Ideas for saving $ on valve job? Bring in naked & do oil myself? Anything else?

CZroe · December 8th, 2010, 11:25 AM

I still haven't gotten my needed valve service done 9,000 miles since my last one. I simply can't afford it yet. I commute on my bike, so I need to get it as soon as I can afford it, which would be a lot sooner if I could find ways to bring the price down.

Last time I needed the service I pitted all the official dealers against eachother and made sure they each knew the lowest price of their competition and it was no contest: SD House of Motorcycles and Fun Bike Center were around $500, Alba Action Sports was a bit over $300. AAS went out of business the day after doing my service and telling me that they were all in spec, which makes me suspicious that they may not have even checked when they were doing it for so much less than the others.

So, I guess I'm to the point where I need to pay around $500 for this service, so I'm looking for ways to lower that. Most of the cost is labor, of course, so I realize that I can take off the fairings before I ride it in to reduce that a little bit. What else can I do? If I change the oil myself, they're still going to have to drain and refill it, right? I do have my own filters and plenty of Rotella T6 full synth. Any other ideas? Will having a light/nearly empty gas tank help speed things along? I need a coolant flush but I'll do that myself too if it looks like something I can do. I hope I can fix the coolant leak while I'm at it.

Also, I'm assuming that only the RH and LH fairings need to be removed for a valve job. Is this correct? To I also need to remove the upper? No reason to go into the tail section, right?

Cuongism · December 8th, 2010, 12:09 PM

You don't have to change the oil for a valve job. To get to the valves, coolant does have to be drained so don't bother with that since that's part of the job. The tank does have to be removed, but I don't see dealers dropping the price for a lighter tank. Only the left/right fairings need to be removed.

Have you checked on craigslist for mobile mechanics? They're usually a lot cheaper than dealers and generally will list their qualifications. Email them if they're capable of that job and how much it would be. Never hurts.

CZroe · December 8th, 2010, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cuongism

You don't have to change the oil for a valve job. To get to the valves, coolant does have to be drained so don't bother with that since that's part of the job. The tank does have to be removed, but I don't see dealers dropping the price for a lighter tank. Only the left/right fairings need to be removed.

Have you checked on craigslist for mobile mechanics? They're usually a lot cheaper than dealers and generally will list their qualifications. Email them if they're capable of that job and how much it would be. Never hurts.

Even more evidence that AAS didn't actually do my first valve job.

I had over-filled my coolant because I couldn't see the level and had to siphon some out and I saw that it was full of floaters and gunk. I asked them about that at AAS and they said that their tech took a look and that it was just factory gunk that should be fine without a coolant flush. Even though I requested they check that when dropping it off, it wasn't until the next morning at pick-up when I asked about the results that they told me that the tech was putting it up and taking a look at my coolant to answer my question. If they truly had to drain my coolant the day before, they would have already known.

Thanks for the input.

randomwalk101 · December 8th, 2010, 12:33 PM

do it yourself.

CZroe · December 8th, 2010, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by randomwalk101

do it yourself.

I don't even have a ratcheting socket wrench (mine broke after the first time I used it) and it's my primary transportation. Can't take my time and can't risk it.

rockNroll · December 8th, 2010, 06:37 PM

There's not much you can to to make the job cost less. If I have to take a bike to the dealer and know the plastic is gonna come off I like to remove it at home just because I had bodywork get scratched heavy by a dealer once and they claimed it was already damaged ('93 900RR).

I've worked as a bike tech and I'm presently an automotive tech and I'll tell ya this.... When a customer decides he's gonna help by doing part of a job before bringing the car/bike to the shop the price can remain the same or GO UP, not down. If it takes me longer to check your work than it would to have done it myself, you pay the extra.

indr · December 8th, 2010, 06:48 PM

Buy the necessary tools. Take a day off.

Shims (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WJWTM6/) --- $80

Honda Type 2 Coolant (at your local auto parts store/dealership) --- $15 (at the most)

Feeler Gauges (parts store) --- $10

3/8" ratchet + 6" extension + 14/12/10/8/6mm sockets + stuby screwdriver --- can't be more than $150

$255

Add to that how much you make in a day. If it's less than $500, you're already saving money.

Do it once, you'll save $500 again the next year.

Don't fret about the miles. I was 2000 miles overdue for my first valve job.

So, on your next day off, read as much as you can about the job. Then next week, get it done.

CZroe · December 8th, 2010, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by indrish

Buy the necessary tools. Take a day off.

Shims (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WJWTM6/) --- $80

Honda Type 2 Coolant (at your local auto parts store/dealership) --- $15 (at the most)

Feeler Gauges (parts store) --- $10

3/8" ratchet + 6" extension + 14/12/10/8/6mm sockets + stuby screwdriver --- can't be more than $150

$255

Add to that how much you make in a day. If it's less than $500, you're already saving money.

Do it once, you'll save $500 again the next year.

Don't fret about the miles. I was 2000 miles overdue for my first valve job.

So, on your next day off, read as much as you can about the job. Then next week, get it done.

I entertained this fantasy before remembering that I live in a condo with no garage, an open parking space, and a sign explicitly forbidding work on vehicles.

Also, I'm sure I'd get dirt and crap on everything and take 3x longer than I should. Thanks though.

I always get funny looks when I bring out the stand and take off the plastics or adjust/lube my chain as it is, and I still haven't even changed the oil myself!

indr · December 8th, 2010, 07:07 PM

Take it to a friend with a house and garage to work on for the day.

