Valve YAMAHA YZ450F 2012 Owner's Manual

4-12
CAMSHAFTS
c. Fit the timing chain "3" onto both
camshaft sprockets and install the
camshafts on the cylinder head.
Make sure that the alignment mark
"c" on the exhaust camshaft sprocket
and the alignment mark "d" on the in-
take camshaft sprocket are aligned
with the edge of the cylinder head.
Do not turn the crankshaft during
the camshaft installation. Damage
or improper valve timing will re-
sult.
d. Install the clips, camshaft caps "4"
and bolts (camshaft cap) "5".
• Before installing the clips, cover the
cylinder head with a clean rag to
prevent the clips from into the cylin-
der head cavity.
• Tighten the bolts to the specified
torque in two or three steps in the
proper tightening sequence as
shown.
The bolts (camshaft cap) must be
tightened evenly, or damage to the
cylinder head, camshaft caps, and
camshaft will result.
2. Install:
• Timing chain tensioner
Installation steps:
a. While pressing the tensioner rod
lightly with fingers, use a thin
screwdriver and wind the tension-
er rod up fully clockwise.
b. With the rod fully wound and the
chain tensioner UP mark "a" fac-
ing upward, install the gasket "1",
the timing chain tensioner "2", and
the gasket "3", and tighten the bolt
"4" to the specified torque.
c. Release the screwdriver, check
the tensioner rod to come out and
tighten the gasket "5" and the cap
bolt "6" to the specified torque.
3. Turn:
• Crankshaft
Counterclockwise several turns.
4. Check:
• Alignment mark
Align with the crankcase align
mark.
• Camshaft match marks
Align with the cylinder head sur-
face.
Out of alignment→Adjust. Bolt (camshaft cap):
10 Nm (1.0 m•kg, 7.2
ft•lb)
Bolt (timing chain ten-
sioner):
10 Nm (1.0 m•kg, 7.2
ft•lb)
Tensioner cap bolt:
7 Nm (0.7 m•kg, 5.1
ft•lb)

4-15
CYLINDER HEAD
CHECKING THE CYLINDER HEAD
1. Eliminate:
• Carbon deposits (from the com-
bustion chambers)
Use a rounded scraper.
Do not use a sharp instrument to
avoid damaging or scratching:
• Spark plug threads
• Valve seats
2. Inspect:
• Cylinder head
Scratches/damage → Replace.
Replace the titanium valves with the
cylinder head.
Refer to"CHECKING THE VALVE".
3. Measure:
• Cylinder head warpage
Out of specification → Resur-
face.
Warpage measurement and resur-
facing steps:
a. Place a straightedge and a feeler
gauge across the cylinder head.
b. Use a feeler gauge to measure
the warpage.
c. If the warpage is out of specifica-
tion, resurface the cylinder head.
d. Place a 400–600 grit wet sandpa-
per on the surface plate, and re-
surface the head using a figure-
eight sanding pattern.
To ensure an even surface rotate the
cylinder head several times.
INSTALLING THE CYLINDER
HEAD
1. Install:
• Timing chain guide (intake side)
"1"
• Dowel pin "2"
• Cylinder head gasket "3"
• Cylinder head "4"
While pulling up the timing chain, in-
stall the timing chain guide (intake
side) and cylinder head.
2. Install:
• Washer "1"
• Bolts "2"
Installation steps:
Tighten the cylinder head using
the rotation angle procedure to ob-
tain uniform tightening torque.
a. Wash the threads and contact
surfaces of the bolts, the contact
surfaces of the plain washers, the
contact surface of the cylinder
head, and the threads of the
crankcase.
b. Apply the molybdenum disulfide
grease on the threads and con-
tact surfaces of the bolts and on
both contact surfaces of the plain
washers.
c. Install the plain washers and
bolts.d. Tighten the bolts to the specified
torque in two or three steps in the
proper tightening sequence as
shown.
e. Remove the bolts.
f. Again apply the molybdenum dis-
ulfide grease on the threads and
contact surfaces of the bolts and
on both contact surfaces of the
plain washers.
g. Retighten the bolts.
Tighten the bolts to the specified
torque in two or three steps in the
proper tightening sequence as
shown.
h. Put a mark on the corner "1" of the
bolt (cylinder head) and the cylin-
der head "2" as shown. Cylinder head warpage:
Less than 0.05 mm
(0.002 in)
Bolts (cylinder head):
1st:
30 Nm (3.0 m•kg, 22
ft•lb)
Bolts (cylinder head):
2nd:
20 Nm (2.0 m•kg, 14
ft•lb)

