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How to know if a valve adjustment is in order?

  • Thread starter Thread starter lilbilly
  • Start date Start date
L

lilbilly

Guest
The repair manuals don't specify any specific mileage amounts to do a valve adjustment at, and I did a quick search and didn't see anything.

I have an 82 GS 650G. It has about 16k on it and I'm not real sure about it's history prior to myself besides it was owned by only 2 owners (1 for about 20 years). When I got it, it wouldn't turn over but after a carb clean up, it turns over and sounds great.

The general concensus here is a valve adjustment should be done when bringing these bikes up to par- I asked my mechanic (20 yrs JAP bike experience) to do this along with some other things. He called today and said that the cylinder head is stuck/or seized and he can't get it to budge. He says that he has tried everything and he doesn't want it to crack or break if he tries using the hammer. He also said that he doesn't know if it's really necessary, being the motor seems to run well.

Is there any signs (besides age/mileage) that would tell me this needs to be done?
 
Hi Mr. lilbilly,

The manual should state that the valve clearance check is done on a 4000 mile interval. I run my clearances on the loose end of the spec and check my clearances every 5000-6000 miles. It basically works out to a couple times a year.

Hard starting when cold is a very tell-tale sign of valves that are too tight.

You may need to soak the valve cover gasket with your favorite loosening fluid. Keep applying and re-applying. Whack it with a rubber mallet. Slide a very thin putty knife between the head and cover. Anything to get it off without bunging up the surfaces.

Please, please, please do your own work. Unless your guy is really good and really cheap, you can do it for less and you know it will be done right.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
 
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tkent02 said:
It needs to be done, and you need to fire the mechanic.
Click to expand...

Agreed, why would he take the head off?

Yes, you do need to check the valves because you don't know if they've ever been checked.

The valve cover has a number of bolts holding it down that anyone can remove. You may have to move horns or something to get it off the head.

Sound like he doesn't have all the bolts out.

A gentle tap with a plastic hammer is all it should take to remove the valve cover.

If it is actually stuck that tightly to the head, all the more reason to get it off to fix whatever is messed up there.
 
tkent02 said:
It needs to be done, and you need to fire the mechanic.
Click to expand...

To be honest, I would love to be able to do everything myself. But time, kids, and last but not least - talent, make me a little hesitant to try it. I'm not very mechanically inclined and I don't want to break something and cost myself problems and more money in the meanwhile.
 
lilbilly said:
To be honest, I would love to be able to do everything myself. But time, kids, and last but not least - talent, make me a little hesitant to try it. I'm not very mechanically inclined and I don't want to break something and cost myself problems and more money in the meanwhile.
Click to expand...
Then get another mechanic. This guy is incompetent, and that's the best I can say.
 
Hi,

Your mechanic better not be trying to loosen the cylinder head bolts just to check the valve clearances. Are you sure he knows what he's doing?

Look how easy it is. Click below to download the PDF files:



Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
 
Last edited:
BassCliff said:
Hi,

Your mechanic better not be trying to loosen the cylinder head bolts just to check the valve clearances. Are you sure he knows what he's doing?

Look how easy it is. Click below to download the PDF files:



Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
Click to expand...

I checked him out and he does have 20 years experience in a JAP shop. He knew off hand some things about my bike by me telling him the model. I don't know what I'm doing really, so I can only figure out so much about his knowledge.

Maybe this will be the first thing I attempt once I bring her home.
 
lilbilly said:
To be honest, I would love to be able to do everything myself. But time, kids, and last but not least - talent, make me a little hesitant to try it. I'm not very mechanically inclined and I don't want to break something and cost myself problems and more money in the meanwhile.
Click to expand...
I have no time, kids, and minimal talent, and I did my valves no problemo. A couple of hours on the weekend and your golden. Its easy and quick and you have endless knowledge right here at the GSR. The good folks here will walk you right through any issues you have. Never fear, you are in the right place. :D
 
Are you sure he said cylinder head? Maybe he meant the valve cover.

It does sound like he doesn't know what he's doing, or maybe he just doesn't want to bother working on it.
 
MrZig said:
Are you sure he said cylinder head? Maybe he meant the valve cover.

It does sound like he doesn't know what he's doing, or maybe he just doesn't want to bother working on it.
Click to expand...
Either way, he said he doesn't want it to crack or break using the hammer. If a mechanic takes a hammer to your engine, well let's just say I'd go get it first.

