ndzr Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 Just wondering if any of you do-it-yourselfers have done your own valve job on the bird. I hear its a tricky thing - just wondering if that's true? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tgo63 Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 You need to be a capable mechanic to do valves yourself. My bike passed 43k miles and I did not touch the valves. I asked my local honda dealer how much they would charge for valves check and the manager told my the bike does not need one. He said he would reccomend checking compression first before touching the valves. My take if the bike runs well do not mess with the valves. Most of the people who did check valves did not have to make any adjustments. On the other hand the manager is the same guy who, when asked about VFR, told me the bike is the pig and I should not even think about getting one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartonmd Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 Just wondering if any of you do-it-yourselfers have done your own valve job on the bird. I hear its a tricky thing - just wondering if that's true? Do you mean a "valve job" or do you mean "checking/adjusting valve lash/clearance?" A "valve job" involves grinding new seats for the valves, so they seal better... Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warchild Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 On the other hand the manager is the same guy who, when asked about VFR, told me the bike is the pig and I should not even think about getting one If he was referring to the 2002 and onward Viffers, I can understand why he would say that. ndzr - checking the valves on the XX is (relatively) trivial... the bulk of the work involves removing tupperware/components to actually get to them: It's only when you have to actually *adjust* a valve clearance that things become a bit more involved.... you gotta yank the cams to do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redbird Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 I knew I kept this album up for a reason. Valve ajustment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhanxx Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 Do u have to take the tupperware panels off? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warchild Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 Do u have to take the tupperware panels off? No, not 100% necessary. Makes life much easier, though. Truthfully, I was doing a lot of other mods at the time (Traxxion forks, HID install, etc), so I had all my shit off the front of the bike anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redbird Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 Do u have to take the tupperware panels off? To check them, no. To ajust them, I'd say yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ndzr Posted October 18, 2006 Author Share Posted October 18, 2006 Thanks. Heard someone say it was difficult, but sounds like others have attacked it. Thanks for the pictures. It will help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontanaXX Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 ...He said he would reccomend checking compression first before touching the valves. My take if the bike runs well do not mess with the valves. Most of the people who did check valves did not have to make any adjustments. ... I have owned my XX only a few months so I am still familiarizing myself with the bike, and its maintanence schedule. First I see in the service manual that I need to change my oil after 8,000 miles [wtf], then after reading old and new posts here, I find that my valves probably won't need to be adjusted until at least 40k. I will be changing my oil much sooner than the book says but I am glad to learn that the valves stay in spec for so long. This maintanence schedule is so very different from my other bikes. My old FJ requires a few shim changes each spring [3-4,000 miles], and my KTM 450 needs a valve adjustment every 20 hours or so. The dirt bike is obviously a completely different animal, but how is it the Honda can go so long without requiring valve adjustments? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rockmeupto125 Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 Good metal in the valves and seats, and plenty of valve guide to keep the valve from rocking back and forth as it opens and closes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontanaXX Posted October 20, 2006 Share Posted October 20, 2006 Good metal in the valves and seats, and plenty of valve guide to keep the valve from rocking back and forth as it opens and closes. Long [tall] valve guides makes sense to me. My KTM must have soft seats and/or short guides because many owners who subject their bikes to race conditions have to replace valves every other season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airborneXX Posted October 20, 2006 Share Posted October 20, 2006 I'm going to check mine this weekend since the bike is half apart waiting for parts. 37,000 miles hopefully I'm just killing time. Edit to ask: Should I order a new gasket kit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
testrider Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 I'm going to check mine this weekend since the bike is half apart waiting for parts. 37,000 miles hopefully I'm just killing time. Edit to ask: Should I order a new gasket kit? Have you checked your valves? Were they in spec or out? Thanks. -mike- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric_The_Jew Posted December 13, 2006 Share Posted December 13, 2006 Before doing valves, do a leakdown test. Then do it with some oil in the cylinder to confirm it is valves. And yeah, there is good metal in them there valves and seats, but they both do pit/chip under heavy/hard use. Leakdown will tell the tale, however. I still think there is some confusion in this thread. To the original poster: Are you referring to a "valve job" or a "valve adjustment"? Two totally different animals!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HERBXX Posted December 13, 2006 Share Posted December 13, 2006 Good metal in the valves and seats, and plenty of valve guide to keep the valve from rocking back and forth as it opens and closes. Long [tall] valve guides makes sense to me. My KTM must have soft seats and/or short guides because many owners who subject their bikes to race conditions have to replace valves every other season. I think most of those high reving 4 stroke singles are just hard on parts. I have heard of several 250 honda that need head work after the first season of a few races. I suspect there is very little valve seat area on that style of motor to begin with and some spend a lot of time wide open . My brothers 525 needed new valves in less then a year. I think it might have had something to do with flat dirt roadrace track , or mabe its the slicks and the go cart track :icon_think: The parts in those beasts are so tiny and light you just cant expect them to last that long. The bird is very overbuilt for the power it makes . Herb Good metal in the valves and seats, and plenty of valve guide to keep the valve from rocking back and forth as it opens and closes. Long [tall] valve guides makes sense to me. My KTM must have soft seats and/or short guides because many owners who subject their bikes to race conditions have to replace valves every other season. I think most of those high reving 4 stroke singles are just hard on parts. I have heard of several 250 honda that need head work after the first season of a few races. I suspect there is very little valve seat area on that style of motor to begin with and some spend a lot of time wide open . My brothers 525 needed new valves in less then a year. I think it might have had something to do witha flat dirt roadrace track , or mabe its the slicks and the gocart track :icon_think: The parts in those beasts are so tiny and light you just cant expect them to last that long. The bird is very overbuilt for the power it makes . Herb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airborneXX Posted December 13, 2006 Share Posted December 13, 2006 I'm going to check mine this weekend since the bike is half apart waiting for parts. 37,000 miles hopefully I'm just killing time. Edit to ask: Should I order a new gasket kit? Have you checked your valves? Were they in spec or out? Thanks. -mike- Yes. They were all dead center of spec except for one of the #4 exhaust valves which was a little tight, but still within spec. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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