Kawasaki Vulcan VN800 Valve Adjustment Maintenance Procedure Instructions
Assembly: Using a rag and Isopropyl Alcohol, clean the valve cover gaskets, reed valves and mating surfaces on the valve covers and cylinder heads. This tends to rejuvenate the gaskets and makes them sticky. I have never experienced a leak and have reused the gaskets many times doing this. Now position the front cylinder’s gasket in place. Make sure it sets down all the way around the cylinder. There are tabs in the gasket that will clip around the head and two slots on the sides of the reed valve opening that the gasket must set into. Now set the reed valve back into position. The flapper must be down and positioned over the deepest part of the depression where the hole is. Double check that the gasket is in position, then position the valve cover over it, align and lower into position. Check around the cylinder that the gasket is not pinched by ensuring that how far it sticks out between the head and cover is uniform all the way around. Insert the three washers with the metal side up and the three chrome bolts back into the valve cover and torque to 104 in/lbs. Now do the same thing with the rear cylinder gasket, reed valve and valve cover. Clean the lower engine inspection plate and 2 O-Rings. Position back into place and secure with the large Phillips screw. Swing the coolant lines and thermostat housing back into position and secure with their bolts and clamps. Swing the choke cable back into position and secure with the two large Phillips screws. Insert the spark plug wires and press home. Plug the EPA Gold valve or bypass hose back onto the nipples in the valve covers. Route the coolant overflow tube back up to the thermostat housing and connect. Now move to the right side of the bike and route the carb float bowl vent tube, fuel tank vent tube(s) and speedometer cable back into position and connect. Position the air box backing plate back into position ensuring the boot is sealed around the carb’s mouth and insert the two chrome retention bolt. Tighten them down with the 10mm socket and inset the filter. Put the cover back on and tighten down it’s 10mm nut. Retrieve the upper airbox component, place into position and secure with it’s two 10mm bolts. Reinstall the fuel tank and seat. Police up the area, put the tools away and update your maintenance records.