This article is one of a series which describes how to disassemble, work on, and reassemble the Road Star engine. This particular article shows how to install the heads, reassemble rocker-arms, adjust valve sync, and install and adjust adjustable-pushrods. See the Complete Engine Tear Down, Orientation article in this website for details of other aspects of engine details.

Be sure you refer to the service manual through all phases of this project.

Start installing the heads by putting blue painter's tape (or something) over the sparkplug holes. This will prevent anything from dropping inside the cylinder, as you continue your installation.

Next, insert alignment dowels into the cylinder tops.

Install new head gaskets. Make certain they are oriented so that all the holes line up.

Take picts.

Take one of the heads and orient the exhaust port to the bike's right-side and the intake port toward the engine’s center. Then put it over the cylinder studs and onto the cylinder top. See Important Tip below.

Important Tip: If you just set the head onto the dowel tops, and then slide the head around until it finds the dowel holes, you will likely scratch the head’s gasket surface--not good. Instead, squat or sit down. Then, as you lower the head onto the cylinder top, look under the head, and guide the dowel holes directly toward the dowels. Lightly set the head on the dowels, and don’t let go of the head’s weight until you’re sure you’ve got it in place.

Now, insert the head bolts (which are actually very long nuts). Hand tighten them. Then begin tightening each bolt one-half turn or so at a time, until the head finally seats squarely on the cylinder top.

At this point, do the following torque procedure for each head:

• Torque all six bolts to 28 ft-lbs.
• Continue tightening the largest four bolts to 36 ft-lbs.
• Loosen all the bolts one-half turn or so.
• Torque them again, using 28 ft-lbs for the smaller bolts near the sparkplugs; 36 ft-lbs for the bigger bolts.

Repeat this process for the other head.

Finally, put some motor oil or assembly lube on and around the valve stems on the heads.

This completes the heads installation. Rockers, lifters, and pushrods are next.

If you have not disassembled your rocker arm bases, you may skip this section.

Locate your rocker arm parts. Lube, and then install the rockers into the rocker-bases, if they were removed. To do this, position the rocker barrel that operates the exhaust valves for the rear cylinder (for example) into its place in the rocker base.

Next, while holding the rocker in place with one hand, slide its rocker-shaft through the right-side mount, through the rocker barrel, and into the left-side mount. Tip: The end with the key-way goes in last.

Warning: Do not force anything. The bearing surfaces between the mounts and rockers are easily damaged.

Push the rocker-shaft in all the way, until it stops.

Next, insert the retainer bolt loosely into the hole on top of the mount. View the photo above to see where it goes. Take a screwdriver to the slot in the end of the rocker-shaft and gently rotate it. As you do, one of three things will happen:

• The shaft will turn easily until the retainer bolt suddenly drops down. This indicates that the shaft key-way is now properly aligned with the retainer bolt.
• The shaft will turn easily, around and around. This indicates that the shaft is pushed in too far, or not far enough. Adjust it in and/or out until you achieve the situation above.
• The shaft will have extremely limited rotation. This indicates that the shaft key-way is already aligned with the retainer bolt. Perfect.

Now tighten the retainer bolt to 7.2 ft-lbs, which is 86.4 in-lbs.

Take picts.

Note: The term lifter is synonymous with tappet.

Remove rags/gloves from the lifter block area.

Unless you’ve done this previously, do the following:

• Install O-rings (each lifter block gets one thick, one thin, and one tiny one for the lifter block base) in the lifter-blocks. See first photo below. Tip: I use silicone grease on this little guy, to keep it in place during installation.
• Take picts.
• Install the lifter-blocks.
• Put a light coat of assembly lube in the lifter barrels--the two holes in each lifter-block where the lifters will go.
• Look to see which lifter-block goes where. They can only go on one way. Then push them down in place.
• If your engine uses lifter-block caps, put them in place now. They can only go on one way. See note below.
• Finally, bolt and torque the lifter-blocks with the lifter-block caps in place. Use 7.2 ft-lbs, which is 86.4 in-lbs. See note and second photo below.

Note: If your engine is a 2004 or newer, or you have roller lifters, you will not have lifter-block caps.

If you are reusing your lifters, have adjustable pushrods you wish to adjust, and have not flushed the oil from the lifter resevoirs (per the service manual), you must bleed down the lifters per the service manual.

Tip: Actually, I recommend bleeding down the lifters in any case. If you do not bleed your lifters, you will need to use a crescent type wrench on the rocker barrel, per the tip given in the Installing Pushrods section of this article.

Important Tip: If you choose not to bleed down your lifters, I highly recommend you use a wrench on the crank (in the timing cover on the engine's left side) to manually turn the engine over several revolutions (with a spark plug out of each cylinder) BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE. This way, you can carefully feel for any obstructions to smooth operation of the valve train. Otherwise, you risk hyper-extending a valve which might hit a piston before the hydraulics in the lifters can normalize.

