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Thread: First valve check at 34,000 miles!

Created on: 08/13/12 01:49 AM

Replies: 15

COOTER


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South West Florida

Joined: 04/27/11

Posts: 1342

First valve check at 34,000 miles!
08/13/12 1:49 AM

My bike has 34,000 miles and I just got my valves checked and adjusted for the first time the other day and I do have the numbers and will post them later! All my intake valves are within speck and all my exhaust valves were out of speck! But first off I want to give a huge thank you to South West Cycle in Cape Coral for getting the job done so fast! The first thing I noticed after the valve job was crisp throttle response and how much faster the RPM’s climbed! I also got a little power increase and smoothing of the engine! After getting home I changed the spark plugs and oil and I have to say my bike feels brand new and the engine has never been smoother!



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KoflaOlivieri



Location:

Philadelphia, PA

Joined: 02/17/12

Posts: 1805

RE: First valve check at 34,000 miles!
08/13/12 7:18 AM

That's great, congrats COOTER!

Kofla

NINJA ZX-14 MotoVlog

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Kruz


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Republic of Texas

Joined: 03/16/09

Posts: 6866

RE: First valve check at 34,000 miles!
08/13/12 7:22 AM

Hello Cooter, mucho thanks for posting this as it gives us an idea on when we need to do our first valve inspection. I'm at 16,000 miles now but based on yours and Rooks experience (28,000 miles), I will definitely wait at least another 10,000 miles or so before inspecting mine. That is a lot of work and I'd rather ride than wrench right now...lol!

I last did the valves on my VTX twin back in December of '05 at 10,000 miles. I haven't touched them since and she now has over 32,000. That was an all day job and I don't relish going back in but it's way overdue. From what I've seen, the first one is always the critical one though as they usually settle in and don't move much after that.

Please post your clearance numbers, I'm curious how tight the exhaust valves had gotten, apparently not tight enough to cause any harm.


The plugs had 34,000 also?



2021 Aprilia RSV4 2020 BMW S1000RR 2016 ZX-10R KRT 2016 959 Panigale Red 2015 CBR1000RR SP Repsol 2011 ZX-10R Ebony 2009 ZX-6R Lime Green 2006 ZX-14 Red 2004 VTX 1300C Candy Red "For we walk by faith and not by sight" II Corinthians 5:7

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COOTER


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South West Florida

Joined: 04/27/11

Posts: 1342

RE: First valve check at 34,000 miles!
08/13/12 11:02 PM

This is my 3rd set of plugs and I forgot to grab the paper with the clearance numbers out of my bike book



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bluestreak


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Location: Vista,Ca

Joined: 07/23/12

Posts: 25

RE: First valve check at 34,000 miles!
08/14/12 2:26 PM

Good info Cooter! Thanks!
Mike

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cruderudy


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Location: AMR

Joined: 08/15/12

Posts: 1968

RE: First valve check at 34,000 miles!
08/15/12 4:07 PM

Cooter

What did the valve adjust Cost? My '06 has 14000 so it will need this done soon and I trynig to figure out if I should do it myself or pay an indy to do it



Perfectly Set up '06 dead and gone
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phatphil



Joined: 09/20/11

Posts: 64

RE: First valve check at 34,000 miles!
08/16/12 9:19 AM

Had mine done at around 40000kms if I recall correctly. Can't remember how many (at least 5 or 6) we're out or if intake or exhaust and by how much (was not insignificant) but I do know that it needed to be done. Also did tb sync and plugs. Have 62,000kms or er now and she as good as new, if not better. Throttle control is much much better (I complained to dealer I bought shortly after break in but the said mechanic didnt find anything - and he also didn't open throttle up after hard braking downshifting leaned over, bumpy road, at 50+ mph. They have since gone out of business and got work done at highly recommended local kawi dealer.

Bike also runs much smoother at just under 3000rpm, where usable torque starts. And I'm going to mention it again to see if I can convert more to 18t front :). Unless drag racing or serious straight line accel freak from low speeds, 18t front, stock rear sprokets and 55 rear is da shit for sport touring. The ratios are just perfect. First gear takes just a wee bit more clutch and throttle control but is so much more useable as are every gear up.
I found bike geared toO low for anything but getting off line quicker. But maybe - front or + rear makes second gear work but then run out of gear at six. For most sport touring situations, no need to cruise at unnessary high rpms. It's what makes this bike from good to great as a sport tour mount - effortlessness.

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COOTER


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South West Florida

Joined: 04/27/11

Posts: 1342

RE: First valve check at 34,000 miles!
08/16/12 11:58 PM

Sorry for not posting the numbers yet I have had the FL summer flu (I’m guessing I got it from a mosquito) for the last few days and I have been watching the dogs for a co-worker so I have been staying at his house to spend time with the dogs because I hate putting them in the cage!!
And the valve adjustment cost me $350.00 not including gaskets but I brought in all the gaskets and my bike was in and out within 24 hours and I think all the gaskets cost me like $100.00!



