VALVE ADJUSTMENT ON AN R1200RT

Disclaimer - Caution: This pictorial is for informational purposes only. Not responsible for accuracy, or any damage caused to your motorcycle or yourself if you choose to perform these activities. Note – products used are by personal choice and do not represent any affiliation to the product lines. Specifics: - Bike shown is a 2008 R1200RT - Heated Seat Option - No Factory Radio

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Tools 1 – Extended Reach 5/8” Spark Plug Socket – Reference www.harborfreight.com

Item number 91705 2 – 0.30mm Gap Tool - Exhaust (BMW) 2x 3 – 3/8” Drive ratchet and extensions 4 – 10mm Combination Wrench 5 – T-45 Torx Head Socket 6 – T-30 Torx Head Socket 7 – Spark Plug Coil Removal Tool – Reference www.marcparnes.com 8 – 0.15mm Gap Tool - Intake (BMW) 2x 9 – 3mm Allen Wrench 10 – Feeler Gauge Set

NOTE – please ensure you dispose of your used chemicals, oils and fuels in an environmentally responsible manner. This procedure will generate some waste oil. 1 - Place bike on center-stand and have suitable waste oil receptacle nearby to place underneath the respective valve cover being removed. 2 – You do not need to remove the plastic panels to do a valve adjustment – but a valve adjustment is usually followed by a Throttle Body Sync, in which case you will need to remove the panels – please refer to the following link http://www.bmrider.com/images/reports/R12RT%20Bike%20Plastic%20Removal%20Part%201.pdf for specific details on removing the plastic panels on an RT. REMOVING VALVE COVER GUARD – below is shown the removal of the BMW Valve Cover Guards, if you do not have these, you can skip to the section on removing the valve cover itself. If you have another after-market guards other than the BMW refer to the installation instructions/user guide to remove.

Guard to be removed (one per side)

1

Using a T-30 Torx remove the following 3 bolts

2

3

1

2

3

Note longer bolt goes on the bottom – set aside – ready to remove valve cover.

The following steps are identical for each cylinder

Remove Spark plug cover – pinch in the back ends to release the detents and

then pull straight out.

Remove sparkplug coil (I use a Marc Parnes product – works well)

The recessed section of the Marc Parnes tool fits into the groove of the spark plug coil – insert and pull out

Plug harness and coil assembly removed – set in out of the way area.

I loop back and over and tuck in between Throttle Body tube and rear plastic –

keeps it out of the way and clean.

At this stage you are ready to remove the valve cover – you will need a T-40 Torx socket and a waste oil container. There will be some oil loss when the cover is removed. It is minimal. Please ensure you dispose of the waste oil in an environmentally responsible manner.

Remove the 4 T-40 torx valve cover bolts

Valve Cover Gasket

Spark Plug Hole sealing

gasket.

Goes here

Pull off valve cover – also note that at times the gasket for the spark plug hole comes off it’s mounting location – ensure to retrieve it and keep with the valve

cover.

Above shows the gaskets associated to the valve cover. Please note that the

actual valve cover gasket is very robust – it does not need to be replaced – it can be re-used – just take care in handling it. These parts will later be cleaned and

properly mounted during re-assembly.

Prior to removing spark plug – it is a good idea to blow out the hole to get rid of

any foreign debris that may be in there.

Due to the deepness of the placement of the spark plug I use a special socket I

obtained from Harbor Freight – works well – product information on the first page. Remove the spark plug.

NOTE – the following steps are not neccesary – but at the required maintenance

periods I take this opportunity to check the status of the secondary spark plug located at the 6 o’clock position of the cylinder head.

Remove one T-30 torx (the other was already removed by the Valve Cover

Guard removal process)

Remove cover to access spark plug coil,

Simply pull spark coil assembly off of plug

View of spark plug orientation – for reference – it is an angled to cylinder

The secondary plug will always look “dirtier” than the primary because it fires less often.

The plug on the left is the primary, the right the secondary – they looked fine and were replaced in reverse order (I swapped the primary and secondary) I will do

the same at 18K and then at 24K miles will replace both.

1. Remove the opposite cylinders’ Valve Cover Guard, Valve Cover and Spark plug as was shown above

2. Once both valve covers are off, put the bike into 6th gear

3. “Bump” the rear wheel IN THE DRIVE DIRECTION to get the valves in the

adjustment position.

Bump the wheel until you see the tab come up, continue bumping until the tab is

in the 3 o’clock position – if you miss – just go around again.

Once in position you can adjust the CLUTCH side valve train

Loosen lock nuts with a 10mm wrnch

Insert correct feeler gauge between valve stem and rocker arm

Adjustment (0.30mm for Exhaust and 0.15mm for Intake)

Using a 3mm Allen tighten/or loosen the adjustment screw to get a good amount of drag on the feeler gauge – this may need to be done several times until you

get a consistent pull

Hold 3mm Allen in place while tightening

Pull up on 10 mm Wrench to tighten

lock nut

Maintain feel of feeler gauge to

check for excessive tightening

Once set, tighten the lock nut down while holding the set screw in position, while maintaining the feeler gauge in place.

Repeat above process with other valve, once complete –check tension of feeler

gauge is equal – adjust as necessary – once complete do the intake side

The Intake is done the same way except you use a 0.15 mm feeler gauge.

To adjust the valves on the Throttle side bump the engine until the ARROW is seen on the wheel – you can only view the alignment stops from the Throttle side

cylinder

Repeat same valve adjustment process.

Once both heads have had their valves adjusted the re-assembly process can begin.

Wipe off Valve Cover Gasket seating area on the cylinder head

Wipe off Valve Cover Gasket seating area on Valve Cover and ensure that the

spark plug seal is cleaned and properly mounted.

Place Valve Cover Gasket on Head (it goes only on one way) and prepare to mount the Valve Cover straight onto the head

Important note – the mounting bolts of the valve cover are shouldered. When you tighten the bolts down be aware of this so as not to over-tighten and cause

damage.

Mount the valve cover as parallel to the cylinder head as possible – the reason for this is you do not want to displace the o-ring sealing gasket for the sparkplug

Note that there is a captive rubber washer under the metal washer on the bolt for the valve cover, they can easily get out of place and will give a false sense that the valve cover bolt is properly secured. As you are tightening walk over the

metal washer as you are approaching hand tightness.

Put in spark plug(s) and appropriate covers

When putting on the top spark plug coil make sure it is fully seating, you will note some intial resistance then as you push you will feel it bottom out – excessive

force is not required.

Press cover on and put on any valve cover guards

Complete for other side.

Turn engine on – check for leaks

Turn engine off

Re-install removed panels.

Valve Adjustment Procedure is complete.