Take one of the lifters, and liberally coat its bottom with assembly lube. Leave its sides dry. Put a single drop of motor oil into its pushrod cup.

If reusing your original lifters, be very certain of which barrel it goes into. If you have any doubt, replace them.

Now insert the lifter. It just slides down its barrel--flat side down, for flat tappet lifters.

Note: If you have roller cams, note the following:

• The lifter should be installed roller-end first.
• Rotate the lifters so their 'anti-rotation ears' are to the center of the lifter blocks.
• Install the 'anti-rotation bars' (using the hex screws) so that the arrows are visible and oriented toward the engine's center. See photo below.
  
• Torque the hex screws to 5 ft-lbs (60 in-lbs), using thread-lock.

Repeat this process for the other lifters.

Tip: I use a little 'L'-hook tool I made from wire to grab the lifter top on flat tappet lifters. That way, I can lower the lifter onto the cam lobe without letting it hit too hard. The lube on the lifter barrels would probably slow its descent anyway, but my tool ensured total control.

Clean, lube and install the oil seals (tensioners) and O-rings onto the pushrod tubes--top and bottom. Note: If your engine is a 2004 or newer, the top and bottom oil seals (tensioners) are not the same. Refer to the service manual or the Yamaha parts explosions to be sure you get them in correctly.

Carefully push the chrome pushrod tubes firmly down into the lifter blocks.

Insert two alignment dowels into the top of each head.

Cost Saving Tip: If your metal, rocker gaskets aren't perfectly covered w/black sealer, you can 'Paint' them with Yamabond thinned with Xylene, just prior to installing the rocker base.

Install the rocker-base gaskets over the alignment dowels on the heads.

Take picts.

Install both of the rocker-bases on the heads and over the pushrod tubes. Then bolt them up. Each base (for 1999-2003 engine, anyway) uses:

• Two black, M6x20mm bolts, with washers
• Two M6x45mm bolts
• 7.2 ft-lbs of torque, which is 86.4 in-lbs.

Tip: If you are uncertain of which rocker bolts go where, refer to the Deciphering Yamaha Bolt Part Numbers section in the Parts and Tools article in this website. Then you can look up the location of where each bolt goes, by reviewing the parts explosion drawings and part number listings at Yamaha's Star motorcycle website, at Star Parts Catalog.

If you have done a valve job, replaced your valves, or just want to be sure each pair of valves are operating in exact unison, you'll need to adjust the valve 'sync'. Here's how I did mine:

Note: Since the pushrods are not yet installed, all valves are seated and rockers are not yet under tension. Therefore, there is no need to worry about rotating the engine to TDC. All valves can be sync-ed without stopping to release rocker/valve pressure.

Loosen the valve 'sync' nut (on the rocker-arm) using a 10mm wrench. Then put a 4 or 5mm (tiny) socket on the sync bolt (You don't need a wrench on the socket. Just hold it with your fingers). Now, while holding the non-adjustable rocker arm against its valve stem, play with the 4 or 5mm socket to find the point where the sync bolt-face lightly kisses its valve stem. Then lock the 'sync' lock-nut with a 10mm open-end wrench.

Note: I used a dial indicator, ala Mr. Tidy article on valve syncing in this website, to see where the sync-bolt 'kissed' its valve stem. I found it to be a little more precise than my finger sensitivity.

Now you must make sure the crankshaft is rotated to the proper TDC for each cylinder--in turn--as you work on them:

• For the rear cylinder-- The cam drive/driven gears can be easily aligned to their 'timing dots' to create TDC.
• For the front cylinder-- Either align the cam drive/driven gears per the service manual, or align the timing mark in the timing cover (on the left side of the engine, per the service manual). Note: I used both these methods. I wanted to be certain I had the right spot.

You may skip the following instruction on pushrod adjustment in either of the following situations:

• You have fixed length pushrods.
• You are reusing adjustables, but all the following apply:
  • You have not loosened the adjustment nuts.
  • You have not had your valves out.
  • You are reusing your cams.
  • You are reusing your lifters.
  • You are happy with their current length.

Use a pair of 10mm open-end wrenches to loosen the adjuster on the end, and then shorten the rod as much as possible. See photo below. Lube the ends of pushrods with two drops of motor oil.

Tip: Only install and adjust the pushrods for one cylinder at a time. Otherwise you will need to rotate the crankshaft to each cylinder's TDC marks, multiple times.

Now install the pushrods for the current cylinder, by lowering each one down the tube. If you have adjustable pushrods, be sure you install them with the adjuster ends up. If you are reusing pushrods -- whether adjustable or fixed -- be sure you orient them the same way (and in the same position) they came out. If you are installing pushrods for a 2004+ (1700 type) engine, be sure you install the single, longer pushrod into the rear cylinder's intake (outer, right) position.

