My valves had no clearance--have I damaged my bike?

AlanDog · March 31st, 2012, 01:27 PM

First time adjusting the valves on a motorcycle. Okay, it took me over an hour to get access to the valves (remove fairing and radiator assembly). Seven out of eight cams were touching--or were so close I couldn't get the thinnest gauge under the cam. So have I damaged the bike? Maybe reduced it's life? I bought the bike with 4k and it now has 15k. Sometimes pretty hard (10-12k rpm), but mostly just cruising and commuting.

Adjusting all those took almost 2 hours without any special tools. Loosen nut, move screw, tigthen, check clearance, turn the crankshaft around, check again. Over and over. All done with the adjustment, but still haven't got everything together, it's now about 4 hours from my start. This is a pregen.

Assuming it'll take a couple hours max to get everything back together--I'm actually going to sync the carbs, something else I've never done before.

Alex · March 31st, 2012, 01:42 PM

/moved to pre-gen tech

If seats didn't look too bad, mileage is still fine, bike's not smoking or behaving poorly in any other manner, I wouldn't worry about it.

choneofakind · March 31st, 2012, 03:42 PM

Well if that's the case, that would certainly explain the problems you've been having.

Are you sure that you had the engine rotated to the proper position so that the cams were in the right place when you checked the clearance?

AlanDog · March 31st, 2012, 07:11 PM

Well, while warming up the engine after the valve adjustment to do the carb sync, it was obvious my idling problems were fixed. Engine was acting totally different. Awesome! It turns out that the my carbs were pretty much balanced, but was tweaking the adjustment back and forth for ten minutes. The bad news is while doing that, my exhaust started to smoke--a drop of oil from cover gasket. So scratch that time estimate, I had to take the cover back off, clean it up, and decided to use some gasket compound. Well, luckily I did try to sync the carbs and didn't just put the fairings back on, I would have had to take it apart again.

So as others have mentioned, it's no myth--valves being out of adjustment can be the cause of your idling problems!

choneofakind · March 31st, 2012, 11:05 PM

of course it's no myth!!! I bet your bike is loads easier to start up as well!!

last time I did my valves, they were just at the tight end of spec, but after being adjusted to the loose end of spec and having the carbs synced, the bike starts right up, has a smoother mid-range, and idles smoother. I sync the carbs after every jetting change, and she idles perfectly.

glad you got your issues figured out. Now get off the forums and enjoy a ride!!

March 31st, 2012, 01:27 PM	#1
AlanDog ninjette.org guru Name: Alan Location: Woodland, California (Sacramento area) Join Date: Jul 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2019 Ninja 400, 2009 KLX250-SF, 2014 Zero S Posts: 269	My valves had no clearance--have I damaged my bike? First time adjusting the valves on a motorcycle. Okay, it took me over an hour to get access to the valves (remove fairing and radiator assembly). Seven out of eight cams were touching--or were so close I couldn't get the thinnest gauge under the cam. So have I damaged the bike? Maybe reduced it's life? I bought the bike with 4k and it now has 15k. Sometimes pretty hard (10-12k rpm), but mostly just cruising and commuting. Adjusting all those took almost 2 hours without any special tools. Loosen nut, move screw, tigthen, check clearance, turn the crankshaft around, check again. Over and over. All done with the adjustment, but still haven't got everything together, it's now about 4 hours from my start. This is a pregen. Assuming it'll take a couple hours max to get everything back together--I'm actually going to sync the carbs, something else I've never done before.

March 31st, 2012, 01:42 PM	#2
Alex ninjette.org dude Name: 1 guess :-) Location: SF Bay Area Join Date: Jun 2008 Motorcycle(s): '13 Ninja 300 (white, the fastest color!), '13 R1200RT, '14 CRF250L, '12 TT-R125LE Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 7	/moved to pre-gen tech If seats didn't look too bad, mileage is still fine, bike's not smoking or behaving poorly in any other manner, I wouldn't worry about it. __________________________________________________ Montgomery Street Motorcycle Club / cal24.com / crf250l.org / ninjette.org ninjette.org Terms of Service Shopping for motorcycle parts or equipment? Come here first. The friendliest Ninja 250R/300/400 forum on the internet! (especially Unregistered)

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Did valves, bike won't start	indr	2008 - 2012 Ninja 250R Tech Talk	8	March 26th, 2012 08:08 AM
My brand new bike baby damaged	TxriderMike	!%@*#$%!)@#&!%@ I crashed!	32	October 4th, 2011 12:04 AM
Good deal on damaged bike	newTo_riding	General Motorcycling Discussion	8	May 15th, 2011 03:29 PM
[superbikeplanet.com] - Clearance Clarence: Suzuki Offers $1000 Off In Clearance Even	Ninjette Newsbot	Motorcycling News	0	February 15th, 2011 03:40 PM
DIY - Want to Paint Your Damaged Bike?	g21-30	2008 - 2012 Ninja 250R Tech Talk	3	July 21st, 2010 07:19 PM

March 31st, 2012, 03:42 PM	#3
choneofakind ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: . Location: . Join Date: Feb 2011 Motorcycle(s): . Posts: Too much. MOTM - Feb '13, Feb '14	Well if that's the case, that would certainly explain the problems you've been having. Are you sure that you had the engine rotated to the proper position so that the cams were in the right place when you checked the clearance?

March 31st, 2012, 07:11 PM	#4
AlanDog ninjette.org guru Name: Alan Location: Woodland, California (Sacramento area) Join Date: Jul 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2019 Ninja 400, 2009 KLX250-SF, 2014 Zero S Posts: 269	Well, while warming up the engine after the valve adjustment to do the carb sync, it was obvious my idling problems were fixed. Engine was acting totally different. Awesome! It turns out that the my carbs were pretty much balanced, but was tweaking the adjustment back and forth for ten minutes. The bad news is while doing that, my exhaust started to smoke--a drop of oil from cover gasket. So scratch that time estimate, I had to take the cover back off, clean it up, and decided to use some gasket compound. Well, luckily I did try to sync the carbs and didn't just put the fairings back on, I would have had to take it apart again. So as others have mentioned, it's no myth--valves being out of adjustment can be the cause of your idling problems!

March 31st, 2012, 11:05 PM	#5
choneofakind ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: . Location: . Join Date: Feb 2011 Motorcycle(s): . Posts: Too much. MOTM - Feb '13, Feb '14	of course it's no myth!!! I bet your bike is loads easier to start up as well!! last time I did my valves, they were just at the tight end of spec, but after being adjusted to the loose end of spec and having the carbs synced, the bike starts right up, has a smoother mid-range, and idles smoother. I sync the carbs after every jetting change, and she idles perfectly. glad you got your issues figured out. Now get off the forums and enjoy a ride!!