A couple notes that I didn't cover in my short video. I did the water pump upgrade / flush and oil change at the same time. So I already had 1/2 the bike apart. 1) To tear everything apart I just followed the KTM 950 Hall of Wisdom documents. 2) As I took each piece apart I put the misc. hardware in a ziploc bag and tape it to the part. Makes it handy going back together. 3) When I do this again I'll just do a radiator flush and oil change at the same time. Getting the oil tank and radiator out of the way sure makes life much easier. 4) Front and rear lobes face different direction when at TDC. From the left side of the bike. (Clutch side) Rear cylinder lobes @ TDC - Face in towards each other. And left (intake) rear lobe has the X that you align with the edge of the cylinder. Front cylinder lobes @ TDC - Face away from each other. And left (exhaust) front lobe has a circle that you align with the edge of the cylinder.
+Scoty ABML don't forget to disassemble each nut one at a time and place assembly lube on the threads and go to 25 nm on each one then final torque so you get the right spec and don't disturb the head gaskets
Scoty ABML about to do this tomorrow as I'm getting abit of oil residue at the head gasket. manual says torque to 25 in first stage and then to 43 in second stage. hope it stops the weaping
I did mine once. I really think the next time it needs to be done I'm going to sell the bike. What a pain in the ###! Worst part is the damn gas tanks.
Useful video. Thanks. Do you happen to know how to take the spark plug shaft out? there is a bolt I need to remove to access the shim but the shaft is on its way.
So I understand this was a long time ago and no longer have the bike. I recently bought a 950 Adventure and I am 95% sure the last owner did not correctly do a valve adjustment. The bike runs and idles well, but in the mid range it sounds and feels like it’s un balanced. In this video you did mention that after finding TDC on the rear cylinder that when you move on to do the front cylinder that TDC is not in the same crank position and you need to use the 14mm Allen socket again to turn the crank to find TDC for the front. Here is my question: TDC in the front is not the next revolution, but the second revolution where the front piston is at the top. Am I correct? I strongly suspect that whoever did the last valve adjustment on the 950 I bought set the front cylinder timing to the first cycle and not the second so it runs, but not well. Please tell me if I am making sense. I am going to do a valve check/adjustment and after I do the rear and get to the front cylinder I think I will find that the dots you mentioned on the gears will line up and show TDC on the very cycle of the piston and not the second.
If you suspect the timing is off go through and recheck it again and make sure all of the marks line up. Then rotate it a few times and make sure the marks still line up again. There isn't any first or second cycle as you are suggesting. The other thing to check is that the cam chain tensioner is tensioned and that the marks still line up. Just a reminder the video and cam positions are to show you have to do a valve adjustment. But you you can also use it to find TDC and set the cam timing as well. It just doesn't have a tone of step by step details on that.
@ Now I’m more confused. I watched Ken Nelson from Adventure Machines video on UA-cam titled “Adventure Machines KTM LC8 valve check” (20,000+ views) that specifically references near the end @ of the video at about 10:24 that the second time the front piston is at the top is when the circle marks on the front gears on the cams should align with the top of the cylinder head. He also states that if you adjust the valves at the first cycle up that you end up with a “twingle” where it will run exactly how this bike is running.
On the rear cylinder (or front with dots) do you line up the x on the tooth on both intake and exhaust cams or just the intake? And if just the intake, how do you know where to put the exhaust?
I realize this is very, very late. But the orange tool is to lock the bottom half of the engine at TDC "Top Dead Center" while you remove the cams and replace the chain.
@@hotrod-machines Hey, even though it's 8 years old that video was really helpful and well done to get a feeling of what doing a service on this bike is like. Do you still ride the 950 by any chance?
@@starstencahl8985 Nope sold the bike years ago because it wasn't getting ridden enough. 950S is still one of my favorite bikes. Rode it for several years and still sold it for what I bought it for.
A couple notes that I didn't cover in my short video. I did the water pump upgrade / flush and oil change at the same time. So I already had 1/2 the bike apart.
1) To tear everything apart I just followed the KTM 950 Hall of Wisdom documents.
