Valve adjustment question.

[fordmano]

OK,,,, I just finished up on my first valve check (finally got around to it at 16K). Sort of finished up.

In the FAQ here I found this step that I have a little bitty question about, actually looking for more experienced opinion.

.  Insert the correct feeler gauge between the valve stem and the adjuster screw. There should be slight drag on the feeler gauge – be sure that you do not have the gauge canted or curved as you are measuring. You can use the “go, no go” method – a .008in. gauge should not go into the .006 intake; a .011 should not go into a .009 exhaust if adjusted properly. A .007 gauge will go into the intake and a .010 gauge will go into the exhaust, but will give a too tight drag.

So all the Intake look (felt) PERFECT  now the exhuast is the ones I would normally expect to be on the tight side, can we agree on that? I have 2 exhaust valves that seem to be just a tiny bit tight a .01 would not slide thru on one and I really had to force the .01 on the other but I was able to get the .009 thru them both but it did seem to have a fair amount of drag and a .008 could be slide thru without having ANY feeling of contact at all.... Now the question is should I leave well enough alone for the next 10k-12k or should I get back in there and move these 2 adjusters and risk making them farther out of adjustment due to my lack of motorcycle (mechanical) vale experience? Seems like there is only about .001 or less variance from nominal here.
I am sure I had the engine rotated to the top of stroke on each cylinder but I guess I could have just missed it a bit on one or both of these 2 valves, I even rotated ever so slightly back and forth when I got to what I thought was TDC just to double check for this possible variation.

Thanks to any of you VALK gurus that offer up suggestions, directions or opinions.

Thanks
Matt

[Chrisj CMA]

I have 2 exhaust valves that seem to be just a tiny bit tight a .01 would not slide thru on one and I really had to force the .01 on the other but I was able to get the .009 thru them both but it did seem to have a fair amount of drag and a .008 could be slide thru without having ANY feeling of contact at all


I cant figure out the "quote" thing, but you said this (above)........I agree you shouldnt need to change anything.  the difference between what you described and the PERFECT gap/guage friction is probably an immeasurable amount.

[Ricky-D]

I disagree a little here, in that any wear in the valve train will not tighten up the train but rather loosen up the train. Means the valves will have less chance to be held open inadvertently and thus less chance of burning. Of course loose valve trains tend to get more loose due to the extra pounding caused by the looseness. You ear is a good detection instrument, if you can hear the valve train, then it is too loose. I wonder about all the work that is performed on these motors. They're Honda's. Do they need all this? I've 95K on my Valk and never did a thing except to change the oil, coolant, and a new battery. Oh yeah, I had to r&r the headlight bulbs too.

[Chrisj CMA]

Rick, I meant I couldnt figure out how to get his sentence in that quote box, so I just copied and pasted....LOL

[pistolchamp]

After 62,800 miles on my '03 standard, no changes at all.  I've checked them at least three times and nothing was needed.  I have a lot of old hot rod experience setting valves on Hemis and Rat Motors, the Valk was easy, everything right in front of me and at eye level, it should have been so easy long ago under the hood of a car.

I am not the only one I know who has not had to make and adjustment, one has over 100,000 on factory setting.

[fordmano]

Thanks to all of you.

I knew this, I guess I just wanted to have the warm fuzzy feeling you get when you here somebody agree with your findings or opinion.
 

I have only seen valves get loose  (gap size increase at the valve stem to rocker contact point) 1 time and that motor had lost oil on 6 lobes of that cam. The intake normally gets a COOL charge of air and fuel while the exhuast gets the heat on both sides of the valve face and the seat as it passes through it's opening. Thus taking much more wear than the valve stem rockers or cam  lobes since these all are normally under constant lubrication and some level of cooling from the exchange of a "fresh" stream of oil.


Again Thanks everyone, I normally have a good idea of what I am doing I just seem to lack the confidence to just DO IT.

Thanks
Matt

[Valker]

I am not the only one I know who has not had to make and adjustment, one has over 100,000 on factory setting.

Who would do that to their Valkyrie????? Mine is showing 7000 miles on the odometer...glad mine are still on the original OEM settings. Won't have to worry about them for a while.