Kawasaki Vulcan 800 valve adjustment

Argue.
As much as you want. This will not change the fact that it makes no difference. According to the marks - if you didn’t skip the physics lesson on internal combustion engines in the 8th grade of school - install a timing belt without marks on ANY engine

and manuals.

Argue. As much as you want. This will not change the fact that it makes no difference.

According to the marks - if you didn’t skip the physics lesson on internal combustion engines in the 8th grade of school - install a timing belt on ANY engine without marks and manuals.

What is the point then in writing in the manual that the adjustment starts from the rear cylinder? Drunk Japanese design engineers got together and decided: “Let's joke and write in the manual that the adjustment is made first on the rear cylinder?” And everyone will think that we are super smart and scratch their heads."

And how can you set TDC without marks? Should I pull the rocker arms? Or stick a screwdriver into the cylinder?

In general, they already require adjustments, I don’t want to give money, I’m not fluent in English to study the manual, and besides, I couldn’t find anything because I’m an asshole in English. Don’t push me too hard, I’m interested in such stupid questions, I’m the first Japanese, so I haven’t figured out what to do with him yet)

1. On which cylinder are the valves adjusted first? 2. Which valves, intake or exhaust, are primarily adjusted? 3. At what mark should I set certain valves? 4. how to rotate the crankshaft, clockwise or counterclockwise? 5. what gap should be on the intake and exhaust valve

Source

VN400/800 timing phases. wtf?

At the end of the season I bought a Vulcan 400 here with a knock as a single person, and the Dnieper means now it will be with a stroller. So I brought the engine home, took off the covers, and turned it around. what the hell? one revolution there is resistance, the other there is no. Both cylinders worked. Removed the timing covers. It turns out that the compression stroke of both cylinders is on one revolution, and the next one turns easily. Has anyone tinkered with these engines? According to the manual, it SEEMS like it shouldn’t be like this (it’s damn written in such a way that the devil would break his leg)

Maybe it's a decompressor?

Look at the manual - there should be a page with the correct location of the timing marks.

No, for a decompressor. I can see it by the valves. According to the manual, it seems that this should not happen. One of the previous owners assembled it this way. But at the same time he drove normally

Well. If my memory serves me right, it should be something like this. On the left (where the generator is) you open a small lid - under it there will be marks in the right window and a 17-point bolt in the left. You take a wrench with an extension, put it on this bolt and smoothly turn it counterclockwise, look at the marks. TDC is TDC of the front pot, while you also look at the upper camshaft sprocket: the flywheel mark should coincide with the mark on the sprocket (on the sprocket it should be parallel to the cut of the cylinder head). Next, turn again counterclockwise 305 degrees, the mark on the rear camshaft sprocket and TR on the flywheel should coincide. This is how it is presented. Well, accordingly, the timing chain tensioners should be in place. For this motor, uneven operation of the pots is normal. There, both connecting rods sit on the same neck, almost like HD’s.

Hm. and if one boiler is set up so that there is blowing in it, when compression is in the other. This would make it easier for the engine to spin up. Although.

Just out of curiosity, I opened my Shadova manual and racked my brain a little. Flashes are produced 1 pc per revolution. I googled horley and it's the same there.

I made a calculation of what would happen if one camshaft was turned 180* on my engine. The gap turned out to be 52* - 668* I doubt that the Japanese flywheel will be enough to push one and a half turns, in general, I don’t even know how it will go and whether it will even happen.

Test drive KawasakiVN 800 Vulcan

Opinion: Vladislav Sofonov (180 cm 75 kg) Driving experience: 6 years. Rides a Kawasaki ER-5 Twister Oh, and I had a great day with this Kawasaki Vulcan... First, a long and tedious wait until our photographer captured it on camera. Then - repeated encore races with the participation of local dogs. They apparently really liked Vulcan, because they did not want to part with it, and each tried to grab a piece of it for themselves as a souvenir. I had to lift my legs higher so that the dogs wouldn’t grab a piece of me. As soon as I managed to say goodbye to them, leaving the four-legged ones, exhausted by the chase, with nothing, I fell into a trap called a “jam.” And, what’s most offensive, I realized this quite late, when I drove onto a long bridge across the Dnieper and it was no longer possible to turn onto any empty street. And ahead, for several kilometers, cars stood or crawled at a snail's pace.

