Valve Clearances ?

Gazz · World Chat Champion Joined: 19 May 2009 Karma :

Maybe a question for 'The Workshop' forum, but I dont actually have a problem so thought I'd post here instead.

Anyway...

How do you know if you valve clearances need done on our bike?
And how often should you do this?

Obviously different bikes will require different service intervals, but I have just been quoted 2 different prices by a company for doing 2 services (one with valve clearances being done and the other price without being done).

Also how easy are these to do yourself if they were needing done?
Because the price for doing them is double the price of the normal oil and filter change?

Thanks in advance for any replies given.

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philoldsmobil... · Renault 5 Driver Joined: 18 Aug 2011 Karma :

tricky one.. some get obviously noisy, where as some actually get tighter as the valves recess into their seats - especially on older bikes.

best bet is to whip the rocker cover off and measure them

DrDonnyBrago · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Jan 2010 Karma :

Raffles · World Chat Champion Joined: 14 Apr 2009 Karma :

It does indeed depend upon what bike you've got. Does the engine have adjustable tappets or does it use shims? If you don't know the answer to this question then it perhaps would be a good idea to pay somebody else to carry out the procedure.
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Daimo · Could Be A Chat Bot Joined: 14 May 2005 Karma :

Cam cover needs to come off.
Which generally means tank off etc.
Its quite a time intensive job, and if your a novice mechanic, I wouldn't try it. You need the measuring plates as well. Oil and filter change is easier, but valve clearences are a bit more invovled.

Done it on my Bandit with the help of my old man, not something I wanted to do myself first time for sure.

I'd say valve clearences should be done every 15-20k really.

philoldsmobil... · Renault 5 Driver Joined: 18 Aug 2011 Karma :

it will also depend on the bike being air or liquid cooled - you will hear the valve train far more on an air cooled bike.

As mentioned, really need to know what the bike is.

whitedevil · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Nov 2010 Karma :

I would do all the servicing yourself and use the money you saved to pay them to just do the valves. shims are a pita
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Tim.. · World Chat Champion Joined: 11 Oct 2006 Karma :

philoldsmobil... · Renault 5 Driver Joined: 18 Aug 2011 Karma :

it really does vary so much bike to bike. the ZX9-R (mid 90's) that I look after for a neighbour has the easiest shims ever, as they are operated by rockers, you just slide the rocker over to the side and lift the (tiny) shim out. the biggest challenge is not dropping the shims into the cavities in the had and down the cam chain well..

The fact that the OP has only been quoted twice the cost of an oil change suggests to me it may be a similar set up.

SuzukiTom · Nova Slayer Joined: 18 Apr 2011 Karma :

checking them is often easy, youll need a proper torque wrench with required sockets, a feeler guage and you standard spanners and sockets etc. new gaskets for anything removed (you CAN reuse some of them but not all) and some sillicon sealant.

you do need a manual, either a workshop or a haynes or maybe a clymer manual if you have lots of money!

checking is easy but there are two main types - Shim and bucket or Rockers, rockers are often adjustable so you can adjust the clearances by hand and thats that. On shim and buckets - the clearance is set by....yep you guessed it: Shims so to adjust you need to order a shim up thaat sets the bucket to the correct height or clearance at top dead centre.

Anybody (with a clue how to use a spanner and allen keys properly) can check if they take their time and use a manual, its very mucha measure twice cut once affair.