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PAIR valve on 1250-must read

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Mesa AZ
During my first valve adjustment, I noticed that one of the PAIR valve hose clamps rubbed a big groove in the top of the valve cover. The clamp is the one just to the right of the valve, which is now pointing it's "sticky out bits" straight up. The string was added to lift the hose off the cover, otherwise it will just add a bigger wider groove.

Suzuki should have put a hanger here but they didn't.

My bike is an '07 with 9K miles on it and in that time, the groove it cut is around 1mm deep (didn't measure it). The cover casting isn't much thicker than that!!!

This is a good time to take the tank off and check for this problem, if you don't think you have it, check out TREYBRAD's pictures in the valve adjustment thread (see below) His clamp was just like mine!!!

El BANDITO (and Treybrad) solved his (their) problem by removing the PAIR and installing block-off plates, but he still has the groove... I can see it in his pictures near the start of the valve adjustment thread... something to fill and polish there - sorry.

http://www.twtex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30793&highlight=valve+1250 post #1 picture 2 - ElBandito ; post#68 for Treybrad

Seriously guys, this could cause an oil leak, or worse let dust and dirt into the engine. Check yours now, fix it and tell a friend.
 

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I went back to the shop and checked mine. I have about 3/8 " clearance between the fasteners and the valve cover.
But agree. The sharp ends are facing down. Will fix that next time I have the tank off.
 
El BANDITO (and Treybrad) solved his (their) problem by removing the PAIR and installing block-off plates, but he still has the groove... I can see it in his pictures near the start of the valve adjustment thread... something to fill and polish there - sorry.

Yep, mine had a groove worn into it, though not quite as deep as yours I don't think -- and I had about 3x the miles on mine.

Just another reason to remove the PAIR system altogether....

trey
 
Yep, mine had a groove worn into it, though not quite as deep as yours I don't think -- and I had about 3x the miles on mine.

Just another reason to remove the PAIR system altogether....

trey

Checked mine last night thanks to this thread, but both clamps were 1/4" off the metal - so all is well. But, I have my "track purposes only" block off stuff ready to install later this year and the pair pipes are gone. Just more stuff to clean up the look of the engine.

I could not see how my clamps could ever hit metal even if they were installed facing directly down.
 
I could not see how my clamps could ever hit metal even if they were installed facing directly down.

Same here. Something would have to really get on top of them and be pushing them down.
 
Phil and achesly, did you guys check the clamp that is directly above the area where the cam chain is on the middle of the head ? The clamps for the portion of the hose that connects directly to the head shouldn't be an issue..They are about a 1/4 of an inch off the head even if they are facing down as you noticed.....However there is a clamp for the pair hoses that rests on the area where the cam chain is located in the middle...If that clamp end is facing down then there might be an issue.....I checked mine and the clamp ends were facing up and there was a tiny gap between the head and the bottom of the clamp....
 
Phil and achesly, did you guys check the clamp that is directly above the area where the cam chain is on the middle of the head ? The clamps for the portion of the hose that connects directly to the head shouldn't be an issue..They are about a 1/4 of an inch off the head even if they are facing down as you noticed.....However there is a clamp for the pair hoses that rests on the area where the cam chain is located in the middle...If that clamp end is facing down then there might be an issue.....I checked mine and the clamp ends were facing up and there was a tiny gap between the head and the bottom of the clamp....


Ahh, Graqsshopper, you are most wise in pointing out the errors in our ways. I was checking the outside ports and not the inside port. It is impossible to check without pulling the tank.......which is 2000 miles from here - most likely late fall if that.
 
I'm happy that some of the bikes have a gap between the PAIR hoses and the valve cover, mine didn't and even with the clamp pointing up it would have still rested on the cover.

I wonder what is keeping your hoses up??? Do you have a bracket to hold the hoses or solenoid valve up off the engine? I think the radiator hose on the right keeps it pressed down. If there is a proper bracket I would like to know what it is - perhaps my bike didn't get one fitted from the factory.

I took some liberties with Treybrad's photo, to point out exactly what I mean - sorry, but it was a good picture. I guess it is a bit obscure as it's behind the coolant manifold / thermostat housing... not obvious at all.

I took a picture of the groove on my cover, but it was so blurry I trashed it
 

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Hey Phil, I checked mine with a little flash light putting it between the tank and the head and shining the light toward the front and middle of the head...It only took a minute or two to see it...
 
Hey rich, from the picture it appears that yours would have a slight gap just by sliding the clamp ends toward the up position...The gap is small on mine but it's there...

If you look on the left side of the head you will see a round rubber like piece with a hole in the center that rests on the head and is connected to the hoses ...It can be seen just by getting a flashlight and pointing it toward the area of the clamps in question from the left side of the bike...It appears that this piece props up the hoses....:shrug:
 
Ahh, Graqsshopper, you are most wise in pointing out the errors in our ways. I was checking the outside ports and not the inside port. It is impossible to check without pulling the tank.......which is 2000 miles from here - most likely late fall if that.

Ditto here, will use the flashlight and check later this morning. Thanks for the heads up on this potential problem.
 
Agreed, there is a rubber bit in the bottom of the PAIR valve and also one in the top with a hole in it that looks like it should go on a wire coat hanger... they just never put one in.

I did turn the clamp grips up, but put the string on the top rubber gromit just to be sure there was some good clearance. I'll let you know when it breaks!
 

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darnit.... still too lazy and trusting to grab a flashlight and check it out. Am I to understand that it can be as easy as peeking under the gas tank w/o having to remove anything???
 
Hey guys:

Look at this shot. See the little round black rubber bumper with the hole in it
being pointed at by the arrow?
That is what is holding up my PAIR stuff from hitting the head cover.
It's stock. Is yours missing?

I was able to see the clamp you are talking about, and mine did appear
to be hitting the cam chain side of the haed cover. But without removing
the tank and look/feeling straight down, there's no way to tell.

Phil

PAIRBumper1.jpg
 
Phil, Yes my valve does have that little rubber thing. The string is holding it slightly off the valve cover. Then I checked the other side and noticed I do have a gap now.

The problem may lie in the way the right radiator hose is attached. Tomorrow, when the engine has cooled off, I'm going to loosen the right hand radiator hose clamp and twist the hose clockwise a bit. Hopefully that will stop the hose pushing down on the pair hoses directly under it... which is what it is currently doing.
 
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