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Valve clearance


hypnotic

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Has anyone checked the valve clearance themselves at 16k miles? I am not keen to pay a mechanic nor to bother doing it myself. From what I read online, clearance never goes off by 16k, it needs to be looked at at 32k apparently. What is your experience? I would like to hear from people who performed the chck themselves as mechanic will for sure say that he adjusted them.

 

I have a 110cc scooter which recommends valve clearance checks every 2.5k miles. I am on 15k at the moment and the engine runs flawlessly, never chcked the valves.

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Don't get me started ! Get them checked  it's not a hard job combine it with a coolant change  ones I have done seemed to be running fine once done ie adjusted customers have noticed a difference   bu

I advise having the valve clearances checked as soon as possible if the bike is new and if you've just bought a used one.  Once you know for certain that they are correct repeat the procedure every th

Actually, I've got a slightly challenging thought about this!  I put it to you that the "wheel" per se didn't really need inventing, because it's just a thin slice cut off the end of a roller.  Ancien

DaveM59

I can top that. My X9 has never had the clearances checked in 72,000 miles and runs perfectly.

I did DIY the Integra valves at 18,600 and two were very very slightly tight but having opened them up I can't tell any difference, nor did I think there was anything wrong before hand.

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I'm thinking of looking at mine for the first time this weekend at 58k - has always run well / good mpg etc. Have a feeling I will only get around to the oil change and leave it for another 8k

Edited by rjp996
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Your bikes, your choice. :) 

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If it isn't broken don't try to fix it; after all we are not Motogp where every micro mm counts.

Plus, it's a HONDA.

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They might be OK after 100000 miles or they may be wrong from new, but they really ought to be checked at judicious intervals

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trisaki

Don't get me started ! Get them checked  it's not a hard job combine it with a coolant change  ones I have done seemed to be running fine once done ie adjusted customers have noticed a difference   but your bike your choice 

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7 minutes ago, klrman said:

They might be OK after 100000 miles or they may be wrong from new, but they really ought to be checked at judicious intervals

True and thanks for your agreement.

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6 minutes ago, trisaki said:

Don't get me started ! Get them checked  it's not a hard job combine it with a coolant change  ones I have done seemed to be running fine once done ie adjusted customers have noticed a difference   but your bike your choice 

 

I watched some videos on valve inspection. It looks like a simple task. However, I am getting confused as what needs to be done if they are out of spec? I thought I would only need to adjust them by unlocking the lock nut and tightening/releasing them slightly,but somewhere was said that it requires shim replacement in that case.

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Rocker66

Some of the above replies illustrate one of the reasons I don’t like buying pre owned bikes.

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Just now, Rocker66 said:

Some of the above replies illustrate one of the reasons I don’t like buying pre owned bikes.

Yep. That's just one of the many reasons

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Graham NZ

Plenty posted here on valve clearance adjustment.

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coopers12345
3 hours ago, hypnotic said:

Has anyone checked the valve clearance themselves at 16k miles? I am not keen to pay a mechanic nor to bother doing it myself. From what I read online, clearance never goes off by 16k, it needs to be looked at at 32k apparently. What is your experience? I would like to hear from people who performed the chck themselves as mechanic will for sure say that he adjusted them.

 

Not being funny but if you don't want to do it yourself or pay a mechanic then it sounds like you you've already made your mind up. It's your bike and it's upto you how you maintain it. Asking on a forum you'll always get a mix of those who'll say that it's not necessary and those that checked and found them out, it's unlikely that you'll get a clear consensus on the subject, and one post shouldn't really carry any more weight that another.

 

I personally prefer to carry out the majority of maintenance checks/actions in line with the manufacturer's schedule but I've been known to have them slide if I don't consider something necessary or I'm struggling for time and think it can wait. I checked my valves at 20k(ish) and will check them again soon, but that will probably be at around 43k.