A majestic cruiser is not a scooter on which you can fit into any, even the narrowest hole between cars, without slowing down. But I didn’t want to sit behind the bumper in front of the crawling car, and I had to storm the aisle. Given the considerable width of the steering wheel and the mirrors protruding even further, this was not an easy task. But, to my surprise, many “gaps” that I would never have passed through widened before me as I approached. I didn’t immediately understand what was going on here. Either the drivers shied away, afraid that the gloomy biker on the formidable chopper would break their favorite “canned food” with the bat that was always with him... Or maybe, seeing the majestic bike in the rearview mirror, they were imbued with respect for it and its owner, and as a sign of goodwill, they helped to escape from road captivity, in which they themselves would have to stay for another good half hour... Naturally, I liked the second assumption more. And there were many reasons to take him seriously.

The Kawasaki Vulcan 800 Classic itself looks quite respectable and impressive. And the experimental sample, moreover, was additionally equipped with a high windshield and two additional large headlights, located on both sides of the huge one. With these additions, the bike looks much larger and more massive than it actually is. If all three headlights are on while driving, then when you see them in the mirror, it’s easy to make the mistake of thinking that at least a two-liter cruiser is pushing behind you. And the sound of the engine, spreading over tens of meters, makes it clear that the motorcycle is not a toy.

Mentally shaking hands with the drivers who let me through and beeping with dignity at those who were not going to do so, I broke free in a matter of minutes. And, despite the fact that every 10-20 meters I had to squeeze the clutch, my hand was not tired at all. The unit worked surprisingly smoothly, and the box shifted gears clearly and easily found the “N” mode.

Having arrived on a flat and straight road, I immediately change lanes to the far left lane and give the gas. When you first get on each new motorcycle, you wonder, “How long will it last?” True, knowing in advance that he will not run more than 160, the most comfortable speed becomes a more important parameter. For the Vulcan 800 this is about 120 km/h. No, the wind doesn’t blow it away after that, and vibrations don’t bother me - there are none at all. Two balance shafts work 100 percent. It’s just that at higher speeds the clear relationship between turning the steering wheel and the motorcycle’s reaction to this action is lost. But the Vulcan is not a sportbike, and there is no need to demand delicate handling from it.

After the “torture” with speed, it was the turn to test him with our “off-road off-road”. I’ll say right away that Kawasaki’s move towards a “hard tail” was a success. The “fifth point” feels impacts even from minor potholes in the asphalt. The fork is more loyal to the driver and handles all the bumps more smoothly. But driving on second-rate roads still doesn’t bring pleasure. He should drive on the highways... Slowly, steadily, without sudden acceleration or braking. After all, the brakes on the Vulcan 800 are made in the spirit of minimalism. The rear mechanism is a drum mechanism, and therefore the response to pressing the pedal is quite sluggish. And from the front wheel, someone (probably also on the second brake disc. For aggressive driving around the city it is clearly not enough and for even the slightest sharp braking you have to use both brakes. The situation becomes even worse when there is a passenger in the back. You need to deal with him in advance Slow down in front of any obstacle and never get close to the car in front.

But despite some shortcomings, the Vulcan 800 makes a good impression. It is majestic, graceful, and after riding it only pleasant memories remain in your memory. During the trip, it tends to change the driver’s character and make him slowly enjoy life. This is exactly the case when the pace of the trip is set not by the driver, but by the motorcycle. And it’s worth listening to his opinion, because only he knows how to behave on the road, what you can do and what you absolutely cannot do...

Opinion: Dmitry Vlasov (180 cm 75 kg)

Driving experience: 18 years.

Drives a Defiant Carven 150

I must admit that everything I have stated here regarding the VN800 should in no way be considered an adequate assessment, because bulky two-wheeled fatties are my great weakness, and love, as you know, is blind, evil and... well, you know about the goat...

Just some kind of ridiculous situation: emotions? Over the edge. Words? As much as you like, I can even share. But to put it all together and send it “in a friendly formation” into a smooth text - to this, excuse me, “I can’t go!” Do you know why? Because of…

Oh, he’s so handsome, you bastard! Just that rare case when the equipment does not require absolutely no modifications, when there is simply nothing to say about the appearance. Unless you squeal like a puppy. Everything is there, everything is in its place, all that remains is to hang the panniers and... By the way, the first thought after a kilometer of test was indecently swinish: to return to the ProMoto salon not the next day, as agreed, but in about six months. Bearded, tanned, tired and with a suitcase of material about the long-range test. But, alas, I had to slowly “pick it out” of the Kyiv traffic jams a kilometer at a time...

He's strange. At first he sat on me for half an hour, then he thought of inserting the key, then he sat for half an hour again. Who did you send for the test? Look, I've given up! He tugs here, strokes there... Some kind of fetishist! Has he never taken anything else besides the cable car? What kind of people... Sucker! Pull out the choke, Indian, damn it!..

