My first 990 valve adjustment

Hello,

So I'm due for my first valve adjustment. I called the two KTM dealers within 1 hour of where I live and one quoted me $480 for the 9k mile service and that did NOT include a valve check/ adjustment. Actually, they became a KTM dealer approximately 1 year ago, and the person on the phone asked me 3 times the size of my 2008 SuperDuke until finally I snapped and said it was the only size they made that year. She replied that they are new to KTM so she did not know.

So if they don't even know the size of the engine, how can I expect them to know that the valves need to be checked at 9k miles? How will the technician know what to do once inside my engine?

The second KTM dealer I called quoted me $350 for the same job, and he described it as oil/ filter change, chain adjustment, cables adjustment and lube, tyre pressure, and that's all. When I inquired about valve check he said it was not needed until 15k (He must've been reading the manual in kilometers, not miles) Whatever. Stealers suck.

I ordered today, from ktm-parts.com several things I need for the job at hand. I have printed several of the links posted below and will have the laptop in the garage just in case. I still need to buy some minor miscellaneous tools but I do have a questions if you've done this job already.

Do I need these parts? I know these are for the 950 engine. if I need them, are the same part number for the 990?
2 valve cover gaskets (as needed) 600 36 09 9000 VALVE COVER GASKET SET FR+RR
1 copper sealing ring (as needed) 0603 082131 8.2X13X1 COPPER GASKET DIN7603
4 Spark plug shaft gaskets (as needed) 0770 298178 O-RING 29.87X1.78 VITON

Do I need this 600 29 081 000 Special tool for cylinder head nuts (or use the tool in the owner's kit)
I bought the bike used and it did not come with a tool kit.

0113 080802 Crankshaft locking bolt - ORDERED and
10mm valve shims (to be determined after measurements) - ORDERED the complete Kit
14mm allen head socket 1/2" drive (for turning the engine over by hand) - NEED TO GET
2 NGK CR8EK (OEM) or CR8EIX (Iridium) - NEED TO GET

Oh, I also ordered the water pump rebuild kit and will tackle that at the same time.

Thanks a lot for your time and reply,

THE ORANGE GARAGE


990 VALVE CHECK


KTM 950/990 Valve Adjustment

You pretty much have it sorted.
The shim kit is cheaper if you get a 10mm set for harley Vrods they also have more choice as they go up in 0.05.
Hotcams HCSHIM23

Otherwise nothing else I can think of.

Wiseco makes .05 increments in 28 sizes. $59.79 on eBay. Just search 10mm shim kit and it should come up. BUT make certain the 990 is 10mm, which I believe they are. Oh and make sure you get your cam chain tensioner to release !!

Actually Guy, I probably should be banned from offering anyone advice on valve adjustments wouldn't you agree?

You guys should start a new heading of "Opposite" and any thing I say or post will go directly under this heading. That way everyone can go to it, read it, and know just do the opposite of what ever I say or do, and everything should go smoothly!

Thank you for your replies. Does anyone know if I need this special tool? What is it? What's special about it?

600 29 081 000 Special tool for cylinder head nuts (or use the tool in the owner's kit)
I bought the bike used and it did not come with a tool kit.

You really shouldn't need to mess with cylinder head nuts. I think the valve cover gaskets come as a kit and should include the 2 main gaskets, 2 spark plug and 8 for the valve cover bolts. As Aphex mentioned you won't need to remove the cam chain tensioner and the narrow walled spark plug socket can be a bitch to find. Glad they changed the spark plug size on the R version.

Bugger all use for anyone other than in the UK but Halford's sell the required spark plug socket.

I think I found a thin wall spark plug socket from CruzTools for $9.95. If I can not find one locally I'll order it online.


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Another Noob question,

Will a 14mm hex socket work (Depth wise)


or do I need a 14mm long hex L-Wrench to turn the engine?


I read I can try to put the bike in top gear and move the wheel but I rather have the tool I need in case the wheel moving does not work.