 

 

Why do you think that a mechanic would say they adjusted them if they didn't? They'd get paid either way, it's not as if saying they were adjusted adds hours of labour to the job, once it's stripped down it's no real effort to adjust them.

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@coopers12345,

 

 

13 minutes ago, coopers12345 said:

 

Not being funny but if you don't want to do it yourself or pay a mechanic then it sounds like you you've already made your mind up. It's your bike and it's upto you how you maintain it. Asking on a forum you'll always get a mix of those who'll say that it's not necessary and those that checked and found them out, it's unlikely that you'll get a clear consensus on the subject, and one post shouldn't really carry any more weight that another.

 

I personally prefer to carry out the majority of maintenance checks/actions in line with the manufacturer's schedule but I've been known to have them slide if I don't consider something necessary or I'm struggling for time and think it can wait. I checked my valves at 20k(ish) and will check them again soon, but that will probably be at around 43k.

 

 

Why do you think that a mechanic would say they adjusted them if they didn't? They'd get paid either way, it's not as if saying they were adjusted adds hours of labour to the job, once it's stripped down it's no real effort to adjust them.

I didn't make up my mind yet, I'm nearly there though :-). But if 10 people here told me that they did a check at 16k and none of them had any issues I would probably take a "risk" to skip it. With regards to the mechanics, if the one doing the work only cares about money and he knows that no NC in his garage needed an adjustment at that mileage, he could easily skip it and charge 2 hours of labour. Maybe mechanics in the UK are not as bad, but where I'm coming from, those things are regular.

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Guest bornagain

FWIW I had mine done a few weeks ago at 20k (ish). No adjustment needed.

Main dealer and £150 :cry: - but piece of mind. I commute daily and wanted the bike ready for autumn and winter after the annual holiday.

 

In the main I keep costs down by doing most things myself, tyres, pads, oil etc. I figure the occasional visit to a workshop is fine . It'll be about 18 months before it needs doing again and I may then have a go myself.

 

Regards,

Neil

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2 minutes ago, bornagain said:

FWIW I had mine done a few weeks ago at 20k (ish). No adjustment needed.

Main dealer and £150 :cry: - but piece of mind. I commute daily and wanted the bike ready for autumn and winter after the annual holiday.

 

In the main I keep costs down by doing most things myself, tyres, pads, oil etc. I figure the occasional visit to a workshop is fine . It'll be about 18 months before it needs doing again and I may then have a go myself.

 

Regards,

Neil

Thanks for the info.

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DaveM59
14 hours ago, Rocker66 said:

Some of the above replies illustrate one of the reasons I don’t like buying pre owned bikes.

Considering the amount of complaints owners have (generally, not only on here) about dealers who say they have done work but on checking clearly haven't, is there any certainty just because a piece of paper says they were done, that they really were. I know you trust your dealer, but if they weren't as honest as you think they are, you wouldn't be in any different a position as anyone buying second hand, thinking everything was getting the attention it should, but in fact it isn't.

 

I always document every little job I do on my bikes, right down to consumables like bulbs, brake pads etc with dates and mileage and mark every part invoice with the date and mileage it was fitted. This goes with the bike when I sell, but when trading in dealers refuse to take it. They will not have any documentation that leads to the last owner and if you insist they shred it.

All you get from a main dealer when buying a used bike is the service book and handbook and possibly any reference to recalls that may have been actioned, and that's all. So a dealer actually hides the detail from a new buyer.

When you sell privately, new owners relish this information and having been in the position of buying privately, every nugget of history is useful and often seals the deal. Dealers seem to prefer to keep you in the dark when buying a used bike from them.

 

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Spindizzy

I would do them myself as I fix machines by trade,  its one reason why I prefer screw and nut over shims. Shims means potentially having to wait for spares or go in there twice.

 

On my Er-5 the exhausts were both tight at the first check

My scooter at the first and second had not moved, I will therefore not bother at the next service and do them every other, depends what I find.

