valves and the limit

[ckbikelove]

My S10 has been my only vehicle for nearly 2 years. Money's a bit tight and I don't have the chops or the tools to do a valve check myself. I'm at about 21k miles on my 2014.

The lead service tech at my local dealer said if it were his, he probably wouldn't do the check until around 50k miles.

What say all of you?

 

[bimota]

50k is when it should be having its second valve check, ok alot of guys like me at 24000 miles 90% will be ok no adjustment mine was done at 28000 it was spot on i had my bike over 9 yrs and keeping so i,m doing what i have to do, i,ll do again at about 55000 may be a bit earlier
if mine had 21000 on i would leave it anyway as its not due till 24000, i,d be looking at 26-300000 to do it.
also depends on how long after your 21000 miles do you intend on keeping the bike, but i would not leave it to 50000

rob

 

[bimota]

and if you read this stutrump bike did 171000 with no check, lol so your call really

I'm back!!

Hi folks Oh my God! It has taken me one hour trying to get back on this forum. I changed phone a couple of years ago and couldn't get it to work on the new one. Bloody cookies or something. I've always preferred fig rolls. Anyway...I'm back!! On my 3rd Super 10 now. Sold the last one in January...

yamahasupertenere.com

rob

 

[~TABASCO~]

Ive performed a ton of engine service work over the last 10+ years on the Tenere... Short story, I would suggest checking them sometime between 25-30K miles...... If you have 'one-valve' way out, at least you have the knowledge and you can decide what to do...... Everyone has to just ask themselves this question....... If you had a valve(s) way out of spec, would you get them fixed, or would you just stick your head in the sand ? Some peoples thoughts are, "if I don't check them, and the engine runs, everything is perfectly OK"............ IMOP, this is incredibly stupid thought process, if you plan to keep the bike.... Why ruin an engine? Because someone suggested so, on the "internet"?

You can check the valves with virtually no special tools...... If you find that you have 1-8 valves out of spec you can have a friend possible help you, you can find a shop, or you can blow it off......... AT LEAST YOU KNOW HOW BAD/GOOD IT IS.....

In all my experience with this bike, engine, most bikes will have at least one valve out at 25K.... I think Ive only come across (1) that was in spec at 25K.... There is no rhyme or reason with valves... 99% of the time at least one (if not multiple valves) are out of spec at 25-50-75-100-125-ETC.......

I just performed a valve check on a Tenere with 100K miles.. This was the first valve check on this bike. 6 valves needed to be adjusted. All four of the exhaust were tight, two intake were loose..... Two of the exhaust were dangerously tight (possibly damage tight) This person has now communicated how much better the bike performs......

Just because a bike starts, doesn't mean it's in the best health. I always tell people, if you're going to sell the bike in six months, don't stress, get the valves checked if you want, or don't ................ You're selling it.................. If you're not selling the bike, you enjoy the bike, and you look forward to years of enjoyment................ Check the valves, or have them checked......... (and keep up general maintenance)

If someone on the Internet brings up a "badge of honor" because the bike still 'runs' after 150-200K miles with no valve check............. This does NOT mean everyone else should do the same....... Not a good idea....


**********Not only that...... when taking a look at the valves you MIGHT come across something else you would have never seen, that could be a major issue...... (I see these types of things all the time) The bike I just worked on, I was installing the throttle cables back on the throttle bodies and "Houston we have an issue"!......... As you can see, this was the throttle cable to the bike............. He didnt know before hand, I certainly didnt know until I came across this....... Serious situations you might find...... Good idea to get in there and eye-ball things... If (any owner cant) please have a service shop take a look at things........

It's only the riders life we are talking about............................ (scheduled service of the bike)

 

[gv550]

My experience with solid lifter bike engines is the valve clearances tighten up quicker at low mileage than they do at higher mileage engines, so lots of valve adjustments required in the first 2 check points than when the bike has over 100k on it.
My T12 contradicted that tho, the first 2 checks required no adjustments.
But there is no chance I would ever recommend skipping a check at the required interval.