I probably won’t even remember right off the bat when I was so careful as when driving the first kilometers on the Vulcan. However, I’m unlikely to remember anything even remotely similar to the emotions overwhelming me at that moment. The comfort of a limousine, the thrill of two wheels and the power of a diesel locomotive is an amazing combination, skillfully put together into one whole by the cunning Japanese. To say that sitting in this “chair” is comfortable is to say nothing. No, I'm not a pilot! I am the king of the universe, sitting on the throne and lazily driving away from my path everything that moves on the road. The car really provokes pretentious behavior: a lazy glance at a traffic light towards the sidewalk, unnecessary throttle changes in order to enjoy yourself and let those around you enjoy this simply indescribable bass of the release. What's on our heads? Hmm... An attempt to see oneself in a mirror reduced the pathos: for this, the “king of the universe” will have to get down “from the throne” and walk a little - the spacing of mirrors is simply cosmic, which will not give even the most broad-shouldered “kings” any reason to complain.

Oh, sorry, I think I fell asleep. Where are we? On Krasnozvezdny? Why so slow? Yes! Yes, boy, I can drive in third at idle up the hill! And stop jumping around with delight! Soft, yes, soft seat! Leather, by the way. And stop fiddling with the switches! I don't have a light switch! Yes, go with it turned on. That's how it's supposed to be. You can even turn on additional headlights. No, dunce, not here! Over there, right on the “chandelier”, on the right, there is such a little black pimp... Wow, well done! Now turn up the gas, please, otherwise I'll fall asleep again.

Holy mother, this is dynamics!!! At first it’s even a little scary, but after a little getting used to it, it’s even a thrill to feel the jumps of this monster when you engage each gear. Perhaps it would be superfluous to describe the sad seeing glances of the drivers at the various XXLs, who are accustomed to leaving everyone behind at the start.

By the way, the rather steep “step” of the seat helps a lot, since I suspect that if you get a good start, you simply won’t be able to hold onto the steering wheel. Also, “not for beauty” there is a backrest for the passenger. I'm sure: an ancient joke about the inscription "If you're reading this, it means my chick... etc." invented by the owners of such nimble monsters. At least my passenger even squealed once, unable to hold on to me.

The only thing that doesn’t fit into the “limousine” impressions is the sound when changing gears: it’s too harsh, like for the “king of the universe.” But clearly. But, unfortunately, the same cannot be said about neutral. Although, I guess I'm just not used to it yet.

The driver's footrests are located quite comfortably, moderately forward. It’s just that they combine a little strangely with the controls on them: the legs (at least mine) stood a little like a bear... Although I’m probably being picky: you have to find at least a small fly in the ointment in it so that it wouldn’t be so offensive to give it away?

There you go, well done. What did I say? You will drive the tractor at idle. Or on your favorite cable car. Although I don’t need to be twisted around like some trifle, I also... STOP!!! S-s-s-s-s...

Scoundrel! At least he apologized. Or better yet, look in the mirrors. And there would be no need to apologize. Hmm, the Vulcan is a great guy: three hundred kilos, but it braked as it should, despite the single-disc brakes. Or, wait: what's behind there? Oops... Drum! Oh, but, surprise... In general, there are no complaints about the brakes, despite the strange configuration for such a colossus: “one disc in front + drum in the rear”: the front one is quite smooth, but moderately (even when working with one finger) very tenacious. Rear…

...You probably shouldn’t put too much pressure on him. It’s like an anchor for me: the deceleration is quite sufficient, but it’s very, very difficult to break into a skid. On the very first evening, I spent an unforgettable hour and a half in an indescribably dense traffic jam, where even scooter ants had difficulty squeezing between the cars. It’s worth saying that Vulcan cannot be called a “cork buster” even if you’re drunk...

Why unforgettable? Yes, because it was the best traffic jam in my life, since even in a car, under a roof, with music and in a comfortable seat, such events are much more tiring. The only thing that sometimes bothered me was the strongest...

...the heat coming from my engine. But don't stop. You just need to get moving - and everything will be fine.

The wind protection of the tested specimen is just right. No, of course, not ideal, but you can evaluate her work...

...rising up slightly from your seat while walking, you will receive a powerful dose of “wind in your mug.” So, don’t whine, but sit down and rejoice in the presence of glass. Do you hear? Are you going to the gas station at all? I'm not a scooter...

What do you say - gluttonous?

Well, not without this... If you love, as they say, to ride, love and ride.

Oh, you know what?..

I know. How much I eat, how much waste - you already know. Now you ask, how much am I worth?..

Clever...

And then...

Opinion: Alexander Moskalenko (TEACHER) (168 cm 105 kg)

Driving experience: 25 years.

Drives a Hyosung GT 250.

