valves

[EXECTIVE]

my question today is how accurate is the table on valve adjustments my old road star was just happy at 60,000 miles with no valve adjustment........when the article says adjust at 30,000 miles......can you go longer ? or do you find it's very necessary to stick with the 30,000 mile rule ? 2000 rsv

Edited September 24, 2013 by EXECTIVE

[Huggy]

That means they should be checked EVERY 30,000 miles!! Not doing so can cause problems if they do go out of speck and are ignored.

 

[calperin]

Is an oily carb on the 4th cylinder sign of a valve out of adjustment?

 

I have the same issue on my 97 RS and on the 2001 RSV.

 

Thanks,

[EXECTIVE]

so should I look for the oily carb.....or loud valves.......before you take apart to adjust ??

[etcswjoe]

I checked mine on both bikes around 48K and had a total of eight between the two bikes that were out.

[spike13]

oily carb is a sign of blow by from the crankcase it collects in the airbox and drips on the carbs making a mess nothing to do with valve adjustment

[2WHEELSFORME]

Did one check at 50k because I had a leaking head gasket. They were in spec and have not done another with 81K now.

[Yammer Dan]

Did one check at 50k because I had a leaking head gasket. They were in spec and have not done another with 81K now.

 

Mine is at 68k A little overdue. Winter is coming. And I GOT a GARAGE!!!!

[calperin]

oily carb is a sign of blow by from the crankcase it collects in the airbox and drips on the carbs making a mess nothing to do with valve adjustment

So, what is the way to fix that?

[djh3]

Dont fill oil to top of line?

 

I'm at 25k right now, so I reckon I'm due for a valve check. But we have a trip planned of 1200 miles or so and I reviewed the thread on the procedures to check the valves and man I really dont want to go down that road right now. I'm probably going to be 3-4k over due when I get to it. Cripes it sounds like you have to just about disassemble half the bike to do it. Remove seat, gas tank, air cleaners, air box, carbs geeze......... And thats to just get to the valve covers!!!!!!!

[Huggy]

Well you could always take bike into the stealer!

 

Sent from my BlackBerry 9300 using Tapatalk

[MiCarl]

Here is what I tell my customers about checking valve lash:

 

"It's probably just fine. But if you're the 1 in 100 that isn't you need to know about it before it becomes a very expensive issue."

[skydoc_17]

I thought I would take a moment and touch on a few points as far as the valve Adjustment/Check goes as well as the Oily Carb. Issue. Because this is the time of the year when most of us put the major amount of mileage on their bikes, this is when the two issues mentioned above start to loom in our minds.

Because of the "Bucket Shim" type of adjustment that our V4 motor's use, as the valve adjustment goes out of spec, the Clearence between the camshaft and the bucket shim actually gets smaller. If not at least checked, and adjusted, the Clearence will get smaller and smaller until there is NO Clarence left, and this is when damage can occur. As the cylinder head becomes "seasoned" (meaning more miles put on the motor) the valve springs pull the valves deeper into the cylinder head. Closing down the gap (Clearence) between the cam lobe and the bucket shim. Exhaust Valves seem to move the most because of the extreme heat they are exposed to, BUT Intake Valves move closer as well. Another factor to consider is who was the person that set the Valve Lash at the factory when the engine was assembled. Was the motor "slapped together", or was it assembled like a Swiss Watch. I've seen both examples. The only way to know for sure is to remove the Valve Covers and with a set of feeler gages, check the Valve Clearence on each valve. REMEMBER, the valves are NOT going to get "looser" and become noisy. If you here valve noise, it's too late! You have either bent a valve stem, or chipped the side out of the shim bucket. (which sends a chard of hardened metal to be circulated thru your oil system) This is one of the FEW actual adjustments the need to be done to these motors. Here is a very short list of items that will keep your scoot on the road for a few hundred thousand miles:

 

Adjust Valves

Change Engine Oil and Filter

Change Final Drive Oil

Lube Drive Shaft and Splines

Clean/Replace Air Filter

Replace Fuel Filter

Flush/Replace Engine Coolant

Flush/Replace Brake and Clutch Fluid

Flush/Replace Fork Oil

Replace Brake Pads

 

If you do these ten things to your bike, ( I pick 5 things for a winter project, then next year I do the other 5 things) you will pretty much NEVER have an issue with ANY of these items. Now, for the OCD members of the forum, here is my standard disclaimer:

If you ride 40,000 miles in a summer, obviously the oil will need to be changed more often! I usually do the Final Drive Oil Change and Drive Shaft Lube when I change the rear tire. I try to work the Brake Pad Change in at the same time. I have upgraded the Braking System on both of my Ventures, so I am ANAL about the Brake/Clutch Fluid Change.

I run the K&N Air Filter so I wash and recharge it every spring. With the Ethanol in the fuel, I replace the fuel filter every 2 years.

Your mileage may differ, your pocketbook may be deeper, (or shallower) and you may be even more handy with a wrench than I am.

