This page is about the first time I checked and adjusted the valve clearance. Again, it is not intended to be a guide for the procedure, but rather just how I did it
To adjust the valves on a VTX you have to remove the gas tank and some plumbing and other hardware,and secure some of it out of the way. Even with the hoses and other stuff removed it is still a very tight fit to get to the rocker arm covers, let alone doing the checking/adjustment. Following the shop manual is the best way to achieve success.
OK. Here we go.
The first thing I did was remove the gas tank.
Disconnecting the gas line and the breather hose.
Next the tank bolt was removed.
There are two cables with connectors which go from the gas tank to the main frame.they have to be disconnected.
Cable connectors.
Cables disconnected.
I then removed the gas tank.
Gas tank removed.
In order to make the engine easier to turn over I removed the four spark plugs.
Removing the spark plugs.
Spark plugs out.
The procedure calls for setting each cylinder at TDC one at a time so the valves can be checked and adjusted if necessary.The rocker arm covers must be removed to access the rocker arm adjusting screws and lock nuts.
The timing hole cap cover and the timing hole cap have to be removed so the timing marks can be seen.
Timing hole cap cover removed.
Timing hole cap removed.
After the timing hole cap is removed I rotated the engine until it was at TDC on the rear cylinder.
The rocker arm covers were then removed.
Rocker arm cover removed. This is the front cylinder intake.
Rocker arm cover off front exhaust valve.
Then I used feeler gauges to check the valve clearance of the valves in the rear cylinder.I repeated the procedure for the front cylinder. (The photos show the front cylinder, but the procedure is the same for both.)
Feeler gauge checking rear intake valves.
The hardest part is fighting the closeness of the components surrounding the top of the engine.There is very little room to manipulate the tools to do the checking and adjusting.I held hoses and wires out of the way with tie wraps.
I consider myself to be a fairly good back yard mechanic, and with valve adjusting experience in my background I struggled through it.