For those of you who have been asking and wondering about the power valve timing adjustability , we have finally discovered what it takes.
We have been doing an on going search for the difference in power between an 06 DE 300 and a 08 EC 300. The 06 was bought used from a bank repo from a dealer. The 08 I bought new. We had the 08 before the 06 and when we got the 06 home and got it jetted for our altitude we realised it was a way different power delivery than the 08. We went for over a year trying to match port timing and compression only to make minor improvements to the 08. We finally realised that the rain sunshine switch was faulty and bipassed it at the CDI and that made a big difference but still didn't have the knarly off idle torque the 06 has. We started suspecting PV timing from our experience with KTM 300s. We ordered 2 sets of clutch cover gaskets along with water pump gaskets from Gofasters. We pulled the clutch side off of the 06 and discovered no shims behind the PV governor spring. This takes away preload and rate from the spring and allows it to open sooner and faster. We then pulled the side off the 08 and removed all the shims. The power delivery is now exactly like the 06.
The shims are very thin and we were apprehensive about whether removing them would make that much difference but it definatly worked.
As a side note there is pocedure that we discovered that works pretty well to disassemble the governor. Lay the bike over on its left side so the governor balls don't fall out all over the garage floor. When re-installing the governor balls, we just layed them in the cup and spun the cap until they all fell into their individual slots . It takes a little patients on this part and it helps to have a small ice pick to reach in and position some of the balls in there slots as you rotate the cap.
The main clutch side cover can also give fits to try and remove because it is tight dowled onto the side case. Be patient and try not to use a screw driver to pry it away from the main case. Re- installing is a little tricky also to get the gasket in place on the bottom.
Try and keep all the screws in their perspective holes because it will drive you crazy when you realise there are about 4 or 5 different lengths and some are so close to the same but just enough different that puting too long of screw in will result in a damaged thread or case !
It also helps to look at the parts break down on Gofasters sight or Gas Gas .com.
I wish I would have taken some photos to go along with all of this and if there is enough request maybe we will do it again. Hope this helps everyone.
We have been doing an on going search for the difference in power between an 06 DE 300 and a 08 EC 300. The 06 was bought used from a bank repo from a dealer. The 08 I bought new. We had the 08 before the 06 and when we got the 06 home and got it jetted for our altitude we realised it was a way different power delivery than the 08. We went for over a year trying to match port timing and compression only to make minor improvements to the 08. We finally realised that the rain sunshine switch was faulty and bipassed it at the CDI and that made a big difference but still didn't have the knarly off idle torque the 06 has. We started suspecting PV timing from our experience with KTM 300s. We ordered 2 sets of clutch cover gaskets along with water pump gaskets from Gofasters. We pulled the clutch side off of the 06 and discovered no shims behind the PV governor spring. This takes away preload and rate from the spring and allows it to open sooner and faster. We then pulled the side off the 08 and removed all the shims. The power delivery is now exactly like the 06.
The shims are very thin and we were apprehensive about whether removing them would make that much difference but it definatly worked.
As a side note there is pocedure that we discovered that works pretty well to disassemble the governor. Lay the bike over on its left side so the governor balls don't fall out all over the garage floor. When re-installing the governor balls, we just layed them in the cup and spun the cap until they all fell into their individual slots . It takes a little patients on this part and it helps to have a small ice pick to reach in and position some of the balls in there slots as you rotate the cap.
The main clutch side cover can also give fits to try and remove because it is tight dowled onto the side case. Be patient and try not to use a screw driver to pry it away from the main case. Re- installing is a little tricky also to get the gasket in place on the bottom.
Try and keep all the screws in their perspective holes because it will drive you crazy when you realise there are about 4 or 5 different lengths and some are so close to the same but just enough different that puting too long of screw in will result in a damaged thread or case !
It also helps to look at the parts break down on Gofasters sight or Gas Gas .com.
I wish I would have taken some photos to go along with all of this and if there is enough request maybe we will do it again. Hope this helps everyone.
Last edited:
