Valve clearance info

[djsb 493]

And as Hati suggests in his excellent post, take out the spark plugs.  When I used to do the tappets-check on the Beemers, the large-capacity motor meant that it was really hard to finely adjust the position of the crankshaft without being tempted to turn it 'backwards' and risk cam-chain cover breakage,  'cos of the cylinder pressures.

Removing the plugs made it a doddle.  And also why not get the Würth individual feelers - 17 and 28.  I got two pairs 'cos I found that as Chris Harris the USA wrencher pointed out, as you adjust one valve with the feeler in the corresponding one, it falls out if it's a feeler-gauge set, but not if it's the diddy Würth one in the colour-coded size.

Where did you buy your Wurth feeler guages from. I've had a quick google search and those 2 sizes aren't listed. Thats unless they are included in the BMW set that I've seen. Can you point us in the right direction? Thanks.

[shiggsy 529]

One tip to remember, when turning the engine, move it ONLY in the normal direction of rotation (which is the same direction as the wheels turn).

 

 

The manual does actually state that:  "if the marks do not align, turn the crankshaft counterclockwise and align it."

 

Is that another Manual typo ?

[embee 7,288]

The manual does actually state that:  "if the marks do not align, turn the crankshaft counterclockwise and align it."

 

Is that another Manual typo ?

No, that's correct. The plugs in the alternator cover which you remove for access to the bolt for turning the engine are on the left side (as you sit on the bike), so the engine turns counter-clockwise as viewed from this side, same direction as the wheels.

[Guest sykospain]

David in Bovingdon - I bought my little set of 4 Würth individual feelers ( colour coded ) from my local motor engineer's workshop / garage - they are visited each month or so ( when he's sober enough to remember )

by a Würth rep ( cómercial ).

 

Loads of main-dealer garages in the UK are likely to get similar visits.

 

Otherwise there's the Würth Gemany online shop - spelt Wuerth, like the Austrians - miserable unsmiling anti-Semitic nazis...

 

https://eshop.wuerth.de/Complete-catalogue/Feeler-gauges/14016009050101.cyid/1401.cgid/en/US/EUR/

 

Well-worth sourcing them simply for ease of use compared to using a bog-standard fold-out set which you can get from any branch of the famous HalRobbers tools supermarket any day...

Edited August 14, 2016 by sykospain

[Dunnster 1,650]

Definitely take the plugs out.

Could you satisfy my curiosity and tell why taking the plugs out makes the job easier.

[embee 7,288]

With the plugs in you'll get more or less full compression pressure when trying to turn it over the compression stroke. That makes it hard work and it'll try to turn back if you relax the effort at all. Plugs out and there's no compression.

[Grumpy old man 4,682]

Could you satisfy my curiosity and tell why taking the plugs out makes the job easier.

Takes    away the compression making the engine easier to turn and stops it popping over TDC (Top Dead Centre)

Edited August 23, 2016 by Grumpy old man

[Grumpy old man 4,682]

Sorry Embee, we must have been typing at the same time

[Dunnster 1,650]

Thanks Embee & Grumpy, much apprieciated.

[Joeyjoejnr 96]

Ok a little later than billed due to a night on the raz on friday, the conor megreggor ufc fight on saturday and my recovery on sunday

 

I adjusted the valves today.  Took me at least 4 hours.  Mainly because I tripple checked everything.  Anyone thinking of attempting this I say go for it.  It was not that difficult especially with the aid of the youtube guide and this forum for advice. I will definitely buy a good quality 0.17 and 0.28 gauge as mixing and matching my current cheapo gauges was a chore. cylinders 1+2 intake valves where only slightly tight.  I adjusted these back to 0.17mm anyway.  Cylinder 1 exhaust where way out. I had to drop to 0.20 gauge before it would fit.  so I adjusted these back to 0.28mm

 

The coolant change was a pig of a job and I think ill have to do it again.  The old coolant was a green colour which I thought I had totally flushed out but as I added my new pink coolant I could see the old green coolant raise to the top.

I also removed the spark plugs as suggested.

 

Just to add my ODO reads 20,000km.  I checked it at this stage because I not sure if it was ever done before.

 

">http://

 

">http://

 

">http://

 

Thanks for all the advice

[Guest Hati]

About the coolant. A little late for you Joe, but Honda (down here at least but can't see why it would be different for you guys in the UK) specifies phosphate and silicate free coolant, like this: http://www.nulon.com.au/products/cooling_systems/Blue_Long_Life_Premix_Coolant It took me some time to find the right one as most car coolants will not be suitable. From what I read up about it, it's got to do with corrosion protection specific to Japanese made engines.

 

When I was looking for a dedicated set of feeler gauges, I could only find the imperial version Honda has in the manual, 0.011 and 0.007 inch.