4-17
VALVES AND VALVE SPRINGS
VALVES AND VALVE SPRINGS
REMOVING THE VALVES AND VALVE SPRINGS
Order Part name Q'ty Remarks
Cylinder head Refer to "CYLINDER HEAD" section.
1 Valve lifter 4 Refer to removal section.
2 Adjusting pad 4 Refer to removal section.
3 Valve cotter 8 Refer to removal section.
4 Valve spring retainer 4
5 Valve spring 4
6 Valve stem seal 4
7 Valve spring seat 4
8 Exhaust valve 2
9 Intake valve 2

4-18
VALVES AND VALVE SPRINGS
REMOVING THE VALVE LIFTER
AND VALVE COTTER
1. Remove:
• Valve lifter "1"
• Pad "2"
Identify each lifter "1" and pad "2" po-
sition very carefully so that they can
be reinstalled in their original place.
2. Check:
• Valve sealing
Leakage at the valve seat → In-
spect the valve face, valve seat
and valve seat width.
Checking steps:
a. Pour a clean solvent "1" into the
intake and exhaust ports.
b. Check that the valve seals prop-
erly.
There should be no leakage at the
valve seat "2".
3. Remove:
• Valve cotter
Remove the valve cotters by com-
pressing the valve spring with the
valve spring compressor "1" and the
valve spring compressor attachment
"2".
CHECKING THE VALVE
1. Measure:
• Stem-to-guide clearance
Out of specification → Replace
the valve guide.
2. Replace:
• Valve guide
Replacement steps:
To ease guide removal, installation
and to maintain correct fit heat the
cylinder head in an over to 100 °C
(212°F).
a. Remove the valve guide using a
valve guide remover "1".
b. Install the new valve guide using a
valve guide remover "1" and valve
guide installer "2".
c. After installing the valve guide,
bore the valve guide using a valve
guide reamer "3" to obtain proper
stem-to-guide clearance.
After replacing the valve guide reface
the valve seat.
Valve spring compres-
sor:
YM-4019/90890-04019
Stem-to-guide clearance = valve
guide inside diameter "a" -
valve stem diameter "b"
Clearance (stem to
guide):
Intake:
0.010–0.037 mm
(0.0004–0.0015 in)
:0.08 mm
(0.003 in)
Exhaust:
0.020–0.047 mm
(0.0008–0.0019 in)
:0.10 mm
(0.004 in)
Valve guide installation
height "a":
Intake:
15.1–15.5 mm
(0.59–0.61 in)
Exhaust:
12.2–12.6 mm
(0.48–0.50 in)
Valve guide remover &
installer set (ø5.5):
90890-04016
Valve guide remover (5.5
mm):
YM-01122
Valve guide installer (5.5
mm):
YM-04015
Valve guide reamer (5.5
mm):
YM-01196

