[rob]

while servicing my sled I went to check the APV valves. Took off servo cover and found the PTO valve sticky, so I decided to pull and clean them both. Mag side blade not too bad, but PTO side stuck..hard to get it out. Cleaned up relatively easy..at least compared to VES blades. Reassembled and checked the cable adjustment...WOW, way off!?! Now I have the performance manual, and it says 1.423" to 1.501" is acceptible.. Mine were like 1.3" What's up with that? Anyone else check that? What changes should I notice now that it is adjusted correctly? Also, it took nearly all the adjustment threads to bring it into specs. I need a little feedback on this, as I'm new to the APV system.

 

[Goin' For Snow]

Mine were also in the 1.3 range. I wouldnt sweat being close to end of adjustment. I cant imagine the cables streching more. I'm very certain they are off from factory (big suprise).

What oil are you running? Not going to start oil wars, i use the straight amsoil. 400 miles (oooooohhh woooowwwww) and clean as a whistle.

If the cables were short, that means the valves were opening early, before the hp/tq curve. How much was being left on the table?????

Pat

 

[bee1971]

Rob same thing on my f5-where short and took up most of adjustment-i have only 500 miles on sled and mine where perfect,also running amsoil-i doubt you will feel any difference in trail riding setting up correct length,but if they broke or came off servo motor,thats where you notice a difference.i sure noticed a difference in shimming down my driven clutch on f5 though,but in adjusting cables,seat of the pants not really,maybe on a timer different story-scott

 

[scaryscott]

I have no problems with the ski-doo power vavles on my f-cat. No more cables to adjust and easy cleaning

 

[rob]

Originally posted by ZREFIrider@Jan 15 2003, 04:52 PM
Mine were also in the 1.3 range. I wouldnt sweat being close to end of adjustment. I cant imagine the cables streching more. I'm very certain they are off from factory (big suprise).

What oil are you running? Not going to start oil wars, i use the straight amsoil. 400 miles (oooooohhh woooowwwww) and clean as a whistle.

If the cables were short, that means the valves were opening early, before the hp/tq curve. How much was being left on the table?????

Pat

Thanks, I'm glad to know others were off also.. and I had the same thought about how now there should be more power.

I'm running regular Amsoil also, but I have 2288 miles on.

 

[looneytune]

Make sure you are measuring the cables as close as possible to the way and where they are mounted in the servo. You can get different readings if they are pulled out to the side of the sled and measured there. It might change the freeplay. At least it did with my 800. Also, was the motor very cold when you pulled the valves out? Extreme cold temps makes the valves a little sticky. If the motor was warm, they usually come right out. Hard carbon deposits or gooey, thick oil?

 

[rob]

I was measuring right at the servo motor.
Yes, I pulled the valves cold on a very cold day... I'm sure that's why they were sticky. THe deposits were hard crud, but not that bad to clean. I'm running Amsoil and getting very good oil mileage, between 60:1 to 70:1 most of the time.

 

[highlander]

Hi Rob did you take of your y pipe and have a look at your pistons, just wondering how they look after that many mi.... B)

 

[f700]

On my ZR8 my valves were spotless after 5K miles using Spectro full synthetic. Running the same on my F7 and when I pulled the exhaust off to install the vforce reeds at 300 miles, the valves on the F7 still looked like new. Only had a little black on them, but nothing gummy, stick, or any carbon build up.

 

[jay]

Rob, did you run the first tank of Cat APV oil through before switching, of did you pump it out first???

 

[Jester]

Rob!

I wonder if the dealer set them for what is acceptable on the zr800's. That is the setting for my sled. Some adjust to what hey think it is without checking. She should really fly now. Glad to see that you are enjoying the sled. Your experience has influenced me in working on my wife for the f6 as a second sled. Good riding.

Jester

 

[gunner f5]

To adjust the cables correctly, leave the cover OFF the servo motor and start the sled and let the servo cycle a few times. Then check for slack at the servo. I adjusted mine per factory specs but it states
"measure the cable end as close to the installed position as possible". Well, after adjusting them to the middle of the range with the slack out and installing, I started the engine and let the servo cycle and there was some slack evident.

My questions are as follows:

Should there be slack evident at the servo ?

Wouldn't "as close to the installed position as possible" mean that there shouldn't be any slack left in the cables once they're installed?

Yes, I measured at the correct location and I'm using the performance manual for reference.

The servo IS returning to the same position each time so that's a good thing.

Let's hear some input!

 

[yj350]

Just an observation but I am wondering if the manual is wrong. Mine were also way short (1.300) if you measured the length of the cable, but if you measure to the face of the aluminum flange that holds the cable sleeve stationary in the servo assembly, it's right on the money. Have we got any factory cat guys that can give us an answer? I talked to my dealer and he said "thats a good queation". It wouldn't be the first time I took exception to somthing published in the Service manual.
Thanks,
Todd

 

[Highmarkxt800]

Both mine and my brothers are 1.3 as well. Something seems strange here. Rather the manual is wrong or Cat has the worst quality control in the indus....wait, they do have the worst quality control in the industry, why should this surprise me at this point!!