[usabikes 440]

About the coolant. A little late for you Joe, but Honda (down here at least but can't see why it would be different for you guys in the UK) specifies phosphate and silicate free coolant, like this: http://www.nulon.com.au/products/cooling_systems/Blue_Long_Life_Premix_Coolant It took me some time to find the right one as most car coolants will not be suitable. From what I read up about it, it's got to do with corrosion protection specific to Japanese made engines.

 

When I was looking for a dedicated set of feeler gauges, I could only find the imperial version Honda has in the manual, 0.011 and 0.007 inch.

 

Cruising the interweb seems to reveal that European water is of a different kind than Ameican, which changes some coolant manufacturers' recommendations.

 

Down here in Unzud (sorry 'bout the rugby) my Honda dealer sells "Castrol Radicool Concentrate" which is ASTM D3306 exactly the same as Pro Honda HP coolant that is recoomeded for our bikes - except that it isn't 50/50. Mix with demineralised water and away we go...

 

Thanks very much for your info Hati - I am about to change the coolant and it made me check my assumption that the dealer hadn't sold me the wrong stuff (wouldn't have been the first time).

 

Graeme

[Guest Hati]

No worries mate I don't follow ball sports in general and rugby in particular, so no hard feelings

 

Re the coolant, I prefer to pick my own fluids (based on service manual recommendations) opposed to what the dealer might have on hand. Car dealers tend to make commercial decisions for their bulk fluid purchases, I don't see bike dealers being that much different, so I trust me more than I trust them.

[embee 7,288]

FWIW I use Toyota Red coolant in everything I have, it means I only need one on the shelf. It is the coolant Toyota supply for the Japanese built engines (as is my ancient Yaris). I've been using it for 16yrs and all bikes/cars have kept perfectly clean coolant systems. I get it in 5L concentrate and use filtered rainwater (cheap distilled!). Rainwater is not acidic here these days.

[nelmo 563]

I must say, I'm rather happy that we aren't having to mess about with shims on the NC

 

Yeah but shims don't need as much adjusting. My last bike I had for 96k miles and the valves never went out of spec in all that time.

Edited August 30, 2016 by nelmo

[Guest sykospain]

Brad's vid from Austin, TX is just SO good.

 

Bear in mind Embee's advice in his earlier comments on this thread regarding timing marks, plugs out, don't wind the motor backwards, etc., and NC-bike tappet checking every 20-or-so K miles should be a doddle so long as you take your time.  Just think of all the loot you're saving compared to handing the job over to a dealer.

I did mine at at 12K Km and all were exactly to spec.  Nothing needed to be done.  And quite right too....

 

[Crofty 119]

Since I started this thread I thought I would add my thoughts on valve checks now.Just a little update on my bike, it is at 38,000. I did the valves at 24k and somewhere between the 24 and 32 checks read that the nc750 only needed valve checks at 16k intervals so that's what I have decided to do. They were,nt critical at 16/24k intervals so I skipped the 32k and just did a oil/filter change.during that time the bike has run fine and done quite a few long tours. I took it out today and it rolled over to 38k, running great. At 40k I will do the valves, plus oil change, oil and air filters and new plugs.  Maybe a 100 quid for that lot. that will be me set for next years tours.

[nc750xuk 91]

Interestingly I checked the clearences on my 2014 750x at 20,700 miles today for the first time

 

None needed any adjustment and were all spot on. The job itself was very straightforward, Gave me a chance to flush and change the coolant and also give the rad a good soak to clean the fins. Also managed to ACF 50 loads of hidden bolts that were corroding !

[Guest Hati]

2 hours ago, nc750xuk said:

also give the rad a good soak to clean the fins.

 

What a good idea. Beats poking the bugs with a needle for half hour. Thanks for the tip

[nc750xuk 91]

No probs Hati, I removed the fan assy first and evotech rad cover that I have fitted. Then led the rad soak in some warm water then gently blew it through with a low pressure airline before refitting the whole lot

[Guest Hati]

I've done the first big service on the Integra, had the radiator out but never thought about soaking it while doing the valves... Next big service will be done.

[embee 7,288]

1 hour ago, nc750xuk said:

No probs Hati, I removed the fan assy first and evotech rad cover that I have fitted. Then led the rad soak in some warm water then gently blew it through with a low pressure airline before refitting the whole lot

Just to back up what Kris says, DON'T use a high pressure airline and blow-gun close up, you can bend all the airside fins quite easily.

[nc750xuk 91]

Thanks embree, yes well pointed out

[howard 70]

please don't be flippant with your coolant choice ! Silicate is abrasive and kills the seal in the water pump of these bikes 😒 I put standard, non-silicate free coolant in mine and 5000 ish miles later my pump failed!!