Valves - to check or not to check

[12cb96vfr_imp]

welp I decided to jump in and tackle my valve check today.......and I'm VERY glad I did. Sorry for the long post haha.

I'm just shy of 8k miles, she runs great, but I noticed i'm getting poor gas mileage (like 37-40mpg,and honestly I don't ride it that hard). Even when I'm just cruising all highway, I never get better than 40mpg. I do some googling an it says that could be a symptom of tight valves.

I decide to take a look at the plugs first, they are all a gorgeous tan color - so far . I put the feeler gauge on my #1 intake - it's PERFECT. I'm even happier, I say to myself "man this is going to be CAKE I'll be riding in an hour". hahahhahahhaha then the fun part starts, oh boy..........

I check #3 per the manual.....tight, really tight. I check the next one, even worse. So tight I figure I'll try a thinner gauge just to see if maybe i'm crazy, no go. These things are so tight now I'm starting to second guess myself. I backtrack and start the whole process over, man i don't think there is any room at all between the cam and the bucket. Gulp.

After about 2 hours of messing around I finally decide to throw in the towel. At this point I'm just hoping the valves being that tight didn't hurt anything. I have an appointment Tuesday morning at the shop for them to check it out and get it fixed up.

Luckily I bought a 5 year warranty, so if anything is bad they will fix it (the shop manager is one of my best friends so I have no worries about having to fight over the warranty).

I'm just really, really, REALLY unhappy that my bike is in about 6 pieces, it's going to be a perfect 85 degrees for the next two days, and I just sold my VFR 2 weeks ago.


Moral(s) of the story - Do your maintenance, 9 out of 10 may never have to have their valves adjusted, but if you own that 10th bike you'll be sorry if you skip it!

and - more importantly -

DON'T EVER, EVER, EVER SELL YOUR 2ND BIKE!!!!!

Guess I'll just spend my long weekend shooting guns....could be worse I suppose :beerchug:

 

[redbirds_imp]

Sorry about missing some good riding weather but you mention getting poor gas mileage. Could this be the cause of poor mileage some forum members are reporting?

 

[12cb96vfr_imp]

not sure buddy, I don't wanna correlate that until i see 1) what the shop says and 2) how it rides after I get it back.

I'm not super mechanical -I mean I've checked valves before on my other bikes without any issues- but the mechanic could very well call me Tuesday & tell me I'm stupid and i was doing something wrong haha, lord knows it wont be the first time.

But I'll follow up for sure!

and honestly I just saw poor gas mileage comment on another forum, so who knows if that's actually legit

 

[Randy B]

If the valves were that tight then they weren't closing all the way and that for sure would effect mileage.

 

[jeffskar_imp]

Please tell me these bikes have stainless steel valves instead of titanium like the CRF's have, that most people swap to stainless because of always having to re-shim if they actually ride a lot.

 

[Pterodactyl_imp]

Please tell me these bikes have stainless steel valves instead of titanium like the CRF's have, that most people swap to stainless because of always having to re-shim if they actually ride a lot.

I don't know the composition of the valves but evidence from forum experience would indicate that a considerable amount of riding is possible without valve clearance adjustment being required. A valve adjustment was done on my bike at 12000kms. Since then it has accumulated 57000kms without a further adjustment
being required.

In answer to your thread title: Yes, check the valve clearances in accordance with the service schedule, or if the engine exhibits any symptoms that may indicate maladjusted valve clearances. I believe you say as much in your "Morals of the story".

Cheers, and may all our valves stay in adjustment.

 

[silverbub_imp]

"DON'T EVER, EVER, EVER SELL YOUR 2ND BIKE!!!!! Smile"

Especially,...if it is a '96 VFR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
I thought your last statement needed a little editing...

 

[12cb96vfr_imp]

hahahaha it sure was a 96 LOL

 

[silverbub_imp]

hahahaha it sure was a 96 LOL

She sure is "PURTY"!!...& I'm sure she sure could SING with that pipe!...:hello:...thanks for the picture!... Your a tougher man than me...I could not have let her go!... Hope she went to a good home!

 

[JustPassinThru_imp]

I have left maintenence up to the dealer, who's rural and straightforward; and he tells me it's not due until 12,000 miles.

I'm getting excellent gas mileage and performance out of my ride. I agree - it would be fine to check valve clearances; but with no shop, peeling the tank off, a NEW bike...I'm not there.

I will take my chances.

 

[12cb96vfr_imp]

hahahaha it sure was a 96 LOL

She sure is "PURTY"!!...& I'm sure she sure could SING with that pipe!...:hello:...thanks for the picture!... Your a tougher man than me...I could not have let her go!... Hope she went to a good home!

She sure is "PURTY"!!...& I'm sure she sure could SING with that pipe!...:hello:...thanks for the picture!... Your a tougher man than me...I could not have let her go!... Hope she went to a good home!

thanks man, she went to a VERY good home, my buddy drove 4 hours to pick her up, he is taking excellent care of her

the sound is what I miss the most for sure...it wasn't obnoxious loud, it just sounded sweet

 

[Motogeezer1949_imp]

I just turned 14k miles and am planning at 15k new plugs and the first valve adjust. Bike's running great and getting a shade under 50mpg. If the valves weren't closing all the way, it would be obvious by the way the engine ran and wouldn't take long for them to burn. If they were so tight that there was zero gap then the potential would be there.

 

[12cb96vfr_imp]

well.................I'm a moron!!! hahaha my buddy just called me and said all the valves are spot-on 100% perfect. I guess i was checking them wrong, b/c he said everything is good to go!

All in all I'm glad I checked, at least I know I'm all set now.

 

[Lord Popgun]

Great news 12cb! Good to hear you are a moron

But I am glad you have no problems!

 

[12cb96vfr_imp]

haha i've been one for 36 years now so its nothin new.....

Now i just gotta figure out why i can't crack 40mpg!

 

[Birddogvet_imp]

Was the engine cold when you checked valve clearance?

I am a newbie to the CB 4 and may be mistaken, but did you check each cylinder at top dead center?

Those are the two main reasons for bad readings.

 

[AzBob_imp]

well.................I'm a moron!!! hahaha my buddy just called me and said all the valves are spot-on 100% perfect. I guess i was checking them wrong, b/c he said everything is good to go!

All in all I'm glad I checked, at least I know I'm all set now.

Question: when you checked them (incorrectly), did you follow the procedure in the Honda shop manual? Because that's how I'm planning to do it and now I'm kind of worried that I might mess it up.

 

[Carguy1959_imp]

I would hope the manual has the correct procedure. You have to check them when they are off the cam lobe/valve closed. There are many methods in doing this, if not sure you just need to make sure you rotate them one at a time just past when the valve is completely closed, this helps insure that the valve is completely closed. I have ordered a manual, just hasn't showed up yet. If doing them yourself, make sure you order a gasket as well.

 

[Motogeezer1949_imp]

Lee's got my DLX in his shop now. I'll keep you posted on how the clearances are. First valve check, almost 16k miles. Been running great.

 

[Toddman_imp]

Now let's think about this for a moment. Either the cam lobe is contacting the valve or it isn't. Just spin the dang cam around where it ain't contacting the lobe and measure it. It's about that simple. TDC isn't involved. Timing isn't involved. It is a direct measurement of the free play between the 'un-lobed' part of the cam and the valve. As the valves seat in, the measurement will get smaller and smaller at which point you will have to take the cam out and put in a thinner shim, but measurement is simple.