I've seen these motors go over 100,000 miles without a valve adjustment and run just fine. I have also seen then wipe a cam lobe off at 22,000 miles! Is it possible to run these bikes HARD for thousands of miles with NO maintenance, you bet! Would I personally BRAG about the fact that I have never checked my valves, my brake fluid was like molasses, and I let the brake pads wear down to the backing plates, and scorched my rotor, I don't think so. Every item listed above can be done with a fair amount of TIME, and a few hand tools. If you don't have the "gift" of being able to twist a wrench, then by all means, connect with one of the forum members that live close to you, and invite them for a coffee, or a lunch, and LEARN HOW TO SERVICE YOUR MOTORCYCLE!

This is the most valuable part of this forum. Making friends that share the same passion you have for the same motorcycle. It doesn't get much better than that in my book.

 

Now, about the Oily Carb. issue. If you are "sloppin'" over 4 qts. of your favorite engine oil in the crankcase of your scoot, and you can't see the fill line in the window down by the water pump, then you are OVERFILLING YOUR CRANKCASE! If your bike doesn't have a center stand, then use an ATV lift, or put a shim (2X4) under the kick stand, (with the help of a "spotter") and check the oil level. This is truly one of those times when "More is NOT Better"! Half way between the upper and lower fill line is border line too full in my opinion. I personally run my oil level between the low fill line and half way up the sight glass. I run good oil and change it regularly. You can rationalize it all you want, BUT if you are Vacuuming oil from the crankcase into the Air Filter Housings, (air boxes) which ends up all over the Carbs. then your oil level is too high. Period. (For the OCD guys: unless you bike has tipped over recently!) My suggestion would be to lower the oil level, clean the air boxes out, check/replace the air filters, and GO FOR A RIDE!

After all, that's why we own these wonderful machines isn't it?!?!

My thoughts, for what they are worth.

Earl

Edited September 24, 2013 by skydoc_17
CRAYON BROKE!

[vzuden]

Skydoc,

Do all of your suggested maintenance items and the frequency of each apply to both first and second gen? Particularly the valve adjustment?

[Trader]

same engine ...same maintenance.

[Yammer Dan]

Good one Earl!! I'm way overdue on the valves. But the rest of it I'm pretty well with. Finally got a valve tool. But as easy as I run "Brown Sugar......

[V7Goose]

I have done the valves on many many 2nd gens, and based on my experience I personally think the 30K schedule is important. Every once in a while I see an engine that needs no shim changes, more often I see something like three or four valves out of adjustment. But the last one I did just a few months ago only had 29,000 miles or so on the engine, but 12 of the 16 valves were out of adjustment! Might have even been 14, but I just cannot remember exactly. Most of them were still real close to the tollerance, but a couple were way off. Some were too tight, some were too loose.

 

Bottom line is you just do not know unless you check them, and I think it is foolish to put your head in the sand and hope for the best. Good luck,

Goose

[1joeranger]

I thought I would take a moment and touch on a few points as far as the valve Adjustment/Check goes as well as the Oily Carb. Issue.

 

 

Really enjoyed this, Earl! So what are your thoughts on spark plugs? I believe we are suppose to change them out every 8k (2nd gen)? I have read though that spark plugs today tend to last a lot longer?

 

Thanks!!

[skydoc_17]

Hey Ray,

It's been a while, my friend. I hope all is well with you!

Because both of my bikes are First Gens., with pretty high mileage, I start out every riding season with a fresh set of plugs. If an owner comes into the shop with a bike that has a "sputtering engine", my normal approach would be to check the air filters for proper air flow, install a new set of plugs, and check the Carb. Sync. right off the bat. This "tune up" deals with about 50% of the perishable parts issues caused by clogged air filters, old plugs, and mis-adjusted Carbs. In my opinion, there are basically two types of VR/RSV owners, the ones that like to "tinker" with their bikes, (I being this kind of owner) and the type that rides their bike for the pleasure of the riding, and leaves the maintenance of their motorcycle to a professional. (one is no better than the other, they are just different) The owners that tinker, tend to stay on top of things like plugs, Carb. Syncs., Valve adjustments, and oil changes, so when they have a problem with their motorcycle, it is usually a "hard part", like a coil, a Carb., a fuel pump, or an electrical issue. With the owners that enjoy the riding part more than the "wrenchin' part", the basics many times get neglected. The difference between these two types of owners gives me a better idea of "where to start" when trying to figure out what's wrong with a bike. I personally wouldn't want to take MY bike to a Dealer Mechanic to have him tell me that I have a "rat's nest" in the air box, or my bike needed a set of plugs and a Carb. Sync. when I KNOW I can do these things myself. Some owners have the ability, and the equipment to deal with many maintenance issues themselves, others do not. The bottom line is, spark plugs are exposed to extremely high voltage, they are exposed to the extreme heat of engine combustion, and they are CHEAP! I wouldn't hesitate to "throw a set of plugs" at a bike that was running poorly to remove one item from the list of things I need to check out to find out what is wrong with a bike. My thought is, you need to remove them to "read" them anyway, why not gain the knowledge you can from the condition of the plug, (read them) then reestablish your "baseline" with a fresh set.

Just my thoughts, for what they are worth.

As always Ray, it's been a pleasure chatting with you!

Earl