TE 511 Valve Check Advice?

I'm about to install the Zip Ty breather vent and figured since I was in there I would check the valves. But reading through the workshop manual, I see where it says to turn the motor to TDC.

That's where I'm a little confused. On my other two bikes, I simply pull the spark plug, remove the cap on the case that exposes the bolt on the flywheel (the KLR has a big cap that takes a big flat head to remove, the CRF has a cap the requires a large socket to remove) I can attach a socket to the bolt, stick my finger in the spark plug hole, turn the motor using the socket wrench and know for sure when I'm at TDC on the compression stroke.

The TE has no cap, so how do you turn the motor? There's nothing in the workshop manual about that part of it.

Should have marks on the timing gears and when they are aligned together your home. It should show an illustration in the manual somewhere.

Yep, it shows that part. The marks are on the timing gears, and they need to be on the inside and aligned with the head. What the manual doesn't say is what's the proper way to turn the motor.

BTW, the manual says to secure the crankshaft with a special tool. Is there anything else I can use? I don't want to have to order something from the dealer and wait to do this job.

When I do the valves on my 630 I just push the bike over a bit (so it's on the front wheel and side stand) and (with it in 2nd or 3rd gear) turn the back wheel to turn the engine until I have the marks aligned.

I used the back wheel and put the trans in a higher gear. Took some fiddling but you can get the marks to line up. You dont need the holder tool, just make sure the gears stay lined up

You can use a M8 x40MM bolt that can be bought at any hardware store to secure the crankshaft at the detent. FYI exhaust valve spec tolerance is .010-.012 "
intake is .002-004". Thats not clear on the service manual table. Also if you do need to shim valves to make spec make sure that you unscrew the chain tensioner on the right side of the head by the fuel pump tank. That part is also not clear in the service manual as you will have to yank the cams to access the valve shims. You will appreciate how nice and easy she will start up after you get the valves back to spec. Just make sure you stuff a rag into the cam chain section of the head. ASK ME HOW i KNOW

Not to get off topic, but how far out have you guys had your valves out? and after how many hours? My 2013 TC449 was perfect still after 50+ hard race hours. No issues.

@ 2k miles my exhaust was .007 on both sides. I replaced the 2.550's with 2.40's.
and my intake was .008 on both sides (strange that the intakes got looser but I believe that the factory set them to the TC spec tolerance) I replaced the 5.125x/ 5.05x with 5.20x/5.15x half balls.
FYI the stock shims on the intake may be different on each side so make sure that you take both sides out and inspect the #'s. They are on the side of the half balls and the back of the flat shims and really hard to read.

LOL:

Clank. Hmm... I wonder where that little half ball went?

There's a tool for that actually. You remove the crankshaft drain plug on the bottom of the 449 and replace it with an all thread cap screw to hold the crank solid.
#1 on the image below (Not the arrow).

I'm in the same boat as the OP. I'm finally getting around to adding the breather and I figured why not check the valves but I've never checked valves on any engine before. They were checked and shims replaced at 750 miles and I'm only at 1K now so I assume they are ok. However, since I've got the cover off why not learn to do it. Other than the service manual (which is written for people who have more mechanical experience than I) how should I go about it or should I just leave well enough alone?

120 hrs/ 3400km on mine, I've checked them a few times now & still no adjustment needed....
When I bought mine (Last husky from the local BMW dealer in 2012) they told me they had never had to adjust a G450x or a 449/511 yet.

Greetings:

I just posted the following two messages over on the thread I started years ago (http://www.cafehusky.com/threads/te449-crankshaft-locking-tool-valve-checking.28976/), and decided to put them here also, in case they aren't seen over there.

I just had a clicking sound start suddenly, and I am wondering if it may be that either a valve shim or ball was tossed. I would think that valve clearances gradually opening up would cause a gradual increase in clicking audible-ness (?). I have just under 4,100 Km on it in 48 months. Think I need to check valve clearances, or might it be something else?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Something else I was wondering about is, when I look at the range of shim/ball thicknesses in the parts catalog, the minimum/maximum thickness ranges are .7 and 1.1 mm, respectively. To me, that seems so small that it makes me wonder if it's even necessary to adjust anything at all. I am skeptical that a .15 mm adjustment (for example) makes a noticeable difference with regard to longevity. Any thoughts?