Does the tank need to be raised?

Joined
Jan 29, 2015
Messages
24
Location
Borensberg, Sweden
I am new to the maintenance of the ST1300 so this is perhaps a stupid question. Tonight I replaced the airfilter element on the bike, and obviously I need to raise the tank to do that. I will proceed with checking the valve clearance but I cannot do that until next week. So my question is if the tank raised to remove the valve covers? Or can I lower it back in normal position?
 
OP
OP
Speedyswede
Joined
Jan 29, 2015
Messages
24
Location
Borensberg, Sweden
I have all the lower fairings off. Clutch and brake fluids replaced. Coolant replaced. Remaining job is checking valve clearance, replace the spark plugs and finally the motoroil and filter :)
 
Joined
Feb 23, 2007
Messages
1,526
Age
72
Location
Wichita, KS
Bike
'05 ST1300
STOC #
6776
If any of the valves on the right side of the bike need to be shimmed, I believe that you'll need to raise the tank and remove the airbox to gain access to the right cam chain tensioner. Releasing the cam chain tension is necessary to remove the cam and pull out the buckets and shims. The cam chain tensioner release is located on top of the right cylinder bank, near the front of the engine.
 

Kevcules

Site Supporter
Joined
Jul 16, 2016
Messages
1,398
Age
55
Location
NB Canada
Bike
2008 ST1300
I am new to the maintenance of the ST1300 so this is perhaps a stupid question. Tonight I replaced the airfilter element on the bike, and obviously I need to raise the tank to do that. I will proceed with checking the valve clearance but I cannot do that until next week. So my question is if the tank raised to remove the valve covers? Or can I lower it back in normal position?
Good luck with your maintenance,I'm doing A similar thing now also. I just removed most of the cowls and amazed at the size of the creature in there!
Ill be checking my valves next and was wondering about the chain tensioner also. I see the left side tensioner down low, didn't look at the right side yet.There's some pretty good YouTube videos on it. Search St1300 valves.
 
Joined
Jan 8, 2011
Messages
7,062
Location
Arizona
Bike
2007 Honda ST1300A
Quite right. The manual says that you have to remove the throttle bodies in order to get to it, but I found that it is possible to get at the bolt if you probe around between the cables, tubes and heat mat. It is buried way down in the V of the engine, and you need a socket that will keep hold of the screw once it has been unfastened. The washer will probably never get recovered, so you will need a new one !

The photo shows my socket extension bar with the socket itself secured with red tape to prevent it from falling off. The throttle body inlets are covered with a broad clear adhesive tape.

Note that you don't have to tension the chain yourself. Once the screw is out, it gives access to a driver slot which allows the tensioner mechanism to be released. It is a helix which turns against a spring. As the chain gets slacker over time, the spring turns the helix which keeps the chain tensioner against the chain. The only way it can be made slacker is with the driver. Basically you only ever need to touch this device if you need to get the camshafts out (eg to change shims).

The screws that hold the air vents in place inside the air filter housing can be very tight. Get a JIS screwdriver, rather than Philips or Pozidriv. They are made for this type of screw and are much less prone to stripping the cross head.

View attachment 179814
I see that I am not the only person that uses tape :rofl1:
 
Top Bottom