Valve check/Valve adjustment in Dallas-Ft. Worth

[rbentnail]

There was a guy on one of these forums who decided to do his own valve check. He posted, received a lot of valve-uable (see what I did there?) advice and went at it. You could sense the terror in his next post asking how to retrieve a shim he had dropped into the engine! Point is if it is not ticking (valves too loose) or if it is short on power (valves too tight), leave it alone. Just my 2 cents. Jevers

To me it's a toss-up. Sure the vast majority require no adjustment the first time but my '07 was in the minority. I had 2 intakes that were right at the minimum and 2 others about .1mm from minimum. Subsequent checks were fine. I wouldn't obsess about it but I'd definitely check it before 35K miles or so.

 

[user 90243]

There was a guy on one of these forums who decided to do his own valve check. He posted, received a lot of valve-uable (see what I did there?) advice and went at it. You could sense the terror in his next post asking how to retrieve a shim he had dropped into the engine! Point is if it is not ticking (valves too loose) or if it is short on power (valves too tight), leave it alone. Just my 2 cents. Jevers

My valve clearances were still within spec at 25k miles.
More and more these days you've got to search for a good mechanic. My guy has certificates from almost every manufacturer. Built road racing motors for AMA. Even though he had never worked on the FJR, I knew he would enjoy it and do a very good job. He is the only person I trust. Talk to your friends. Dig deep and find the right kind of shop/mechanic. Trust is everything.

 

[GPRIDER]

My valve clearances were still within spec at 25k miles.
More and more these days you've got to search for a good mechanic. My guy has certificates from almost every manufacturer. Built road racing motors for AMA. Even though he had never worked on the FJR, I knew he would enjoy it and do a very good job. He is the only person I trust. Talk to your friends. Dig deep and find the right kind of shop/mechanic. Trust is everything.

What part of Colorado are you in?

 

[sparky80]

I'd offer to help ya, but I'm in Abilene. Haven't done a valve check on an FJR but have on two seperate crossplane R1's within the last 2 years. The concept is probably the same with bucket over shims. I'm retired so have the time, but don't drive to the metroplex unless I absolutely have to.

 

[user 90243]

What part of Colorado are you in?

Longmont

 

[MBrown]

I might be up for a ride, meet and eat this spring as long as I didn't have to get on I35 lol

I would also be up for a RTE in DFW. March should bring good sunny days. Just not the weekend of 3/9 or 3/16. I will be carving the slopes then.

 

[owsley]

I would also be up for a RTE in DFW. March should bring good sunny days. Just not the weekend of 3/9 or 3/16. I will be carving the slopes then.

FYI, there is a RTE this Saturday at Big Rays BBQ, Allen, TX

 

[GPRIDER]

FYI, there is a RTE this Saturday at Big Rays BBQ, Allen, TX

Noonish?

 

[SkooterG]

Dan Cooper is correct. Just double checked my 2013 Owner's Manual. Where they came up with 26,600 as opposed to 26,000 even is beyond me... I still have 2000 to go. IMO, what DOES need to be at least checked and likely done at 16k is the lubrication of the "Swingarm pivot bearings" and "Rear suspension link pivots". Pages 7-6 and 7-7 in my 2013 Owner's Manual (didn't check FSM).

Don't bother with the swingarm pivot bearings. Nobody ever has issues with those. I only checked mine once on an FJR with 130k miles because I was doing other stuff. They were fine.

There was a guy on one of these forums who decided to do his own valve check. He posted, received a lot of valve-uable (see what I did there?) advice and went at it. You could sense the terror in his next post asking how to retrieve a shim he had dropped into the engine! Point is if it is not ticking (valves too loose) or if it is short on power (valves too tight), leave it alone. Just my 2 cents. Jevers

Bad advice imho. Why would you wait until something is wrong? It's called Preventative Maintenance for a reason.

I've had many an FJR. I have over 600k miles on FJRs. On two, I put over 200k miles. Another has 150k miles. Another 100k miles. Yamaha says to do it. They know better than me. I like the piece of mind. Over the years I have re-shimmed many a time. 20-25% of the time? From experience, I have moved my valve check interval to 30-35k miles. That is also when I flush and replace the coolant and the spark plugs.

 

[user 99198]

Bad advice imho. Why would you wait until something is wrong? It's called Preventative Maintenence for a reason.
That's why it's free, advice, that is!

 

[RossKean]

Bad advice imho. Why would you wait until something is wrong? It's called Preventative Maintenence for a reason.
That's why it's free, advice, that is!

The only time FJR valves might be "too loose" is if there is carbon buildup on the backside (which may make them leak and will prevent them from fully closing). FJR valves get tighter over time. By the time you get into reduced power due to tight valves, it is quite likely that you will have burned a valve - a lot more expensive than a valve check!

