well im picking up a 91 or 92 500 ninja this saturday, the bike runs, but idles only when choked and the guy said that it has a lifter out? So im going to attempt to clean the carbs, sync them , and check the valve clearance and see whats up with this lifter , i'd like any help , suggestions, advice, etc on all three of theses tasks, i've cleaned carbs before, but never synced them, what do i need to do so, i'm pretty well set up when it comes to tools so now i just need instructions on how to do the jobs, let me know, anything else i should do when i first pick up the bike? Im going to change oil, filter, plugs and fuel filter (if it has one) also. Any ideas or insight on the lifters?? how to tell if ones bad, etc would be great!!

 

Lifters? That is new to me. I know kawi and the shim under bucket method. Although I do not have a EX500 either.

 

There are no lifters (or shims or buckets) on the EX500.
You can check out my unfinished EX500 valve adjustment guide to get an idea of what you'll need to do the job and what it will look like in there, but I strongly recommend getting a copy of the factory Service Manual and Supplement, (which is different than your smaller owner's manual.)
This is a stone-simple engine, with screw/locknut valve adjusters, and about the most expensive part of the whole operation will be buying or borrowing a manometer (or mercury 'carb-sticks') for your carb-synchronization.

The most important tip I can think of with the tasks you'll be doing is being very careful with the float-arm tangs, so that you don't throw off your float levels when cleaning out those carbs. If you do, you'll have to open them back up and bend & re-bend to adjust your float levels.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!
Peace.
-Chris in Carlsbad, CA

 

well... no lifters, haha, well atleast i know now that the guy im getting the bike from has no clue what he's talking about haha, i was trying to picture were the lifters would go but couldnt see where thered be room for push rods and stuff haha, will the clymer manual go over the valve adjustment pretty good? any tools for measurement or anything special i might need? thanks for the help so far i'll post pictures when i get the bike saturday and when i start tearing into it