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I serviced my new 400 last weekend including the valve adjustment (600 mile service). The service manual has you removing more parts than you need, so I thought I would review how I did it, if anyone else is interested. First let me say to get a service manual, if you don't have one, there is a lot of useful information you will need. (About $35)
To start remove the seat (you don't HAVE to but it sure makes everything easier) it is better to remove the two hinge screws than the four bracket screws the manual says to remove. Remove the bottom pan (fairing). Remove the engine/frame cover and the upper engine cover. That's it for bodywork, everything else is reachable without removing any other parts. The forward screw on the belt filter cover is hidden but reachable with a socket and a 1/4 inch drive ratchet. The other part that is hard to reach is the crankcase vent tube but you can just get to it from the rear without removing the trunk box. Pull off the air box per the manual and remove the two screws that hold the throttle body manifold to the head. You don't have to remove the throttle body just zip tie it to the right frame rail and there is plenty of room to get to the valve cover. Adjust the valves per the manual and then you can button it back up. The hardest part is removing and replacing the seat, two people will make that easier but I did it by myself without too much trouble. There is no need to remove any of the painted parts and there is plenty of room around the valves that checking the clearances was easy. (Adjust the valves per the manual, I won't repeat it here.)
I also have the special tool to read the fuel injection codes (an $18.00 switch) and adjust the TPS. You don't need to remove the front fairing if you fish around under the headlight fairing the connector is right there with a rubber cover on it. I keep the switch tool under the seat with a list of codes in case I get stuck on the road. Anyway the codes were clear and the TPS was set in the proper position. I cleared the oil change light from the instrument panel, changed the oil and filter and I was done.
I don't know how much the dealer charges but it took me about 5 hours this first time (removing parts that didn't need to be removed) but the next time I think an hour or an hour and a half would do it. If you are the least bit handy and change your own oil, this service was easy. Maybe not for the very beginner but it is way easy for the home mechanic. Give it a try. I know how to get at everything now and if I ever get stuck on the road I'm more prepared than before. Good luck.
Thanx
Russ
To start remove the seat (you don't HAVE to but it sure makes everything easier) it is better to remove the two hinge screws than the four bracket screws the manual says to remove. Remove the bottom pan (fairing). Remove the engine/frame cover and the upper engine cover. That's it for bodywork, everything else is reachable without removing any other parts. The forward screw on the belt filter cover is hidden but reachable with a socket and a 1/4 inch drive ratchet. The other part that is hard to reach is the crankcase vent tube but you can just get to it from the rear without removing the trunk box. Pull off the air box per the manual and remove the two screws that hold the throttle body manifold to the head. You don't have to remove the throttle body just zip tie it to the right frame rail and there is plenty of room to get to the valve cover. Adjust the valves per the manual and then you can button it back up. The hardest part is removing and replacing the seat, two people will make that easier but I did it by myself without too much trouble. There is no need to remove any of the painted parts and there is plenty of room around the valves that checking the clearances was easy. (Adjust the valves per the manual, I won't repeat it here.)
I also have the special tool to read the fuel injection codes (an $18.00 switch) and adjust the TPS. You don't need to remove the front fairing if you fish around under the headlight fairing the connector is right there with a rubber cover on it. I keep the switch tool under the seat with a list of codes in case I get stuck on the road. Anyway the codes were clear and the TPS was set in the proper position. I cleared the oil change light from the instrument panel, changed the oil and filter and I was done.
I don't know how much the dealer charges but it took me about 5 hours this first time (removing parts that didn't need to be removed) but the next time I think an hour or an hour and a half would do it. If you are the least bit handy and change your own oil, this service was easy. Maybe not for the very beginner but it is way easy for the home mechanic. Give it a try. I know how to get at everything now and if I ever get stuck on the road I'm more prepared than before. Good luck.
Thanx
Russ