Tore down to check the valves last night on my 09 klx250 and used a feeler gauge to check everything. First, when I turned the motor ccw til the intake lob was decompressing and motor was TDC, I looked at the cams and the intake and exhaust are not both level with the head. The exhaust cam is, but the intake one is not. So my first question is should this be corrected or is it possible it's an issue on my end? (I can take a picture if you need me to).

Second, both sets of valves are sitting right at the bottom side of the threshold for being in spec. (.10mm in .15mm exh) is this acceptable or should I go ahead and change them since they are right at the bottom of the limit?

 

Hmm, I can't imagine something is wrong with the positioning of the cams but I could be wrong. How many miles are on the bike and does it make any funny noises? I highly doubt the cams are messed up especially if they are in spec.

Your second question, I personally like to get everything exact but that's me. Bottom of the spec or top of the spec doesn't matter, it's with in spec so I'd just run it. If you ever have the cams apart for anything then I'd just adjust them then.

 

You may want to give her another 360 spin on the crank if both valves are not fully closed. Your not on the compression stroke, it is a 4 cycle, remember!

The valves tighten as you put the miles on leading to hard starting and burnt valves. Always better to run on the loose side of the spec, then they will tighten up as the miles are added.

 

It does make a faint clacking sound when I am around mid rpm's maintaining speed. If I put more of a load on it to accelerate it stops. The bike only has 5,500 miles on it.

 

Tomorrow after work I will spin the crank some more just to make sure but I'm fairly sure I wasn't off. It was a pretty noticeable difference in the cam positions though. When I am checking again tomorrow I will snap pictures and post them up.

 

If it was out by 360 degrees, there would be no valve clearance as the piston would be at the top of the exhaust stroke.

Ride on
Brewster

 

Yep! You're right!

But considering "both the valves are not level with the head" statement & what that exactly means, I decided to bring the rotation up.

 

Finally got the pictures for you guys to let me know if my cams are a little off. If so it only looks like a tooth to me.

 

Looks OK to me. Your cam chain may be a bit stretched.

Ride on
Brewster

 

Looks good to me too. The rotation is a bit off, since both the back marks look a shade lower than the fronts. But odds are there's like a degree or two difference, not enough to even care. manufacturing tolerances in the cam chain assembly could be enough to cause that.