure his/her content is clear with applicability. Give years and models, come back and update list periodically.

Granted it's also on the consumer to keep their eyes open but I put the majority of the children on the supplier of the tech info.

Huh, wonder how many YTubers are in violation of your policy. I'm guessing somewhere around 99.9999999999999999 9999999999999999999 9999999999999999999 99999%

Personally I think its up to the user to determine if the content is clear with applicability and relates to what they are working on. I mean lets just look at your small block content do you go back and review all your posts to make sure all your content is clear with applicability. Give years and models, come back and update list periodically? 

[Huzo]

Huh, wonder how many YTubers are in violation of your policy. I'm guessing somewhere around 99.9999999999999999 9999999999999999999 9999999999999999999 99999%

Personally I think its up to the user to determine if the content is clear with applicability and relates to what they are working on. I mean lets just look at your small block content do you go back and review all your posts to make sure all your content is clear with applicability. Give years and models, come back and update list periodically?

I guess there are a couple of schools of thought there.
#1
A large portion of the total number of reasons that our society is going down the toilet, is that people have developed a a sense of lack of accountability for their actions  and words. One would hope that the reason someone posts information, is to provide guidance to another who is lost, a lot of what I see on these You Tube presentations, is a display by someone who found something out yesterday and wants to tell the rest of the world about it today…
#2
If I was so clueless as to need guidance from a You Tuber, how would I possess the accumen to know if the information was on point or otherwise ?

The great man Albert Einstein was quoted as having said…
“If you cannot explain something clearly and succinctly
You probably don’t understand it yourself…”

[Kev m]

Huh, wonder how many YTubers are in violation of your policy. I'm guessing somewhere around 99.9999999999999999 9999999999999999999 9999999999999999999 99999%

Personally I think its up to the user to determine if the content is clear with applicability and relates to what they are working on. I mean lets just look at your small block content do you go back and review all your posts to make sure all your content is clear with applicability. Give years and models, come back and update list periodically?

You're simply defining why I hate YouBoob.

I'm not monetizing my smallblock content. If I did I would feel an obligation to update and clarify.

But I spent more than three decades producing monetized service and repair instructions and always, ALWAYS gave applicability (years and models) so there's that.

[Perazzimx14]

You're simply defining why I hate YouBoob.

I'm not monetizing my smallblock content. If I did I would feel an obligation to update and clarify.

But I spent more than three decades producing monetized service and repair instructions and always, ALWAYS gave applicability (years and models) so there's that.

YouTube has been worth every penny I've spent on it. To date that is $0.00

Who said the YTuber was making money. Probably like the billions of other that just like to post content.

Doing one's job and posting content on social media are not one in the same. I have posted many how to's on various sites and never expected or wanted money. I just did it in the hope that it could help someone else. 

 

[Kev m]

Who said the YTuber was making money.

< Snip >

Doing one's job and posting content on social media are not one in the same.
 

You tube is NOT social media, it's monetized media.

They paid contributors $32B in 2024 alone.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/youtube_a-new-report-from-kpmg-analyzing-global-content-activity-7376653777946288128-8geY?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&rcm=ACoAAFc4I2wBjUYamJindJ34vgIASbKB7YRWikM

YouBoobers can make anywhere from $0.50-7/1000 views, but it adds up.

And the model has little accountability though that's a whole other discussion other than the simple fact that if I do something to help others I prefer to have some basic standards, like making it clear to what it applies, especially for the novices.

YMMV

[Error]

Some of these responses are just kinda…..wow.

OP:

I have a V7ii as well.

1) I use the wheel method. I have a straw that I marked with a line at TDC, I drop that in the cylinder when I know I’m close and line it up. Then adjust from there. Note that because of angle, there is a chance of mashing the straw between the piston and the head. Don’t use anything that would mark up the metal like a screw driver. Plastic or paper straw only.

2) Just as a side note, I’ve pulled the front cover off to replace the seal on my bike, wasn’t all that messy. Still wouldn’t recommend doing it that way.