2) As I took each piece apart I put the misc. hardware in a ziploc bag and tape it to the part. Makes it handy going back together.
3) When I do this again I'll just do a radiator flush and oil change at the same time. Getting the oil tank and radiator out of the way sure makes life much easier.
4) Front and rear lobes face different direction when at TDC.
From the left side of the bike. (Clutch side)
Rear cylinder lobes @ TDC - Face in towards each other. And left (intake) rear lobe has the X that you align with the edge of the cylinder.
Front cylinder lobes @ TDC - Face away from each other. And left (exhaust) front lobe has a circle that you align with the edge of the cylinder.
Good vid, thanks for the tip regarding the torque at 90 degrees.
That torque trick is awesome many thanks!
yeah, good one...my torque wrench doesn't quite mate with the KTM bottle opener which also could work but the 13 to 14mm wrench works awesome
+Scoty ABML don't forget to disassemble each nut one at a time and place assembly lube on the threads and go to 25 nm on each one then final torque so you get the right spec and don't disturb the head gaskets
+Scoty ABML :) cheers
Scoty ABML about to do this tomorrow as I'm getting abit of oil residue at the head gasket. manual says torque to 25 in first stage and then to 43 in second stage. hope it stops the weaping
I did mine once. I really think the next time it needs to be done I'm going to sell the bike. What a pain in the ###! Worst part is the damn gas tanks.
Useful video. Thanks. Do you happen to know how to take the spark plug shaft out? there is a bolt I need to remove to access the shim but the shaft is on its way.
So I understand this was a long time ago and no longer have the bike. I recently bought a 950 Adventure and I am 95% sure the last owner did not correctly do a valve adjustment. The bike runs and idles well, but in the mid range it sounds and feels like it’s un balanced. In this video you did mention that after finding TDC on the rear cylinder that when you move on to do the front cylinder that TDC is not in the same crank position and you need to use the 14mm Allen socket again to turn the crank to find TDC for the front. Here is my question: TDC in the front is not the next revolution, but the second revolution where the front piston is at the top. Am I correct?
I strongly suspect that whoever did the last valve adjustment on the 950 I bought set the front cylinder timing to the first cycle and not the second so it runs, but not well. Please tell me if I am making sense. I am going to do a valve check/adjustment and after I do the rear and get to the front cylinder I think I will find that the dots you mentioned on the gears will line up and show TDC on the very cycle of the piston and not the second.
If you suspect the timing is off go through and recheck it again and make sure all of the marks line up. Then rotate it a few times and make sure the marks still line up again. There isn't any first or second cycle as you are suggesting. The other thing to check is that the cam chain tensioner is tensioned and that the marks still line up.
Just a reminder the video and cam positions are to show you have to do a valve adjustment. But you you can also use it to find TDC and set the cam timing as well. It just doesn't have a tone of step by step details on that.
@ Now I’m more confused. I watched Ken Nelson from Adventure Machines video on UA-cam titled “Adventure Machines KTM LC8 valve check” (20,000+ views) that specifically references near the end @ of the video at about 10:24 that the second time the front piston is at the top is when the circle marks on the front gears on the cams should align with the top of the cylinder head. He also states that if you adjust the valves at the first cycle up that you end up with a “twingle” where it will run exactly how this bike is running.
Very informative video. Helped a lot. Thank you!
Thanks for doing this for us!
Thanks for posting, very helpful :-)
On the rear cylinder (or front with dots) do you line up the x on the tooth on both intake and exhaust cams or just the intake? And if just the intake, how do you know where to put the exhaust?
whats the need for the little orange tool when the TDC markings are on the gears?
I realize this is very, very late. But the orange tool is to lock the bottom half of the engine at TDC "Top Dead Center" while you remove the cams and replace the chain.
@@hotrod-machines Hey, even though it's 8 years old that video was really helpful and well done to get a feeling of what doing a service on this bike is like. Do you still ride the 950 by any chance?
@@starstencahl8985 Nope sold the bike years ago because it wasn't getting ridden enough. 950S is still one of my favorite bikes. Rode it for several years and still sold it for what I bought it for.
Is it necessary to retorque the head nuts?
No its not required. But its good practice.