4-19
VALVES AND VALVE SPRINGS
3. Inspect:
• Valve face
Pitting/wear → Grind the face.
• Valve stem end
Mushroom shape or diameter
larger than the body of the stem
→ Replace.
4. Measure:
• Margin thickness "a"
Out of specification → Replace.
5. Measure:
• Runout (valve stem)
Out of specification → Replace.
• When installing a new valve always
replace the guide.
• If the valve is removed or replaced
always replace the oil seal.
6. Eliminate:
• Carbon deposits
(from the valve face and valve
seat)
7. Inspect:
• Valve seat
Pitting/wear → Reface the valve
seat.
8. Measure:
• Valve seat width "a"
Out of specification → Reface the
valve seat.
Measurement steps:
a. Apply Mechanic's blueing dye
(Dykem) "b" to the valve face.
b. Install the valve into the cylinder
head.
c. Press the valve through the valve
guide and onto the valve seat to
make a clear pattern.
d. Measure the valve seat width.
Where the valve seat and valve
face made contact, blueing will
have been removed.
e. If the valve seat is too wide, too
narrow, or the seat is not cen-
tered, the valve seat must be
refaced.
9. Lap:
• Valve face
• Valve seat
This model uses titanium intake
and exhaust valves. Titanium
valves that have been used to lap
the valve seats must not be used.
Always replace lapped valves with
new valves.
• When replacing the cylinder head,
replace the valves without lapping
the valve seats and valve faces.
• When replacing the valves or valve
guides, use new valves to lap the
valve seats, and then replace them
with new valves.
Lapping steps:
a. Apply a coarse lapping compound
to the valve face.
Do not let the compound enter the
gap between the valve stem and
the guide.
b. Apply molybdenum disulfide oil to
the valve stem.
c. Install the valve into the cylinder
head.
d. Turn the valve until the valve face
and valve seat are evenly pol-
ished, then clean off all of the
compound.
For best lapping results, lightly tap
the valve seat while rotating the valve
back and forth between your hands.
e. Apply a fine lapping compound to
the valve face and repeat the
above steps.
After every lapping operation be sure
to clean off all of the compound from
the valve face and valve seat.
Margin thickness:
Intake:
1.3 mm (0.051 in)
Exhaust:
1.0 mm (0.039 in)
Runout limit:
0.01 mm (0.0004 in)
Valve seat width:
Intake:
0.9–1.1 mm
(0.0354–0.0433 in)
:1.6 mm
(0.0630 in)
Exhaust:
0.9–1.1 mm
(0.0354–0.0433 in)
:1.6 mm
(0.0630 in)

4-20
VALVES AND VALVE SPRINGS
f. Apply Mechanic's blueing dye
(Dykem) to the valve face.
g. Install the valve into the cylinder
head.
h. Press the valve through the valve
guide and onto the valve seat to
make a clear pattern.
i. Measure the valve seat width
again. If the valve seat width is out
of specification, reface and relap
the valve seat.
CHECKING THE VALVE SPRINGS
1. Measure:
• Valve spring free length "a"
Out of specification → Replace.
2. Measure:
• Compressed spring force "a"
Out of specification → Replace.
b. Installed length3. Measure:
• Spring tilt "a"
Out of specification → Replace.
CHECKING THE VALVE LIFTERS
1. Inspect:
• Valve lifter
Scratches/damage→Replace
both lifters and cylinder head.
INSTALLING THE VALVES
1. Apply:
• Molybdenum disulfide oil
Onto the valve stem and valve
stem seal.
2. Install:
• Valves "1"
• Valve spring seats "2"
• Valve stem seals "3"
• Valve springs "4"
• Valve spring retainers "5"
• Install the valve "a" with the identifi-
cation 33DI on the intake side and
the valve "b" with the identification
33DE on the exhaust side.
• Install the valve springs with the
larger pitch "d" facing upward.
e. Smaller pitch
3. Install:
• Valve cotters
Install the valve cotters by compress-
ing the valve spring with the valve
spring compressor "1" and the valve
spring compressor attachment "2".
4. To secure the valve cotters onto
the valve stem, lightly tap the
valve tip with a piece of wood.
Hitting the valve tip with excessive
force could damage the valve.
5. Install:
• Adjusting pad "1"
• Valve lifter "2"
• Apply the molybdenum disulfide oil
on the valve stem end.
• Apply the engine oil on the valve lift-
ers.
• Valve lifter must turn smoothly
when rotated with a finger.
• Be careful to reinstall valve lifters
and pads in their original place.
Free length (valve
spring):
Intake:
40.76 mm (1.60 in)
: 39.76 mm
(1.57 in)
Exhaust:
37.01 mm (1.46 in)
: 36.01 mm
(1.42 in)
Compressed spring
force:
Intake:
178–204 N at 34.78
mm (18.2–20.8 kg at
34.78 mm,
40.01–45.86 lb at 1.37
in)
Exhaust:
124–142 N at 30.83
mm (12.6–14.5 kg at
30.83 mm,
27.88–31.92 lb at 1.21
in)
Spring tilt limit:
Intake:
2.5°/1.8 mm (0.070 in)
Exhaust:
2.5°/1.6 mm (0.062 in)
Valve spring compres-
sor:
YM-04019/90890-04019
Valve spring compressor
attachment:
YM-04108/90890-04108

