David:

Trivial meaning very easy and fast to do.

Pull both rocker covers, and turn the engine into compression until you feet it go over the top. Back the prop until you are at the top, and hold it there for a moment, the compresion will leak down and it will stay in place. With the piston at TDC between the compression and power strokes you have it in position to check the valves.

Look at the attached pictures. In the first one, on the left you see the adjusting screw and lock nut. Grab the rocker at that end, check it for up and down free play. There should be just the least bit. If you feel more than the least bit of slop it is way too loose.

These pictures show me checking valve lash with a dial gauge, but most people use a feeler strip. Go to your local auto supply store and get a feeler set, but be sure it includes a 0.0015" thickness - many don't have one that thin.

Slide the 0.0015" feeler between the rocker and the valve stem, shown on the right in the picture, and adjust the screw to get a drag on the feeler as you slide it in and out. Try to make any error on the tight side, but up to 0.004" is OK according to the factory. The tighter you set the valves the better the engine will run, down to the point where the valve doesn't seal, of course. Using the dial gauge I set all my Saitos at 0.0005" clearance, and they all run great. Right. That's one half of one thousandth inch clearance.

No matter how tight you set the valves, so long as you have compression when the engine is cold it will run. As the engine heats the clearance opens due to metal expansion, you will never burn a valve in one of these engines, it's not to worry about. But with too much clearance you will accellerate cam and tappet wear, and hammer the valve seats. Tight is much better than loose.

For your first time you might want to see if another four stroke flier in your area will help you, but it's really an easy simple job.

Hope this helps.

Bill.