 

[Mark Gonzo]

Bought a used bike with 40k - guy had receipts but not for a valve check. Swore he had it done. Maybe BS ?
At about 52 running in cold and very wet conditions after parking 45min a valve stuck.
Didn’t get it fixed, picked up a different ST with about 20k.
Certainly going to have them checked/adjusted this winter.
Gonzo

 

[SkunkWorks]

When my 2014 had around 26,000 miles on it I contemplated checking the Valves at that time.
I had a trip coming up really soon, so I put it off.
I ended up checking the Valves myself at around 32,000 miles.
They were all within the specified range, but 2 of the exhaust valves were right on the tight limit of that range.
I did not adjust any of the valves at that time.
The bike now has 40,000 miles on it. It still runs like it's supposed to, but you bet your ass I'm going to check/adjust the valves again at 50,000 miles!

Like Tabasco stated, if you are planning to hang onto this bike for awhile I would find a way to get the valves checked "near" the specified interval. A little over or under that mileage isn't going to make any difference, but don't let it go "Double" the interval. You are "rolling the dice" on whether or not you might encounter engine troubles at that point.

 

[holligl]

Even doing the full adjustment requires very few special tools. A torque wrench, good size magnet to lift the buckets, feeler gauges. Get a service manual.

Resetting the CCT can be done in a vise with an old bearing to allow rotation, or go manual CCT like many have.

Lots of help on this forum or YouTube. I got real time help on here during both my DIY valve adjustments. You will bond with your bike and save a bunch of money. Personally I would have serious reservations leaving my bike with most service departments. My first valve check, at a "recommended" dealer, they made a serious mistake. That's when I started doing my own.


Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

 

[stutrump]

Agree with you Tabasco.
Bimota was right. It was me that did 171,000 miles on mine with NO valve check.
I wouldn't recommend it but it is my only transport and use it every day, ie no time to take it off the road.
Many dealerships here charge £800 - £1000 to do this work, which I never had the money for and as the bike got older, the valve check/adjustment would have cost almost what the bike was worth.
I've sold it now and was totally honest to the buyer. I bought another S10. Great bikes!
Finally, folks, as Tabasco said, do your valve check. I probably just got lucky!

 

[Matt51F1]

Some peoples thoughts are "if I dont check them, and the engine runs, everything is perfectly OK"............ IMOP, this is incredibly stupid thought process if you plan to keep the bike.... Why ruin an engine? Because someone suggested so on the "internet"?

**********Not only that...... when taking a look at the valves you MIGHT come across something else you would have never seen, that could be a major issue...... ( I see these types of things all the time ) The bike I just worked on, I was putting the throttle cables back on the throttle bodies and "Houston we have an issue"......... As you can see, this was the throttle cable to the bike............. He didnt know before hand, I certainly didnt know until I came across this....... Serious situations you might find...... Good idea to get in there and eye-ball things... If (any owner cant) please have a service shop take a look at things........

It's only the riders life we are talking about............................ (scheduled service of the bike)


View attachment 103951

I edit the quote here as it was rather long but I’ve done all my own engine work for many years & the last three times on one of my TDMs, no shim changes were required at all.

I agree with EVERYTHING Tabasco wrote here as nobody puts a spanner on anything of mine and I keep vehicles for many years- so they must be maintained.

 

[tntmo]

My neighbor smokes, does drugs, eats nothing but junk food and drinks excessively every day and he's still alive, so it must be okay to do all that stuff.
That's what it sounds like to me when people bring up a neglected, non-maintained bike that's still running.

The valve check is not difficult, if you know that you shouldn't stick a screwdriver in you ear than you're probably capable of it. The valve adjustment procedures can be intimidating to someone who has not done it before, but the manual spells out all the steps and there are lots of YouTube videos that help. I recommend at least checking the valves. If they are spot on, then you will sleep soundly. If they need adjustment, you can decide what to do at that point.