5-17
FRONT FORK
DISASSEMBLING THE FRONT FORK
Order Part name Q'ty Remarks
1 Adjuster 1 Drain the fork oil. Refer to removal section.
2 Fork spring 1
3 Dust seal 1 Refer to removal section.
4 Stopper ring 1 Refer to removal section.
5 Inner tube 1 Refer to removal section.
6 Outer tube 1
7 Piston metal 1
8 Slide metal 1
9 Oil seal washer 1
10 Oil seal 1
11 Base valve 1 Drain the fork oil. Refer to removal section.
12 Damper assembly 1 Drain the fork oil. Refer to removal section.

5-18
FRONT FORK
HANDLING NOTE
Support the machine securely so
there is no danger of it falling over.
The front fork requires careful atten-
tion. So it is recommended that the
front fork be maintained at the deal-
ers.
To prevent an accidental explosion
of air, the following instructions
should be observed:
• The front fork with a built-in pis-
ton rod has a very sophisticated
internal construction and is par-
ticularly sensitive to foreign ma-
terial. Use enough care not to
allow any foreign material to
come in when the oil is replaced
or when the front fork is disas-
sembled and reassembled.
• Before removing the base valves
or front forks, be sure to extract
the air from the air chamber com-
pletely.
REMOVING THE DAMPER
ASSEMBLY
1. Loosen:
• Damper assembly "1"
Before removing the front fork from
the machine, loosen the damper as-
sembly with the cap bolt ring wrench
"2".
REMOVING THE ADJUSTER
1. Drain the outer tube of its front
fork oil at its top.
2. Loosen:
•Adjuster "1"
3. Remove:
•Adjuster "1"
• While compressing the inner tube
"2", set the cap bolt ring wrench "4"
between the inner tube and locknut
"3".
• Hold the locknut and remove the
adjuster.
Do not remove the locknut as the
damper rod may go into the damp-
er assembly and not be taken out.
REMOVING THE INNER TUBE
1. Remove:
• Dust seal "1"
• Stopper ring "2"
Using slotted-head screwdriver.
Take care not to scratch the inner
tube.
2. Remove:
• Inner tube "1"
Oil seal removal steps:
a. Push in slowly "a" the inner tube
just before it bottoms out and then
pull it back quickly "b".
b. Repeat this step until the inner
tube can be pulled out from the
outer tube.
REMOVING THE BASE VALVE
1. Remove:
• Base valve "1"
From damper assembly "2".
Hold the damper assembly with the
cap bolt ring wrench "3" and use the
cap bolt wrench "4" to remove the
base valve.
CHECKING THE DAMPER
ASSEMBLY
1. Inspect:
• Damper assembly "1"
Bend/damage → Replace.
• O-ring "2"
Wear/damage → Replace. Cap bolt ring wrench:
YM-01501/90890-01501
Cap bolt ring wrench:
YM-01501/90890-01501
Cap bolt wrench:
YM-01500/90890-01500
Cap bolt ring wrench:
YM-01501/90890-01501

5-19
FRONT FORK
The front fork with a built-in piston
rod has a very sophisticated inter-
nal construction and is particularly
sensitive to foreign material.
Use enough care not to allow any
foreign material to come in when
the oil is replaced or when the
front fork is disassembled and re-
assembled.
CHECKING THE BASE VALVE
1. Inspect:
• Base valve "1"
Wear/damage →Replace.
Contamination →Clean.
• O-ring "2"
Wear/damage →Replace.
• Piston metal "3"
Wear/damage →Replace.
• Spring "4"
Damage/fatigue →Replace base
valve.
• Air bleed screw "5"
Wear/damage →Replace.
CHECKING THE COLLAR
For USA and CDN
1. Inspect:
• Piston metal "1"
Wear/damage→Replace.
Except for USA and CDN
1. Inspect:
• Contacting surface "a"
Wear/damage→Replace.CHECKING THE FORK SPRING
1. Measure:
• Fork spring free length "a"
Out of specification→Replace.
CHECKING THE INNER TUBE
1. Inspect:
• Inner tube surface "a"
Score marks→Repair or replace.
Use #1,000 grit wet sandpaper.
Damaged oil lock piece→Re-
place.
• Inner tube bends
Out of specification→Replace.
Use the dial gauge "1".
The bending value is shown by one
half of the dial gauge reading.
Do not attempt to straighten a bent
inner tube as this may dangerous-
ly weaken the tube.
CHECKING THE OUTER TUBE
1. Inspect:
• Outer tube "1"
Score marks/wear/damage→Re-
place.CHECKING THE ADJUSTER
1. Inspect:
•Adjuster "1"
• O-ring "2"
Wear/damage→Replace.
ASSEMBLING THE FRONT FORK
1. Wash the all parts in a clean sol-
vent.
2. Stretch the damper assembly ful-
ly.
3. Fill:
• Front fork oil "1"
To damper assembly.
• Be sure to use recommended
fork oil. If other oils are used,
they may have an excessively ad-
verse effect on the front fork per-
formance.
• Never allow foreign materials to
enter the front fork.
4. After filling, pump the damper as-
sembly "1" slowly up and down
(about 200 mm (7.9 in) stroke)
several times to bleed the damper
assembly of air.
Be careful not to excessive full stroke.
A stroke of 200 mm (7.9 in) or more
will cause air to enter. In this case, re-
peat the steps 2 to 4.
Fork spring free length:
470 mm (18.5 in)
: 465 mm (18.3
in)
Inner tube bending limit:
0.2 mm (0.008 in)
Recommended oil:
Suspension oil "S1"
Oil capacity:
204 cm
3 (7.18 Imp oz,
6.90 US oz)

5-20
FRONT FORK
5. Measure:
• Oil level (left and right) "a"
Out of specification → Adjust.
6. Tighten:
• Locknut "1"
Fully finger tighten the locknut onto
the damper assembly.
7. Loosen:
• Compression damping adjuster
"1"
• Loosen the compression damping
adjuster finger tight.
• Record the set position of the ad-
juster (the amount of turning out the
fully turned in position).
8. Install:
• Base valve "1"
To damper assembly "2".
First bring the damper rod pressure to
a maximum. Then install the base
valve while releasing the damper rod
pressure.
9. Check:
• Damper assembly
Not fully stretched → Repeat the
steps 2 to 8.
10. Tighten:
• Base valve "1"
Hold the damper assembly with the
cap bolt ring wrench "2" and use the
cap bolt wrench "3" to tighten the
base valve with specified torque.
11. After filling, pump the damper as-
sembly "1" slowly up and down
more than 10 times to distribute
the fork oil.12. While protecting the damper as-
sembly "1" with a rag and com-
pressing fully, allow excessive oil
to overflow on the base valve
side.
Take care not to damage the damp-
er assembly.
13. Allow the overflowing oil to es-
cape at the hole "a" in the damper
assembly.
The overflow measures about 8
cm3(0.28 Imp oz, 0.27 US oz).
14. Check:
• Damper assembly smooth move-
ment
Tightness/binding/rough spots →
Repeat the steps 2 to 13. Standard oil level:
145-148 mm (5.71-5.83
in)
From top of fully
stretched damper as-
sembly.
Base valve:
29 Nm (2.9 m•kg, 21 ft•
lb)
Cap bolt wrench:
YM-01500/90890-01500
Cap bolt ring wrench:
YM-01501/90890-01501