 

I guess you could skip on the NC, not many reports of tight way out of spec, got to go quite a way to cause  valve burn out. Its a risk, but a small one to do them at say 32K. Maybe 24K wont hurt. If Honda say 16K you can bet there is a whopping safety margin.

 

We have hydraulic adjusters on plane engines dating back to the fifties. Cant see why something cant be designed for  bike. Just an opinion, maybe space/price is an issue.

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I did mine as per service schedule and the one inlet was a couple of thou thigh and the other a couple of thou loose.

I made it difficult for myself by not taking the rad off though. 

Lesson learned and it will be done with a coolant change next time.

It was still an easy job to do the adjustment.

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Dunnster

Get them checked as per maintaince schedule.

Like all things in life, different outcomes for people in the same scenario. 

I've checked mine twice, once at 16k which all except one were tight. Checked again at 24k and only one needed adjusting. It is an easy job if you are that way inclined, however not everyone is confident or wants to get there hands dirty, so ask on here for a reccomended mechanic. 

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Dunnster
15 hours ago, hypnotic said:

 

I watched some videos on valve inspection. It looks like a simple task. However, I am getting confused as what needs to be done if they are out of spec? I thought I would only need to adjust them by unlocking the lock nut and tightening/releasing them slightly,but somewhere was said that it requires shim replacement in that case.

 

No shims required, just screw and locknut. 

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Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating not to checking the valves, just that I have not - I will get around to it before winter however as it's due a coolant change. If the comment re being a reason not to buy a second hand bike was coming my way, other than the valves the bike is looked after very well given it's a daily commuter, oil, filters, brakes stripped etc, and secondly it's a highmile commuter that was bought to do that job until it's ready for the scrap pile, so I bought it and run it knowing it's not going to be re sold.

Edited by rjp996
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Rocker66
5 hours ago, DaveM59 said:

Considering the amount of complaints owners have (generally, not only on here) about dealers who say they have done work but on checking clearly haven't, is there any certainty just because a piece of paper says they were done, that they really were. I know you trust your dealer, but if they weren't as honest as you think they are, you wouldn't be in any different a position as anyone buying second hand, thinking everything was getting the attention it should, but in fact it isn't.

 

I always document every little job I do on my bikes, right down to consumables like bulbs, brake pads etc with dates and mileage and mark every part invoice with the date and mileage it was fitted. This goes with the bike when I sell, but when trading in dealers refuse to take it. They will not have any documentation that leads to the last owner and if you insist they shred it.

All you get from a main dealer when buying a used bike is the service book and handbook and possibly any reference to recalls that may have been actioned, and that's all. So a dealer actually hides the detail from a new buyer.

When you sell privately, new owners relish this information and having been in the position of buying privately, every nugget of history is useful and often seals the deal. Dealers seem to prefer to keep you in the dark when buying a used bike from them.

 

But I do as trust my dealer as do a lot of others and have actually seen them working on the bike. I have no interest in working on my bikes had enough of that years ago.

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I bought a van from a south wales big dealership a while back, on looking at the service history in the showroom i noticed it had to be serviced at 12000 miles. And this van had 14000 miles on the clock. i said i would want it serviced before i collected it,  "No problem sir" he said it will be £160 on top of the sale price, I told him if its not included in the price i would walk away. He went to talk to his manager, came back and said not a problem we will do it in the price,. I picked the van up a week later and took it to my garage as i did not trust the dealership, i told my garage to do an oil and filter change a week later,  On collecting the van i said to the mechanic who did the job, did it look like it had been done last week,? He told me it had never been touched since it was made 2 years ago,!! How did he know . He had trouble getting to the filter as the engine bash plate was difficult to remove with rusted bolts . I rest my case . !!!

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Dunnster looking at you made me decide im going to watch WAKING NED TONIGHT !! get some clothes on man .!!:blink:

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