Valve locking bolt - missing!!

[sidpick]

Hopefully someone will be able to help!

I was nearing the end of servicing my bike (1150gs 04' plate) and I took the left head off to find one of the nuts on the exhaust valve adjuster missing .

I have had a thorough search around all visible parts of the engine round by the cam chain and in the closest nooks and crannys.

My fear is that the bolt is now somewhere in the engine and it will or may cause damage if left.

Bike has been running a bit rough of late but no funny noises or obvious symptoms

Is the bike grounded?

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Sid

 

[Timolgra]

If you nearing the end of servicing your bike I'd assume the valve clearance was the first thing you did whilst the engine was cold, if not the rough running was probably down to an incorrect clearance on the valve where the nut was missing. What was the clearance on that valve?

The nut is probably missing because it wasn't tightened correctly, who was the last person to touch it?

As for doing any damage, well it might and it might not, but if it does it could be expensive...keep looking, you could try magnetising a piece of 1/8" welding wire and fishing down the camchain

 

[cookie]

oooh er, not good


i presume you serviced it last time, so know for sure that the nut was there. i'd want to know where the nut is now.


you could try pulling the oil sight glass out and poking around in the sump with a telescopic magnet.

 

[ianboydsnr]

It could be anywhere, but if its managed to get to the sump, then its unlikely to get anywhere from there, the oil pick up will have a strainer on it, check the old oil, to see if it came out with it, do what Timolgra says, remove sparkplugs and turn over the engine with the bike in gear, you may be able to hear something moving against it, then replace and stop worrying, it will be cheaper to source a new engine than strip the old one looking for the nut, I suspect it went a while ago and is now sitting in the sump

 

[Timolgra]

oh and also have a look inside the valve springs although without looking I'm not sure it would fit between the coils.

 

[Pike]

If the nut is nowhere to be seen, in my experience with this sort of thing gravity does the job and it will be swaning around in the sump rather than being where it should be. Fish around through the sump drain for it and if no luck, just replace it and enjoy the ride, just like the retired 'nut' will be now!

 

[sidpick]

Thanks for the replys!!

The tolerances were pretty close to spot on on the right hand side with only minor adjustments,
All (not missing ) bolts on the left side were nice and tight.
Tolerances out on the exhaust side.
I did the last service following the OVAD thingy from the states so I can only blame myself.
Will strain old oil prior to anything else in case I'm lucky....
Got an mates endoscope to have a look on route!
These things are sent to test us!

Bugger!