Ok, one thing I want to mention is to forget about your method of adjusting valve clearance. Use the EOIC method. I did not see if anyone had suggested it or if there was a fix yet, but I wanted to take the opportunity to discuss Kubota's method and the EOIC method. While Kubota's method isn't too terribly hard to figure out, the EOIC is MUCH simpler. EOIC stands for exhaust opening, intake closing. Meaning this: When the exhaust valve just begins to open, adjust that cylinder's intake valve(s). Then when the intake valve is almost closed, adjust that cylinder's intake valve(s). That method saves a lot of time and aggravation and is so easy that a cave man can do it. I do it this way on V8 stuff, specifically on the race cars, as it's MUCH quicker-and easier-than the TDC method.
On lawn equipment and some ATV stuff, you can't really set them via TDC because of the automatic decompression mechanism that holds the valve open slightly near TDC. On those, you have to rotate the engine about 10-20 degrees of crank rotation past TDC and check them. Or use EOIC which is what I do and it seems to confuse everyone whom I've tried to teach it to.