I rode the Vulcan for two partial days. I only rode around the city. When I took the motorcycle to the dealership, I started thinking - what criteria should I use to evaluate a cruiser? I couldn’t help but remember a conversation between two bikers in the evening, over a glass of beer and a fat steak. One said to the other: “What do you find in these “sports”? I huddled on the motorcycle, concentrated on one point and turned off the gas, hoping to have time to slow down to that very point... And the world flies by around me, blurring into one illegible mess. It's a matter of chopper! This is a different philosophy, this is a different worldview. You, moving slowly, enjoy driving and communicating with the world, comprehend and get to know it...”

Frankly speaking, for me then these words sounded like an inept excuse for the “technical backwardness” of choppers. Like, there is no speed, it picks up speed slowly, is clumsy, shakes terribly and frankly brazenly “guzzles” gasoline. Therefore, for the Vulcan test, I was “mentally prepared.” Did these two days change my view of cruisers? I will rely on my subjective feelings...

The first feeling is unjustified fears. What was I expecting and what was I afraid of? Take a quick look at the characteristics: weight 250 kilograms, length - almost 2 meters 40 centimeters, wheelbase 1.62 m, width 1.17 m. Everything is impressive. And at the same time it raises concerns: will I be able to drive around the city on this device after a light street with an engine capacity of 250 cubic centimeters? Will I even be able to turn onto the sidewalk to park? Will I be able to hold this “stupid” with my legs when I stop? Will I squeeze between the cars? The fears were not completely justified. The motorcycle steers very easily, is extremely stable and obedient. After some time, I felt like I was on a regular street, except that at first my legs instinctively bent (rather than straightened) and... did not find the footrests.

The second feeling is that ideas have been debunked. Take a quick look at the specs again. Volume - 805 cubes. Power... Wait, the power is not indicated in the user manual, nor is the maximum speed... I went online in the hope of finding the specifications for this year’s Vulcan. I found the specification, but no power and maximum speed. They're probably hiding it. Or it’s embarrassing to write. Are those who claim that these motorcycles accelerate with the dynamics of a tractor really right? No matter how it is! In practice, with a sharp “unscrew”, there is a danger that your hands will not hold up and will come off the steering wheel. An acquaintance whom I rode in the back seat of this “800” in a similar way concluded that it is necessary to buy a backrest for the passenger, and first of all, motivating its necessity by the fact that he remained sitting on the motorcycle solely due to its presence on the test specimen! I didn’t even try to check the maximum speed in the city. And since I was not used to the speedometer in miles for two incomplete days of testing, I again relied on my feelings, that is, I drove until it became scary. And the motorcycle would go even faster...

The third feeling is the most important. After two days of driving around the city, I finally realized one thing. Cruisers need to be judged based on two criteria. And these criteria are not at all the ones I spoke about above. The first criterion is show off. The second criterion is, oddly enough, also a show off. And it doesn’t matter at all how this “boar” drives or steers. And you completely forget that the rear brake is very sluggish. And it doesn’t matter at all that the key is inserted where, by definition, it should not be inserted. The main thing is that if you are standing, you notice how everyone looks around and, languidly seeing you off, glances at the motorcycle. If you are driving, then the eyes of all road users (including passengers and drivers) are focused on you (or rather, on your motorcycle). The swagger of a cruiser is a completely supernatural and difficult to explain concept. However, again, relying on subjective feelings, I would venture to suggest that it is based on three components: shine, fat content and sound.

Shine. The motorcycle simply sparkles with chrome. Blinding. Attracts. Lets out bunnies. In bright sunlight you are bound to squint. Fat content. The motorcycle is really “fat”. I think if it weren't for the number "800" on the air filter cover, it would be easy to be fooled into thinking it was a motorcycle with an engine capacity of more than a liter. I realized that this is a general trend among manufacturers - each new generation of cruiser should “get fat before our eyes.” The new Vulcan 900 of 2007 seemed even fatter to me.

Sound. Everyone knows that chopper in English means “helicopter”. And the name of the type of motorcycle, according to some, comes precisely from the similarity of the sound of these two devices. So, “Vulcan” really cuts the air with a rich low baritone. Not the cheap sound of a burnt-out exhaust, but a truly tuned bass, sharp, rough and, at the same time, noble.

And the last thing... Just before returning the motorcycle to the ProMoto salon, I stopped by the car wash and, waiting for my turn and sitting down on the “horse” leaning on the side stand, I suddenly realized: “Vulcan” has become my friend. A reliable and obedient friend. I wanted to stop with him on a lonely highway somewhere between Kiev and Lvov, lean on the tuned back of the passenger seat and look for a long time at the sun setting behind the distant forest. This is only possible when you know that you have a reliable friend under you who will take you where you say and will never let you down.