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COOTER


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South West Florida

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Posts: 1342

RE: First valve check at 34,000 miles!
08/17/12 11:42 PM

Here are the clearance numbers Clearance should be between……. Intake 0.15-0.20….. Exhaust 0.22-0.27

Cylinder # 1 intake #1=0.152 intake #2=0.152……..Good
Cylinder #1 exhaust #1=0.178 exhaust #2=0.178……Bad

Cylinder #2 intake #1=0.152 intake #2=0.152……Good
Cylinder #2 exhaust #1=0.178 exhaust #2=0.178……..Bad

Cylinder #3 intake #1=0.152 intake #2=0.152………Good
Cylinder #3 exhaust #1=0.203 exhaust #2=0.178…….Bad

Cylinder #4 intake #1=0.152 intake #2=0.152……..Good
Cylinder #4 exhaust #1=0.178 exhaust #2=0.178………Bad



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Maddevill


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Location: Hayward, CA

Joined: 04/23/11

Posts: 2673

RE: First valve check at 34,000 miles!
08/19/12 11:55 AM

That's odd. Usually the intakes tighten up and the exhaust valves get looser.....

Mad



Owner of KNGKAW.

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Kruz


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Republic of Texas

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RE: First valve check at 34,000 miles!
08/23/12 8:28 AM

Thanks for posting those numbers for us Coot. I converted your numbers into inches and it looks like those exhausts were at about .007" when the minimum is .0087" (.0017 difference). I'm just wondering how tight is too tight and are we being wise postponing the first inspection that long? I think Rook had a couple tight exhaust valves at 28,000 miles but they were closer than yours if I remember correctly.

It may turn out that .0017" under the minimum clearance on the exhausts is not going to harm anything but I don't know for sure. I may not postpone my initial valve inspection much past 20,000 miles or so just to be on the safe side on this.



2021 Aprilia RSV4 2020 BMW S1000RR 2016 ZX-10R KRT 2016 959 Panigale Red 2015 CBR1000RR SP Repsol 2011 ZX-10R Ebony 2009 ZX-6R Lime Green 2006 ZX-14 Red 2004 VTX 1300C Candy Red "For we walk by faith and not by sight" II Corinthians 5:7

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Rook


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Joined: 03/28/09

Posts: 21238

RE: First valve check at 34,000 miles!
08/23/12 6:56 PM

I'm just wondering how tight is too tight

Asked that ? art Bikeland and was told, too tight is 0. as long as nothing touches, nothing breaks. However, valves could burn before they were impacting so I think waiting until this shtuff is way out of whack is taking a huge risk. You are prolly ok delaying the check for a long time but eventually, something bad will happen as the valve clearance grows tighter and tighter.


* Last updated by: Rook on 8/23/2012 @ 6:57 PM *



08 MIDNIGHT SAPPHIRE BLUE ZX-14 Now Deceased, will be resurected 2024 ZX-14R bran friggin NEW!

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COOTER


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South West Florida

Joined: 04/27/11

Posts: 1342

RE: First valve check at 34,000 miles!
08/24/12 2:25 AM

I think for non drag racers 20,000-25,000 miles is safe but if all you do is bounce it off the limiter 16,000 as the book states should be a minimum!And I never would have waited so long to get my valves checked if my bike was not my only transportation! I got lucky!



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Danno


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Southwestern Illinois

Joined: 12/18/11

Posts: 2142

RE: First valve check at 34,000 miles!
08/24/12 3:39 AM

That's odd. Usually the intakes tighten up and the exhaust valves get looser.....
Mad


I've always found the opposite to be true.



'07 CPB Blue; ZGST windscreen with MRA X-screen adjustable spoiler, tube bar adaptor, PC III, ATRE,BMC air filter, modified stock seat with 2nd Look cover,Scorpion Flame Ti slip-ons, Galfer rotors front and rear, braided-stainless lines, C-F 10R front fender, C-F hugger, C-F inner fairing panels, painted foreman's fins with faux C-F inlay, polished rim lips wired for heated gear and accessories, Givi V35 side bags and E41 topcase with SW-Motech qd mounts

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ubertourer


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Location: norfolk england

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Posts: 15

RE: First valve check at 34,000 miles!
08/29/12 11:57 AM

25000 mile interval for valves for the british model. done mine with the help of the write ups on this forum. 10 were out of spec.



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skiffman


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Location: Western Wa.

Joined: 09/01/09

Posts: 122

RE: First valve check at 34,000 miles!
09/12/12 4:09 PM

Did mine at 15K miles and found 2 tight exhaust valves. At 30K now and will do it again once the weather drops into the 30's. Its a simple and rewarding job. Will do the plugs then too. My bike has never seen the inside of a shop (other than mine) since it was new. These bikes are so reliable and mechanically straight forward anyone with a good set of tools and experience with mechanics can easily work on them.



06 14 Tuskigi stainless pcIII w/custom map.
Penske shock. GP North forks
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And too many other mods.
Track Bike morphing into a sporttourer
ZG touring screen, risers, Buell pegs, etc.


And a couple of other Kawi's

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