As for the valves, you don't need to be a mechanic to adjust them. Do it yourself, save some $$ and next time you'll be a pro.

By owning an older bike, by definition, you should learn to work on them yourself. If you send them to a mechanic every time they need work or an adjustment, you may as well buy new cuz' you're going to be shelling out some serious cash.
 
You can look through Basscliff's manual links and get the service info you need.
 
reddirtrider said:
Either way, he said he doesn't want it to crack or break using the hammer. If a mechanic takes a hammer to your engine, well let's just say I'd go get it first.

As for the valves, you don't need to be a mechanic to adjust them. Do it yourself, save some $$ and next time you'll be a pro.

By owning an older bike, by definition, you should learn to work on them yourself. If you send them to a mechanic every time they need work or an adjustment, you may as well buy new cuz' you're going to be shelling out some serious cash.
Click to expand...

Well he could have meant a rubber mallet, but in any case he doesn't sound like the best mechanic in the world.
 
MrZig said:
Well he could have meant a rubber mallet, but in any case he doesn't sound like the best mechanic in the world.
Click to expand...
If he has a chance to break a head with a rubber mallet, he's in the wrong profession. Come to think of it, he may be anyway.
 
Do it yourself, its fun! Plus it is a very rewarding process. The hardest part of the entire process is peeling off the old gasket! And if you can scrape a sticker off some glass then you can get the gasket off. Just follow basscliffs website tutorial and you'll be fine. Also when you do get in there and have to adjust the clearances do some math and use the shims you already have by moving them around, it will save you some money.
 
Sounds like the valve cover is stuck because either the last person inside the engine used sealer on the gasket or the gasket is origional and petrified.

Removing a petrified gasket takes hours of chipping and scraping. Sounds like the mechanic is on the money in sending the job away...he's going to loose his butt on a flat rate valve adjustment job. Best to do it yourself anyway.
 
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lilbilly said:
I asked my mechanic (20 yrs JAP bike experience) to do this along with some other things. He called today and said that the cylinder head is stuck/or seized and he can't get it to budge. He says that he has tried everything and he doesn't want it to crack or break if he tries using the hammer.
Click to expand...

I'm sure he's talking about the cylinder head / cam cover. That doesn't sound too outrageous if the cover hasn't been off in ages.

I had a cam cover bolt on an 850 that was simply corrosion-welded to the cover itself, and it was necessary to actually break the cam cover to get it off. I tried every trick in the book. The bolt was then snapped off in the head. Ouch. I had to drill & tap a new hole for a new bolt.

Still, it was necessary. It was preferable (and far cheaper) than dropping a valve due to inadequate clearance, which will destroy the engine.

Your mechanic should know that, and be ready to do what's necessary. Sometimes it isn't as easy as just unbolting the cover and swapping shims.
 
If the valve cover is THAT stuck, it's a pretty good indicator that its never been off, meaning a valve check is certainly due.

When I got my 850GLZ last year it had 7K miles and had sat undisturbed for 15 years. I invented some colorful new "expressions" while coaxing that VERY STUBBORN valve cover off. It took quite a bit of effort to unstick it from the OEM gasket - and scrapping that old gasket off the sealing surfaces was a royal PITA. A rubber mallet is your best friend...

However, great satisfaction after the job was complete, and it's a piece of cake after the removal phase - YOU CAN DO THIS.

A few tips:

- When scrapping the old gasket material off, take care to not let the little pieces fall down into the engine. I stuffed some rags all around the inside to keep the 'em out..

- Clean the gasket mounting surfaces on both the engine & valve cover VERY WELL. Take your time, don't gouge them up & don't leave any lumps of old gasket material behind - it will cause leaks oil at those sites otherwise.

- Use a good quality valve cover gasket - I use OEM ones, others here like the Realgasket ones.

- If you go with the OEM gasket, apply a thin layer of grease on both sides of the gasket before installation, this will make it easy to remove next time.

- Consider replacing the 4 cam-end covers (rubber half-moons) at the same time, they are most likely brittle & deformed after 25+ yrs. Generic ones from Z1 Enterprises work very well & are cheap.

Good luck - ask all the questions you want right on this fourm - plenty of helpfull minds at work here.

Mike
 
+ whatever on all of this good advice. if you have to ask how long it has been, they are due. and it really isnt that hard. and, fire that mechanic.
 
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