Valve Checks vs. Adjustment Required Poll

[Fred W]

I'm just a ways away from having to check my valves for the 1st time, but I wondered what the rate of having to adjust the shims was on the 1st valve check. The first check isn't until 26k miles, but I have heard a lot of anecdotal evidence that suggests that many of the first valve services are just checks with no adjustment required. I am always a skeptic and curious if maybe sometimes shops will deem it necesary to adjust shims when maybe it's not? Or, perhaps the shims settle in the first check but don't need much adjustment in the 2nd check.

I won't ask about subsequent checks (yet) as I think these first two intervals are the most common and should give us the data we need to make some conclusions

Time to poll the masses and get the Facts!

 

[v65]

Had to go with what's a shim on the second check, haven't done that check yet!

 

[Fred W]

Had to go with what's a shim on the second check, haven't done that check yet!

Hah, ha. Smart guy figured it out right away.

 

[v65]

Had to go with what's a shim on the second check, haven't done that check yet!

Hah, ha. Smart guy figured it out right away.

Me go college long time.

 

[kaitsdad]

Well, I delayed my 26K valve clearance check till 45K - (busy summer) and no adjustment necessary. 3.5 hrs labor, 1 valve cover gasket.

 

[radman]

I actually haven't done my second-due this winter. But I know I'll be changing some shims, because I went too careful on my first, and got 3 exhaust valves a little too loose. They were right at the limit on the first, and so I went from 180's to 170's-when I should have found some 175's. Ever since, had a light tap out of the affected cylinders, and now knowing that these sob's really don't move at all, would have left them alone. Most likely, I'll be tossing in 180's (or using 175's) on this next adjust. Better, though, to err on the side of caution on exhaust valves than to get too tight and toast 'em.

 

[Silent]

Had to go with what's a shim on the second check, haven't done that check yet!

Same here. Just about to break 30k on my '07. I'll do the next one myself tho.

 

[user 2024]

Just had my 3rd done at 75,000 miles. Still has factory shims.

 

[BkrK12]

Hey Fred,

I'm coming up on mine also. If you wouldn't mind giving me a yell when you are going to do it, I'd love to have the opportunity to observe.

Dan

 

[LDRydr]

Well, I delayed my 26K valve clearance check till 45K - (busy summer) and no adjustment necessary. 3.5 hrs labor, 1 valve cover gasket.

Nice to know I'm not the only one too busy riding to have it checked out. I'm at 47k without one, but will try to get it done this winter (maybe after the Pink's ride).

 

[Fred W]

Hey Fred,I'm coming up on mine also. If you wouldn't mind giving me a yell when you are going to do it, I'd love to have the opportunity to observe.

Dan

Sure thing, Dan. I'm still on the low side, so I'll have to decide if'n I want to do this early (per the schedule) during the winter doldrums, or push it till it's really due next summer. I can tell you this for sure, if I was due a valve check and had the opportunity to ride the bike, I'd check the valves later. 'Specially seeing as how many people have to no adjustment at all.

 

[airboss]

Had the local shop look both times, knowing George service manager and head mechanic to be totally anal if there had be the slightest need he would have adjusted the valves.

 

[Barabus]

Great poll- looking forward to the results.

 

[huron52]

This looks interesting but I am half in distance travelled to my 4th valve adjustment .... could we made the poll go a little higher than two?

Oh and just for interest... 3rd adjust/ check was just that, a check! Nothing adjusted!

Did replace two gaskets this time... valve cover and thermostat .

 

[qkslver]

I did my first valve check myself. No shims at this time. Probably next check will have to adjust as some were on the tight side.

Oh, the first vavle check----drum roll-----92,000 miles.

 

[Fred W]

It's been quite a while since I started this poll, and I never followed up with any kind of statistics.

Here's the roll-up:

48 Total Valve Checks were reported (to date).

30 were 1st time checks and 18 were subsequent checks.

Only in 25% of all checks was there any adjustment required.

Of particular interest, this is true for both the 1st time (76% OK) and subsequent checks (72% OK) within the accuracy of the poll.

60% of people decided to pay to have their checks done.

Again, this was true of both 1st and subsequent checks (63% 1st timers vs 55% 2nd)

The most interesting statistic:

Of the checks done by dealers, adjustment was required only 18% of the time.

Conversely, of the checks done by owners, adjustment was determined to be required 37% of the time.

Conclusions: Both numbers of required re-shims are low, but you might conclude that, either the owners doing their own checks are more fastidious about it (false negatives occurring at the dealers), or the owners don't know what they are doing and incorrectly re-shim when it's not really needed (false positives in their tests).

 

[Patriot]

Thanx much Fred...very interesting and informing...

Watching closely...skipped 78k check and heading for 93k on my '04 now.

Hardest thing is finding what I call a confidence inspiring shop to do the work. Plus anxiously awaiting news from Howie, etc that they found a manual cam chain tensioner that I can replace the POS stock design item.

Then I have to decide whether to change the cam chain itself (definitely want to if the cam has to come out to change shims) or not. Decisions, decisions - guess it's time to at least sacrifice another chicken to the bike and sprinkle some more holy water all over it like I did before my 3250 mile trip in 12 days a month ago.

let's ride safe and be careful out there,

Mike in Nawlins'

 

[johnny80s]

Fred this is good information. I am going to do my first valve adjustment myself. I will post when I get it done.

 

[johnny80s]

Did my first valve adjust and had one out of spec and one on the tight side of ok so I changed them both now hoping to not have to do anything on the second adjust.

Put down WTF a shim for my second vote as I have not done that one yet.