How's the temp there? Work on it outside.

randomwalk101 · December 8th, 2010, 08:10 PM

Well then. It sounds to me that you don't have any other choice than to fork out $500. Sign up for some overtime and skip a few lunches.

indr · December 8th, 2010, 08:12 PM

Post up an ad on craigslist asking to rent out a small garage for a few hours.

Trust me, once you do this, it'll up your confidence doing anything on your bike.

December 8th, 2010, 11:25 AM	#1
CZroe CPT Falcon Name: J.Emmett Turner Location: Newnan, GA Join Date: Apr 2009 Motorcycle(s): '08 CP Blue EX250J, '97 unpainted EX250F, 2nd '97 unpainted EX250F (no engine), '07 black EX250F Posts: A lot.	Ideas for saving $ on valve job? Bring in naked & do oil myself? Anything else? I still haven't gotten my needed valve service done 9,000 miles since my last one. I simply can't afford it yet. I commute on my bike, so I need to get it as soon as I can afford it, which would be a lot sooner if I could find ways to bring the price down. Last time I needed the service I pitted all the official dealers against eachother and made sure they each knew the lowest price of their competition and it was no contest: SD House of Motorcycles and Fun Bike Center were around $500, Alba Action Sports was a bit over $300. AAS went out of business the day after doing my service and telling me that they were all in spec, which makes me suspicious that they may not have even checked when they were doing it for so much less than the others. So, I guess I'm to the point where I need to pay around $500 for this service, so I'm looking for ways to lower that. Most of the cost is labor, of course, so I realize that I can take off the fairings before I ride it in to reduce that a little bit. What else can I do? If I change the oil myself, they're still going to have to drain and refill it, right? I do have my own filters and plenty of Rotella T6 full synth. Any other ideas? Will having a light/nearly empty gas tank help speed things along? I need a coolant flush but I'll do that myself too if it looks like something I can do. I hope I can fix the coolant leak while I'm at it. Also, I'm assuming that only the RH and LH fairings need to be removed for a valve job. Is this correct? To I also need to remove the upper? No reason to go into the tail section, right?

December 8th, 2010, 06:37 PM	#6
rockNroll . Name: rock Location: greenville, south carolina Join Date: Jun 2009 Motorcycle(s): black Posts: A lot.	There's not much you can to to make the job cost less. If I have to take a bike to the dealer and know the plastic is gonna come off I like to remove it at home just because I had bodywork get scratched heavy by a dealer once and they claimed it was already damaged ('93 900RR). I've worked as a bike tech and I'm presently an automotive tech and I'll tell ya this.... When a customer decides he's gonna help by doing part of a job before bringing the car/bike to the shop the price can remain the same or GO UP, not down. If it takes me longer to check your work than it would to have done it myself, you pay the extra. __________________________________________________ Always get a second opinion because most of these people are makin' this stuff up

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December 8th, 2010, 12:09 PM	#2
Cuongism ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Cuong Location: San Diego Join Date: Jul 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Ninja 250r, 2007 Daytona 675 Posts: A lot.	You don't have to change the oil for a valve job. To get to the valves, coolant does have to be drained so don't bother with that since that's part of the job. The tank does have to be removed, but I don't see dealers dropping the price for a lighter tank. Only the left/right fairings need to be removed. Have you checked on craigslist for mobile mechanics? They're usually a lot cheaper than dealers and generally will list their qualifications. Email them if they're capable of that job and how much it would be. Never hurts.

December 8th, 2010, 12:33 PM	#4
randomwalk101 self wrencher Name: john Location: houston Join Date: Dec 2008 Motorcycle(s): 08 250r and 07 600r Posts: A lot.	do it yourself.

December 8th, 2010, 06:48 PM	#7
indr ninjette.org guru Name: . Location: . Join Date: Nov 2010 Motorcycle(s): . Posts: 331	Buy the necessary tools. Take a day off. Shims (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WJWTM6/) --- $80 Honda Type 2 Coolant (at your local auto parts store/dealership) --- $15 (at the most) Feeler Gauges (parts store) --- $10 3/8" ratchet + 6" extension + 14/12/10/8/6mm sockets + stuby screwdriver --- can't be more than $150 $255 Add to that how much you make in a day. If it's less than $500, you're already saving money. Do it once, you'll save $500 again the next year. Don't fret about the miles. I was 2000 miles overdue for my first valve job. So, on your next day off, read as much as you can about the job. Then next week, get it done.

December 8th, 2010, 07:07 PM	#9
indr ninjette.org guru Name: . Location: . Join Date: Nov 2010 Motorcycle(s): . Posts: 331	Take it to a friend with a house and garage to work on for the day. How's the temp there? Work on it outside.

December 8th, 2010, 08:10 PM	#10
randomwalk101 self wrencher Name: john Location: houston Join Date: Dec 2008 Motorcycle(s): 08 250r and 07 600r Posts: A lot.	Well then. It sounds to me that you don't have any other choice than to fork out $500. Sign up for some overtime and skip a few lunches.

December 8th, 2010, 08:12 PM	#11
indr ninjette.org guru Name: . Location: . Join Date: Nov 2010 Motorcycle(s): . Posts: 331	Post up an ad on craigslist asking to rent out a small garage for a few hours. Trust me, once you do this, it'll up your confidence doing anything on your bike.