Watch down the tube to guide each rod down to the center of its lifter. Be very sure that the outer rod goes to the intake rocker (toward the engine's intake (center)), and the inner rod goes to the exhaust rocker (toward the engine's exhaust port). See the service manual for details.

Next, push down firmly on the top of the rod so that you can slip it under the rocker arm. Be careful not to scar the ball on top of the pushrod as you do this.

Tip: As an alternative to pushing down on the pushrods to install them -- or if you have not bled down your lifters -- you can use a large, adjustable, open-end wrench (like a Crescent) on the flats that are molded into the rocker barrels. This will allow you to rotate the rockers up enough to easily slip the pushrods under their rocker arms.

Your pushrods should now look similar to the photo below. Your’s may look a little different if you’re using stock or fixed-length pushrods.

Take picts.

You may skip this section on pushrod adjustment in either of the following situations:

• If you have fixed length pushrods
• If you are reusing adjustables, but all the following apply:
  • You have not loosened the adjustment nuts.
  • You have not had your valves out.
  • You are reusing your cams.
  • You are reusing your lifters.
  • You are happy with their current length.

First, be certain you have rotated the crankshaft to TDC (beginning the compression stroke) for the cylinder you're working on. See the previous section if you are uncertain how to do this.

Begin by using a 10mm open-end wrench to hold the lowest nut on the upper end of the pushrod.

Use another 10mm, open-end wrench--or just use your fingers--to begin raising the ball on top of the pushrod. Continue lengthening the rod this way until the ball seats into its rocker arm, yet has not begun pushing its lifter-spring down. You can feel it, if you work carefully.

Now, while still using one 10mm open end wrench to hold the lowest nut, screw the adjuster nut (the top one) up (counterclockwise). As you do this, count the wrench turns (nut faces).

Continue doing this until you bottom out the lifter spring. (Mine were about 37-38 turns. Yours may differ. I have Speedstar roller lifters.) You'll know when you've reached bottom, as it suddenly gets stiffer to turn the wrench.

Screw the adjuster nut (the top one) back in (clockwise) a certain number of turns, to set your lifter 'preload.' The proper amount of lifter preload is highly debatable, but the following section covers the theory and reasoning, as I understand it.

Stock, fixed length, pushrods push down into the lifter-spring a little (Yamaha is sometimes overly conservative since they don't want to be sued no matter how poorly consumers might maintain their bikes). As your aluminum engine warms up it expands (gets taller) by a greater amount than the pushrods will expand. Therefore, it is vital that the pushrods are long enough to maintain zero valve lash regardless of engine tempurature.

Some engine builders feel that the expansion can be enough to exceed the lifter spring preload if not set sufficiently deep. The result, according to these builders, is excess chatter in the engine's top end. This noise (and the associated potential wear) can be reduced by adjusting pushrods to be slightly longer that account for two things:

• They aren't so long that they would bottom-out the lifter springs, no matter how cold (read: shortened) the engine gets.
• They're long enough that even when the engine gets to its highest operating temperature (read: gets tall) the lifters springs are still pressing up against the pushrods so as to maintain zero valve lash, and everything stays quiet and proper.

Now, with all that being said, you must decide what pushrod length you believe will accomplish this happy coexistence of parts. Actually, it's a little easier than that. You just need to decide who to believe, based on a lifter spring percentage of preload:

• Yamaha says to screw your adjuster nuts back in by 14 'flats' -- which is approximately 50%, but that is for their Speedstar roller lifters, which they no longer sell. Yamaha does not print a opinion an adjustable pushrods for flat tappet lifters, as they do not offer them.
• David (Bulldog1602) Tise, (BulldogsCustomCycle.com owner, and one of the top R* engine builders on the US East coast) screws his adjuster nuts back in by 33%. This provides a two-thirds preload.
• Greg Wicks, (Nemesis Racing founder) recommended a preload of 50%, but said that any preload between 50% and 70% is good.
• DK Montgomery, (Nemesis Racing US distributor and DK Powdercoating owner) recommends screwing the adjuster nuts back in by 30% to 50%. This creates a 70% to 50% preload.
• Patrick Racing recommends screwing the adjuster nuts back in by 1/4 turn (roughly 0.005"). Note: PR appears to use a Shubeck (or similar) lifter, which has very limited hydraulic travel, so using the 'percent preload' method of adjustment is not applicable or necessary.
• Skip Dowling (Orient Express Owner) recommends screwing the adjuster nuts back in by 1/2 turn (roughly 0.010"). Note: OE appears to use a Shubeck (or similar) lifter, which has very limited hydraulic travel, so using the 'percent preload' method of adjustment is not applicable or necessary.

