Valve adjustment on Kawasaki FD620D

[KevinW]

Can someone try to explain where I might find these marks on my Conquest?

[AlaskaGrizzly]

Down low on the engine. It might help if you stand on your head or use a mirror and flashlight. Its a real pain to do with the motor in in my opinion.

[Coast2Coast]

If you're just installing push rods you can just push the rocker arm down by hand, compressing the valve spring and opening the valve, and pop the little sucker in place.

[KevinW]

Thank you for responding.
I am just trying to find TDC for a valve adjustment.

The #2 cylinder in the rear is fouling the plug with dry carbon deposits.
I wanted to check the valves, Kawasaki specs are .009"on both intake and exhaust.
The intake was tight (no gap) and the exhaust has .009".
When I set the intake valve to .009 I'm hearing the rod tap, tic, tic, tic like a loose rod.
To find TDC on both intake and exhaust I'm using a dowel in the piston and rotating the engine by hand.
When comparing #1 to #2 cylinder the valve adjustment is pretty much the same, intake is tight (no gap) and the exhaust is .006".
Compression on both cylinders is the same.

[ARGOJIM]

Often times these valves stick from carbon on the stem, If you remove the pushrods ( pushing valve down like Coast wrote) measure the tops of the keepers, if one is low spray some wd40 or blaster on it and tap (top of valve) with a soft hammer to work the carbon off, then readjust the valves. Springs are the same height, I recently ran into a spring almost half collapsed.

I don't think I ever read that section (picture) of the manual and I adjust like you are, however I rotate until until both rockers are free and don't use a dowel (though I did with the spring issue).

[KevinW]

I pulled both intake and exhaust rods and they are both clean.
Not sure about the valve adjustment.
The intake valve now with the rocker loose is measuring .028", that's the most clearance I can get out of it.
My question now is, do I bring the clearance to .009" with it in the position with the absolute most clearance of .028"?
In order to get that much clearance the intake valve opened up and then the exhaust valve started just opening up.

[ARGOJIM]

I'm sorry I'm confused here.
The valve gunk is often internal, but lets leave that be.
On the compression stoke at top dead center ( or there abouts) both valve rockers should have some clearance, adjusting the valves requires loosening the nuts on the rocker arms,9mm, and turning the screws slightly while sliding the feeler back and forth. A little on the adjustment bolt is a lot and may require many tries to get right as it may move while tightening the nut.
I usually keep my finger on the plug hole to be sure I'm on compression when adjusting to find each side, then find the happy spot and adjust.
If the engine was out the marks you shown would be ideal.
Hope this helps.

[KevinW]

Ok thank you all, TDC using the dowel and watching the valves move into the compression stroke where there was very slight play in both rockers I adjusted them to .009".
That should be the end of that but I dropped a spark plug and in searching for it with a magnet I pulled up a snap ring slightly smaller than 7/8 ".
Anyone recognize where it might have come from?

[ARGOJIM]

Ok thank you all, TDC using the dowel and watching the valves move into the compression stroke where there was very slight play in both rockers I adjusted them to .009".
That should be the end of that but I dropped a spark plug and in searching for it with a magnet I pulled up a snap ring slightly smaller than 7/8 ".
Anyone recognize where it might have come from?

Sticks? Probably only thing that big externally.

[KevinW]

Not sure what "sticks" are?

Steering lever?

Checked and there are two, one on each steering lever.

[Coast2Coast]

Ok thank you all, TDC using the dowel and watching the valves move into the compression stroke where there was very slight play in both rockers I adjusted them to .009".
That should be the end of that but I dropped a spark plug and in searching for it with a magnet I pulled up a snap ring slightly smaller than 7/8 ".
Anyone recognize where it might have come from?

One holds each rocker arm in place... would be a bad one to have popped off.

[KevinW]

Thanks for that idea.
Checked that and they are about half the size and still intact.