Routine Maintenance -- Checking valve clearance

[donaldcc]

     I am new owner of '97 tourer with 13,000 miles.  Bought it from best friend's cousin who was meticulous with maintenance.  I have put about 2,000 miles on it getting used to the machine and it is great and runs perfectly.
     I have been following this board for about 6 months (got bike about 6 weeks ago) and have learned a lot from the many posts.  Brake and clutch fluids recently changed, new air filter and spark plugs 4,000 miles ago, oil change 2,000 miles ago (he was changing about every 3-4,000).  Have Dunlop E3s with good life left but got a pair of Avon Cobras at good price ($258 delivered) with $10 per tire rebate from Jake Wilson along with $25 per tire rebate from Avon after reading other posts.  Will probably replace Dunlops in a few thousand miles.  Have Cobra 6 into 6 exhaust, Clearview windshield and recently added Baker airwings.
     My question is about the service recommendation for checking valve clearance at 12,000 miles.  This is too much for me and I wonder about what sort of reasonable cost I am looking at to have it done at shop??  Ideas?

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

Somehow I lost my earlier post to your question. With that low milage  I think checking the valve clearance would be an overkill. I have 117K on my bike and the valves have been checked twice by me and once by the previous owner. Never had one very far out of specs. JMHO. others  opinions may vary.

[JetDriver]

Another perspective, although admittedly coming from a non-mechanical background.  If the valves are going to get out of adjustment, it seems like they would do it during its early life, during its break-in period.  The bike has 13000 miles on it, and Honda calls for an inspection at 12k.  I'd say check it.  If they're in good shape, which they most likely are, then I probably wouldn't worry about it again for another 50k or so.

Donald, it's not a complicated procedure and there are several "how-to" posts on here.  If you like messing with the spark plugs and air cleaner, etc., you can probably do this.  If you would rather not wrench at all, and find it frustrating when you do, then I would agree with you- take it in.  Me- I figure half a day; a professional probably would be about an hour of labor (I'm guessing) plus parts (gaskets).

[Sodbuster]

I just got done checking them about an hour ago and at 23k I had to adjust 5 out of the 12 and they were only off by a thousandth.  I just bought it last fall with 16k on it but have no idea if it was ever done. If you've ever adjusted valves on a motorcycle before (screw adjust) you should be just fine. It's pretty simple on the Valk. I think the hardest part was cleaning up the mating surfaces prior to assembly.

Check out "Carl Kulow's Maintenance Page" in Shoptalk and print out his pdf file. Pretty handy stuff and straight forward.

[Earl in Pensacola]

WATCH OUT, if you take it to a dealership!!  The local Honda dlr here quoted me 4 HOURS @ $90.00 per plus tax etc.  They forced me to learn to do it myself.  The first time I did it, with guidance, took about 2.75 hours, using the "read-do it, read-double check" method and that was also without the use of a nice lift etc.  Now-a-days it's a fairly relaxed job taking on average, 2 hours.  The gaskets are designed to be reused severa times!  I've rarely found more than one or two valves out by more than maybe 1000th., so for the last 100K or so I only check them about every 50 or 60K!!  Of course, I do not not "red-line" the engine and I keep the Rotella-T 15/40 changed.
By-the-way I have a '97 Tourer the I bought new and now have 222K on her now.

[donaldcc]

Thanks for info guys.  I may give it a try, have already been over everything in the shop manual.  Earl in Pensacola, I was there many moons ago in the Navy and always loved those beaches that seem to be getting the beginning of the oil globs . . .  sad.

[Robert]

If you feel like its a bit to much I would wait till I either find a good mechanic or do enough research to feel comfortable with Jumping in myself. I still recommend doing it yourself if you have some mechanical ability. The dealers dont care. The valves will not be majorly out in fact many go 75k without touching the valves so dont worry you have time.

[Ricky-D]

Yup you're worrying over nothing.

No need to open up that Pandora's Box!

As long as they're quiet they are fine.

Just keep changing the oil and you will be Ok!

***

[ricoman]

I think the manual says to check them at 12K.
I did mine at 13K or so and found 6 very tight (.003 feeler would not fit) and 3 loose (.012 feeler was an easy pull) and 3 right on.
Tightness/looseness a mix of both intake and exhaust.
A tight valve when cold can cause issues when the engine is up to temp.
If you do it yourself, watch the right cover reinstall-it's a pain to squeeze it on past the wires behind the timing belt cover (at least on a Std.)

[Patrick]

I happen to think its a good idea to check things every once in a while.. These engines do not have valve clearance issues like some engines do, but, checking them every now and again is a good thing by my way of thinking.. You won't hear a tight valve and thats the one that will jump up and bite you.. The procedures are in the shop manual and shop talk.. A couple things that they don't say is to lean the bike over on the right side for a couple minutes before flopping it back over to the left and setting it on the side stand.. This allows the oil to drain from the left valve cover so you don't end up rust-proofing your garage floor.. It's also easier to remove the wires from the right side to allow the valve cover to be removed/installed easier.. Follow the instructions and you'll be OK,but, if you have to adjust one or more valves more than a few thousands of an inch,,, STOP,, because there is something wrong as that shouldn't happen and recheck what your doing..

[bentwrench]

It's the tight ones that are the problem.that indicates wear between the seat and valve.
loose ones show wear in the valvetrain.If you run at red line often you'll see the clearance decrease
this can burn valves :(after 20 or 30 k normal riding and good oil should keep wear to a minimum.
Like I've said in another post i'm tired of checking mine they don't show any wear.
bw