Note: I used 50% for mine. In my opinion, since the hydraulic lifters will automatically pump up to eliminate any slack in the valve train (which is why they were invented), any top-end chatter/noise you hear when your engine is warm can not be eliminated by increasing the lifter preload.

Decide on your preload amount and calculate the number of wrench-turns you’ll need. See the calculation tip below. Then while still using one 10mm open end wrench to hold lowest nut, screw the adjuster nut (the top one) back down (clockwise). As you do this, count the wrench turns (nut faces).

Calculation Tip: In other words, multiply the total wrench-turns times the percentage you want, to get the number of wrench-turns to lower the pushrod.) For example: 37 'total-turns' X 0.33 'if using 33-percent' = 12 'turns-back'.

Once the pushrod length is set to your satisfaction, lock the pushrod adjuster-nut by jamming the middle nut to the lower nut.

Nut Locking Tip: Be VERY sure you tighten the locking nut securely and firmly down onto the lower nut, while holding the lower nut with another wrench. I thought I had, but one came loose after only seven miles. Jam the nuts securely together, but not so hard as to damage the threads. Since my 10mm wrenches are short--and therefore torque loads are small--I used most of my hand strength.

Also be cautious that one of your wrenches doesn't catch the other nut by mistake. It will falsely create a feeling of 'locked.'

Repeat this process for the other pushrod. Then rotate the crank to TDC for the other cylinder, as described above, and repeat this process for both pushrods of the other cylinder.

Finally, install (and adjust as appropriate) the pushrods for the other cylinder.

Now, unless you've not drained your oil, pour 1/2 quart of motor oil (non-synthetic for break-in, and no 'energy conserving' or friction modifiers) down each of the pushrod tubes. This will do three things:

• It will add the first quart of engine oil directly into the crankcase. This means, you will be able to add the rest of your oil to the dip-stick tube without having to fill/stop/start-the-bike/fill-again.
• It will saturate the entire cam/lifter area with oil.
• It will spread a quart of oil over the crankcase bottom, which then becomes immediately available to the oil pump upon initial start-up.

Now, if you haven't already, you can finally bolt on the chrome clutch cover using 7.2 ft-lbs. Be sure the dowels and new gasket are in place. Also, be sure you install the chrome clutch cable holder via the two upper bolts for the clutch cover. See photo below.

Then bolt on the left-side timing access cover over the front end of the clutch cover. This timing cover is sometimes called the primary cover. It has no gasket. Tip: The lowest bolt on this cover can be screwed in with a long, ball-end, ‘allen wrench.

Install the sparkplugs using anti-seize. Be sure you set the gap first--0.032" to 0.033" for most plugs.

Take picts.

Slip alignment dowels into the rocker-bases.

Note: The next steps, pertaining to the chrome spacer, are for 1999-2003 Road Star engines only. Later models do not have a two-piece, chrome valve cover.

Install the chrome spacers (aka lower valve cover) gaskets.

Cost Saving Tip: If metal gaskets aren't perfectly covered with black sealer, you can 'paint' them with xylene thinned Yamabond.

Bolt up and torque the chrome spacers using six M6x40mm bolts. Use 7.2 ft-lbs.

Take picts.

Slip alignment dowels into the chrome spacers.

Install the valve cover gaskets.

Bolt up and torque the valve covers. Use 7.2 ft-lbs of torque. See graphics below for help putting the right bolts back into the right holes.

Rocker Cover Bolt Placement Chart -- for 1999-2003, 1600cc (98ci) Series Engines

Rocker Cover Bolt Placement Chart -- for 2004-2007, 1700cc (102ci) Series Engines

To access related articles, refer back to the Complete Engine Tear Down, Orientation article in this series to see which additional articles best address your situation.

Questions should be asked in our forum (Use discuss link below). The forum is very active and you stand a good chance of getting your questions answered there. If you would like to leave feedback for the author, or have additional information you think will benefit others, please use the comment section at the bottom of this page.

Discuss this article on the forums. (11 posts)

DISCLAIMER: This information and procedure is provided as a courtesy and is for informational purposes only.  Neither the publishers nor the authors accept any responsibility for the accuracy, applicability, or suitability of this procedure.  You assume all risks associated with the use of this information.  NEITHER THE PUBLISHERs NOR THE AUTHORs SHALL IN ANY EVENT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OF ANY NATURE ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH THE USE OR MISUSE OF THIS INFORMATION OR LACK OF INFORMATION.  Any type of modification or service work on your motorcycle should always be performed by a professional mechanic. If performed incorrectly, this procedure may endanger the safety of you and others on your motorcycle and possibly invalidate your manufacturer’s warranty.

Comments (1)

Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register.

Powered by AkoComment Tweaked Special Edition v.1.4.6
AkoComment © Copyright 2004 by Arthur Konze - www.mamboportal.com
All right reserved