Engine must be Stone-Cold . . . that's overnight-cold.1. Remove the valve covers by loosening the four 10-mm bolts evenly and in a diagonal pattern. This helps to avoid distorting the covers.
Orient yourself to the piston numbers. The first time on an unfamiliar engine it's a good practice to make numbered masking tape labels and stick them near the set of valves for each cylinder.
2. Remove the spark plugs. Remove the timing mark cover and rotor bolt cover.
3. Place your 12-mm offset-box-end wrench on the rotor bolt. Rotate the engine
clockwise until the intake valve on #1 cylinder opens and closes.
Pull up only! You do not want to loosen that rotor bolt. #1 Intake is the upper valve on the right front cylinder.
4. Continue rotating until the flywheel's
T-1 mark is aligned with the index marks on the case. #1 is now at TDC (top dead center).
5. Check the clearance on the following valves by running the correct size feeler gauge between the valve stem head and the adjusting screw.
#1 Intake - - .004" (.10 mm) - - - right front, top
#1 Exhaust - .005" (.13 mm) - - right front, bottom
#3 Exhaust - .005" (.13 mm) - - right rear, bottom
#4 Intake - - .004" (.10 mm) - - - left rear, top
6. If the gap on a valve is incorrect, loosen the nut with a 10-mm box wrench and screw the adjuster in or out with your screwdriver. Use a light touch here and don't push in on the screwdriver. Turn the screw in until the feeler gauge won't move, then back off slowly until it just starts to move. You want just a little resistance to movement here. When it's correct, the next size larger gauge will not easily slide in and the next one smaller will be sloppy-loose.
7. When the adjustment is correct, tighten the nut while holding the adjustment screw in position with the screwdriver.
8. Torque the locknuts to 9-12 lb.ft. (1.2-1.6 kgf m) and re-check the clearance on #1 intake and exhaust, #3 exhaust and #4 intake. Adjust any that are incorrect.
9. Rotate the engine 360 degrees clockwise until the
T-1 mark is again lined up the the index marks. #2 piston is now at TDC. Check and adjust the clearance on the following valves as you did in Steps 6 & 7.
#2 Intake - - .004" (.10 mm) - - - left front, top
#2 Exhaust - .005" (.13 mm) - - left front, bottom
#4 Exhaust - .005" (.13 mm) - - left rear, bottom
#3 Intake - - .004" (.10 mm) - - - right rear, top
10. Torque the locknuts to 9-12 lb.ft. (1.2-1.6 kgf m) and then re-check the clearance on #2 intake and exhaust, #4 exhaust and #3 intake. Adjust any that are incorrect.
11. An additional check should be done at this time as described in Steps 12 -15.
12. Rotate the engine 360 degrees clockwise. #1 intake will open and close. Align
T-1 to the index marks. #1 is now at TDC. Check #1's intake and exhaust valve clearance and re-adjust if needed.
13. Rotate the engine 180 degrees and align the
T-2 mark. #3 is now at TDC. Check/adjust valve clearance on #3.
14. Rotate the engine 180 degrees and align the
T-1 mark. #2 is now at TDC. Check/adjust valve clearance on #2.
15. Rotate the engine 180 degrees and align the
T-2 mark. #4 is now at TDC. Check/adjust valve clearance on #4.
16. Inspect, clean/replace gaskets and refit the valve covers. Torque the 10-mm bolts to 6-9 lb.ft. (.8-1.2 kgf m) evenly and in a diagonal pattern.
17. Inspect, clean/replace O-rings and refit the timing mark cover and rotor cover. Do not overtighten!
18. Go for a ride and enjoy the weather.
NOTE: Valve clearance varies on GL1000 and GL1200. Consult your manual for details. Also, on a GL1000 you should follow this with ignition points and timing adjustments.
Here's an alternate and easier method from one of our members.
jdvorchak wrote:
If one valve on a cylinder is moving the other is not. I don't even look at the crankshaft position for setting valves. I turn the crank, by hand, in the direction of normal engine rotation and watch one set of valves. When the first valve starts moving, lets say the exhaust valve, I then adjust the intake valve. Then I spin the crank until the intake just starts moving then adjust the exhaust. Then move to the next cylinder on that side of the bike and repeat. Then move the to the other side of the bike and just watch the valves to start moving again and repeat for that side. With this method it's pretty much a no-brainer and you don't have to keep jumping from side to side and trying to remember, "is that #3 exhaust or #1 intake...what timing mark is lined up on the crank," etc.
Now, a good carb. sync. is probably in order. Click=>>
Randakk's Carb Synchronization Procedure.
. . . .
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Valve Clearance Adjustment, GL1100.
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Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 4:17 am 
I can never get any play either in the intake or exhaust for # 4 cylinder. Could it be that far off. I have turned the crank around many times but never gets any play. What is up?