If any of your rubber gaskets (rocker cover,clutch cover,water pump housing)are not leaking then I would'nt go to the exspense of buying new ones.I've had the rocker covers of 10 times in 120,000kms and never had to replace them.Just give them a good scrub in kerosene then hot soapy water and when dry,position them in the cleaned out rocker cover grove with silicon grease.The key is to use a in/pound torque wrench and torque to Ktm specs.Most guys torque them to much and they distort out of shape and are a bustard to refit or tear them on removal.Cheers

I'm not at my bike...but is the TDC locking tool/bolt 0113080802 needed? Looking at those "how to" links, and from how my EXC is, the bolt that you remove from the bike has a copper washer. You remove that washer, and screw back in to set your TDC.

So what's the purpose of the copper washer?

Seal

Steve,

Where did you get those spark plug cross reference #'s? (2 NGK CR8EK (OEM) or CR8EIX (Iridium)) NGK's site say KR8DI for the OEM plugs.

Boney,

I bought the NGK KR8DI and will install once I'm done with the valve adjustment. The cross reference models were from one of the links I posted at the beginning of this thread. I believe they are for the 950 LC8.

So,

I started tearing into the engine yesterday, got the tank, air box and throttle bodies out. In order to get the TB's out I disconnected all the electrical connections at the TB's instead of the big grey connector (duh). I read later, in on of the links I pasted at the beginning of this thread that the grey connector would suffice instead of the 4 or 5 I unplugged. Including the two to the TB's themselves. I'm going to be really careful during reinstall tonight when I get back home.

And I got stuck exactly where I though I would. None of my 5/8" or 16mm deep sockets work. I am already expecting a CruzTools thin wall spark plug socket to be delivered on Monday.

I love getting to know my bike more "intimately" instead of paying a disgruntled newbie mechanic to do something he does not want to do.

If the Cruz Tool doesn't work, this should, read the second review on it, this is what I'm getting.
https://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/p/95 ... d-4-Stroke

Isn't the NGK KR8DI 16 mm? Not the threads - the size of the fastening hex - ? If you know a machinist, or have a lathe - can always turn a long socket down to fit ...

Good on ya Sarasota_Steve for stickin' it to jackass stealers. It's a somewhat tedious process as you now know, but that's more than a set of tyres - in your pocket. Best of all, the job is "done right".

It is a 16mm, but the 5/8 will work just fine.
5/8 = 0.625in
16mm = 0.629921in

Incase anyone else is going to order the hotcams shim set HCSHIM23, it has been discontinued and is superseded by HCSHIM31.

Well,

SUCCESS!!

My valves were all actually within specs. Rear Cyl: Intake .12 and exhaust .25 Front Cyl, .10 and .25. yeay!

Note to self: Never, ever, ever, ever, ever take the damn fuel tank off and try to reinstall. I wasted likely 1.5 hours. I came back to the forum and saw a post to remove the hinges and enlarge the screw holes. It worked (Search is my friend)

The only thing I'm going to have to trouble shoot is a 7-blink FI code. Sensor for 2nd throttle valve, output signal too Low/high.

I had done the water pump rebuild last weekend and it wasn't as easy as described in the links from my original post, but got it done. No leaks, cools fine.

Hello,

So I'm not able to troubleshoot this 7 blink FI code. "Sensor for 2nd throttle valve, output signal too Low/high."

I do not have a TuneECU cable. My closest KTM dealer is 1 hour away and they recently became KTM dealers so I do not have much trust in their mechanics. (They are also the stealers that quoted me $450 for a 9k mile service not including valve check or H2O pump rebuild).

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Nerd,

the bike starts and runs but will not rev past 5k rpm. I did disconnect the throttle sensors reconnected yesterday and today reconnected to make sure the connections were solid. But since I was not able to clear the fault code I'm not sure if it's now fixed with an old error code or still not fixed.

I think I'm going to take her to a KTM dealer and hopefully they can figure it out. At this point I don't know what to do.