I check them, but extend the interval like @SkooterG mentioned. When I make adjustments, I set them around 2/3 of the maximum specification. Clearances don't change quickly and this will further extend the period before another change is needed.

 

[GPRIDER]

Don't bother with the swingarm pivot bearings. Nobody ever has issues with those. I only checked mine once on an FJR with 130k miles because I was doing other stuff. They were fine.



Bad advice imho. Why would you wait until something is wrong? It's called Preventative Maintenance for a reason.

I've had many an FJR. I have over 600k miles on FJRs. On two, I put over 200k miles. Another has 150k miles. Another 100k miles. Yamaha says to do it. They know better than me. I like the piece of mind. Over the years I have re-shimmed many a time. 20-25% of the time? From experience, I have moved my valve check interval to 30-35k miles. That is also when I flush and replace the coolant and the spark plugs.

So, I'm assuming you do your own valve checks/adjustments yourself. It would make sense with the miles you rack up. Save you a small forturne. I watched a video of a guy showing how to do it. Looks very time consuming, but I might give it a try and hope I get everything back together right. Ha!

 

[RossKean]

So, I'm assuming you do your own valve checks/adjustments yourself. It would make sense with the miles you rack up. Save you a small forturne. I watched a video of a guy showing how to do it. Looks very time consuming, but I might give it a try and hope I get everything back together right. Ha!

Valve check with no adjustments probably took me 4 or 5 hours the first time I did one. Included changing coolant and spark plugs. I can do one in three hours at this point if there are no adjustments needed. Probably five hr with adjustments if I'm not in a rush. A bit longer with a throttle body synchronization at the end.

 

[SkooterG]

So, I'm assuming you do your own valve checks/adjustments yourself. It would make sense with the miles you rack up. Save you a small forturne. I watched a video of a guy showing how to do it. Looks very time consuming, but I might give it a try and hope I get everything back together right. Ha!

Yes. My first several years I paid a trusted tech to do them. Back then, 4-$500 was expensive! Especially when I was riding 40k+ miles per year. But at least I knew he did them right. But even he made an occasional mistake here and there. Everybody's human. Eventually I learned to do it myself. Now, I can't even think how many of them I have done on my, and other folks' FJRs.

It's scary the first time. My first time was with forum member kaitsdad teaching Fairlaner and myself how to do it on our two bikes. My second time was with my trusted tech teaching me how to do it. He didn't miss the business as to him it was a PITA job. Now, no big deal. You learn stuff as you go. Tips and tricks. I have made a few mistakes a long the way. The good thing about mistakes? Well, I'll never do THAT again!

It's totally doable, but the first time I highly recommend having somebody who has done one before helping you out.

 

[keithq]

FYI, there is a RTE this Saturday at Big Rays BBQ, Allen, TX

Dang missed this apparently.

 

[keithq]

I see a lot of DFW area owners on this thread, we should do a RTE ride to eat this spring.

GPRIDER ride it check them at 50K save the $.
I purchased my 2008 AE from Dan in 2019 it had 43,000 and the clearances were still in spec.
It has 62,000 miles on it now runs great. I'll check them again at 75,000 Dan showed me the procedure
on several FJR over the years.
Dan and I use to do this on our FJ1100/1200 back in the day and your right shims on top
is much easier.

Louis

Agree we need to do another ride to meet for breakfast again! Maybe meet down in Granbury on the square?

Keith Quigley
2019 FJR (My 2nd one, after previous ST1300s and ST1100s)

 

[GPRIDER]

Ok. So I get all the parts I need and watch a video on how to do the valve check. Tore everything down and got the check done. I knew putting the valve cover was going to be a ***** to put back on because it wasnt too easy to take off. Any tips on putting the cover back on a Gen 3. I tried using Permatex Ultra black to attach the gasket to the cover and then try to wrestle it back in. Trying to get it back over the cam chains wasn't easy and knocked the gasket loose on that end. Going to try it again tomorrow, but would appreciate any advice.

 

[Biquer]

Any tips on putting the cover back on a Gen 3?
Get everything out of your way for maximum access, including the throttle cables and any wiring loom parts. I usually try to keep it as low and flat as possible on the approach and tilt slightly up on the left and slightly higher at the front.

My '08 needed shimming for the first time at 98,000 miles.
My '15 needed shimming for the first time at 68,000 miles.
You do not want them to get too tight!

 

[GPRIDER]

Yes. I've been trying that. I attached the gasket with some permatex ultra black. The cam chains are pushing the gasket loose as I try to slide it in. Keep on trying and hope it slips in.

GP

 

[GPRIDER]

Yay! Finally got it. Finally figured out to unplug almost everything on that big wiring harness. It made enough room to get the cover seated. No adjustment needed, but that will be another problem for later down the road.

Gp