Ever had a valve adjuster loosen in flight?

[Ray from Indiana]

Yesterday I had to pass a minivan with a WFO pass. Upon completing the pass, all kinds of racket from the left . Yikes.

Investigating under the valve cover, I found 1/8" or so clearance on the intake valve.

I normally try not ham-fist the adjusters to avoid stripping, but I guess I need to put a little more torque on them. Re-adjusted and torqued them all last night.

[macdaddy]

was the lock nut loose?

[Ray from Indiana]

Must have been not tight enough because the adjuster was in more than the exhaust. All the nuts on my adjusters require a little effort to spin. And no, the adjusters are not stripped. Maybe revving it so hight provided enough bibe to loosen it.

No signs of a bent valve stem and compression ok. Idles and runs just fine after a re-adjust and tightening. Re-check all 4
(82 R100 BTW )

[macdaddy]

I was thinking more along the lines of a collapsed lifter.... other thing could be, rocker arm bearings.
Or the adjuster was loose like you said!

[Ray from Indiana]

Rocker bearings are good - no radial play to speak of, as well as axial play.

Collapsed lifter? These are solid right?

[Ray from Indiana]

Also, I pulled the left intake push rod to make sure it wasn't bent.

The only thing I can conclude is that the nut lossened on me.

[macdaddy]

http://www.maxbmwmotorcycles.com/fiche/ ... d=03252011

cam follower #1

[macdaddy]

DON'T let me send you down a rabbit trail !! It could have just been loose!

[Ray from Indiana]

Thanks for your replies. I must have been at fault for not tightening enough. But I still hold that our lifters are not hydraulic so a collapsed lifter I can't see. They have a space or hole so that acumulated oil from above can drain down to the crankcase, but they're not hydraulic lifters.

[macdaddy]

not hydraulic... but they can break. I've seen one with a hole punched right through it.