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My own guess is that I moved both TPS out of whack and I don't know how to reset them properly.

I thought I was finished on Friday, that when I saw the 7 blink FI code, and this morning, Saturday I took it apart again and disconnected and reconnected all connections. Not being able to clear the fault code from the ecu I don't know if I've fixed it but the ecu has not been reset or if I have not found the faulty connection.

I could take it apart tomorrow Sunday but I think I would need to clear the fault code first. Would disconnecting the battery clear the ecu?


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KTMGuy, SDNerd,

I hang my head in shame. The Throttle Position Sensors were one of the first things I removed and realised I had fooked up.

I started disconnecting all the electrical connections at the TB's before realizing there was such a thing as the BGC (Big Grey Connector for newbies)

I just ordered the TuneECU cable from CJ Designs for $67 (I saw it on eBay for a low as $14) and will be taking the bike to my buddy who's not only a master car mechanic, but he's the guy that bought an SD after riding mine for 30 minutes or so.

I will be taking things apart (Under his close supervision I guess).

I read several posts dating back to 2008 as to how to measure voltage and adjust the TPS. I will also check with TuneECU once I get the cable.

Please correct me if I'm wrong:

I'll remove tank, side covers to get to the air box. I'll remove air box, filter, TB's to remove the bottom part of the air box and reinstall TB's so I can check the rear cylinder TPS with the bike off but the key on, and somehow, reconnect the fuel tank so the bike can be warm and running to check the front TPS right?

It really would be much easier If I had a MotoHooligan air intake.

Thank you for your time and patience, since you've been advising newbies just like me for at least 6 years now.

This might sound too simple but please check that the spark plug wires are FIRMLY connected. This of course has nothing to do with your possible other problems but I have seen , won't run past five grand, from plug attachment problems. It would be nice if you fixed it sans KTM dealer for no other reason than psychological boost.
Good Luck and stay calm.

FSM http://www.venganza.org/

If you removed the tps on the throttle bodies, look no further... there is your problem!
Even undo the screw and tighten it back up can put them out enough to make it run like shit.

The second one is not that important to get it running properly, start with the main one. Try to have a loom where it was, sometimes you can spot it where the screw used to sit. try to get it running and warm up.
When warm, unlock the screw just enough so you can move it and try to get it to idle smoothly. If that is fine give it some throttle and see is revs properly too. If either is not good you have to move it a bit.
You get a feel which direction to go as one side will make idling worse and too much the other side it will hunt- rev. When you get it right, you'll know.. it will be all good!
Now the hard bit, do up the screw without moving it.... Take your time it will take a few goes.
As mentioned you can use a voltmeter or tuneecu but the engine needs to be warm to adjust it so not much use if it doesn't idle properly... You can always check this afterwards when you get it more or less in the ballpark.

The second flies tps needs to be set with a voltmeter, or bite the bullet and take them out....and uncheck the box in tuneecu.

Well,

Steve 1 - KTM Stealers 0

So Monday I had the afternoon off so I took it to my buddy's shop where I proceeded to remove tank, air box, Throttle bodies and reinstall the TB sans air box. Since he had a busy day and I had a day off today I left around 4ish and went back bright and early this morning (10ish) and we got the voltages of the TPS's sorted out.

The rear we left it at 1.04volts and the front at .6 exactly.

Thank you SDnerd, KTMGuy, DribbleDuke, AGRO, scamb66, Col_Klinck and everybody else that chimed in; for your advice, patience and suggestions. Oh, and jonnyrotton for trying to confuse me early on.

Oh, I was looking at my buddy's SD with the MotoHooligan box installed and the job could have been done without removing anything. Just using the damn T-25 to adjust the TPS's. BTW, I'm going to throw my T-25 socket the hell away so there is no chance I get to mess with those 2 screws ever again.

This is the bike on the back of my truck on her way home. Anyone up for a Sunday Ride?

+3