Valve Check Intervals

Phil Tarman

Phil Tarman

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Joined
Dec 12, 2010
Messages
4,875
Age
81
Location
Greeley, CO
Bike
2010 Silver NT700VA (ABS)
I've been for the most part pretty good about following the recommended service intervals.

That all went to pot during the Epic Ride. I rode 11,826 miles before my first oil and filter change, which Tim Wilke did for me at his house in Baton Rouge.

Today, I got my 8(0),000 mile service done at Sun Honda. It had been 10, 828 for the oil and filter and 22,654 since my last valve adjustment check.

All eight valves were spot on -- no adjustments.

I'm thinking that I'll start stretching that check/adjustment interval out to about 16,000 ... or maybe even a bit more -- to 20K.

What do you all think?

Nic, my favorite mechanic at Sun Honda said that the bike was in good shape except for some gunky buildup in the throttle bodies. He did replace the air filter, but said that it didn't seem that bad.

He suggested running some Seafoam through the engine. I've never used it before but will get some tomorrow.
 
Last year I went about 26,000 miles based on hearing good news on valve specs. Mine were all in spec checking at that interval, but mechanic put 3 of them in middle. So I will go even farther this year.
 
I'm using 20k for valve clearance intervals now since my previous two checks required such minimal tightening of valves that were at the edge of the +/- range. And it was always an exhaust valve. Once the "new" wears off there really shouldn't be much change unless you like to continually come close to red line when shifting up through the gears. I'm the exact opposite and usually upshift at 3000-4000 RPM. Even at that gentle RPM, it's easy to pull clear of any cars from a stop light.
 
I was really close to my 16K as I left for Spearfish last summer, so I opted to wait til 24K to do a valve check, which will put me at a 16K interval. The bike is still running great. Based on some of your experiences, I am going to go to 16-20K intervals in future.
 
Both my 8K and 16K were within normal limits. I think that I will do valve adjustments every 20K as well. I change oil and filter every 5K and before winter storage and after winter storage. Bike runs fine.
 
Similar experience. My Alaska trip was 15K. I checked the valves before and after and they were in spec. I touched up a couple to the middle of spec and won't look at them again for 16K. The bike now has 52K on it. I think that it's safe to extend the valve check interval.
 
I always thought "swallowing a valve" meant catastrophic valve failure in the cylinder, but no matter....yes, the valve after many openings and closings can batter the bevel on the valve and the seat and so the valve stem travels farther into the head, and therefore close the distances of the clearances. There is also another reason to not let the clearances get too high....the cam is designed to slowly "take up the slack" and then "press" on the rocker to actuate the valve. Higher wear can occur if the clearance is too high.
Anyone here, and there are many, who do high milage years I would say to them, 16-20 thou check intervals are fine. I would not go that high if a person is using an NT for short range commuting.....
My Connie has about the same valve system. In the 35,000 I put on her since new, I have checked the valves maybe 3-4 times in 10 years. Only once did I see a 2 thou out of tolerance measurement. That valve was fine at the next check.
A Kawasaki service rep, I think, and Phil can correct me here if I am mis informed, told the Concours owners group folk that it is better to set the valves a tad, and I mean a tad, loose than tight and that it is far more important to get the two valves on each rocker close to each other in their settings so that there is minimal camming of the rocker arm on its shaft caused by one valve being contacted before the other by its side of the arm.
It is interesting that the greater heat created in the combustion chamber caused by Ethanol does not seem to affect the degradation of the NT's valves and valve seats, even though many of us run the NT at fast cruising speeds. I like water cooled engines. Sometimes air cooled engines don't fair as well.....


RedNigel said:
So these events would cause the valve to travel too far up into the head?
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Chris,
Why would this be the case for short vs long distance riding ?

"Anyone here, and there are many, who do high milage years I would say to them, 16-20 thou check intervals are fine. I would not go that high if a person is using an NT for short range commuting....."
 
Question from a newbie. The 2011 I purchased had just over 600 miles on it and I'm not sure if the 600 valve check was done. I now have about 1000 miles on the bike. When should I have the valves checked for the first time? 1000? 5000? 8000?
Thanks for the help as always, Clint
 
RedNigel said:
There should have been a break-in valve check at 600 and the next is at 8000
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Since I'm not sure about the 600 check should I have on at 1000 just to be on top of things and then at 8000?
Clint
 
daler said:
Question from a newbie. The 2011 I purchased had just over 600 miles on it and I'm not sure if the 600 valve check was done. I now have about 1000 miles on the bike. When should I have the valves checked for the first time? 1000? 5000? 8000?
Thanks for the help as always, Clint
Click to expand...

Did you purchase your NT from a Honda dealer? If so, they might be able to run the VIN and see if they have a record of the 600 mile valve check. I did mine myself and the first time was time consuming, but am glad I learned how to do it myself. If you can follow directions and are patient I think it is a DIY project. I wanted to pay honda to do my first one, but they could not get me in before I wanted to take my first big trip. Crazy that I was able to order the manual and do it myself faster than my local Honda dealer could get me in (at the time). I am thankful that they kind of forced me to learn how to do it.

I think the first one is most important. I had to adjust mine on the first check at 600miles, but did not need to make adjustments at 8K. If the dealer can't verify that it had the 600 mile service, I would have it done or do it yourself. I plan on checking mine the third time at 16K, and if it does not need adjusting like the 8K then extending it to double the interval. I do lots of short trips with mine, but almost never see higher RPMs either.
 
daler said:
Since I'm not sure about the 600 check should I have on at 1000 just to be on top of things and then at 8000?
Clint
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I would take Artemedes' advice; If you cant find docs to prove the 600 was done, do it for the peace of mind
 
Coyote Chris said:
A Kawasaki service rep, I think, and Phil can correct me here if I am mis informed, told the Concours owners group folk that it is better to set the valves a tad, and I mean a tad, loose than tight and that it is far more important to get the two valves on each rocker close to each other in their settings so that there is minimal camming of the rocker arm on its shaft caused by one valve being contacted before the other by its side of the arm.
Click to expand...

That's what I was told, Chris.
 
Coyote Chris said:
it is far more important to get the two valves on each rocker close to each other in their settings so that there is minimal camming of the rocker arm on its shaft caused by one valve being contacted before the other by its side of the arm
Click to expand...

Easily done on an engine with screw adjusters by inserting your feeler gauge into both gaps at the same time. In other words, you insert the feeler crossways so that it is under both sides of the rocker and then adjust the screws.
 
Lets define a "tad". To me it would be on the loose side of specification, or a few thousands of an inch.
 
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