i have another adjustment to do this week .. ill take pics of .. step by step..
and edit the posts to put pictures in the right spots.
ok still no pics srry... somewhere in the post it links or gives a link to chris's valve adjustment web site.. hes got some pics
that refers to my valve adjustmnet post.. chris's adjustment is fine to go by.. but its not as detailed as mine.. but i did learn from
his site first. then i filled the rest of the blanks in myself.. i posted this because i did mine 2 times to learn that chris left out a few important things that can be made by everyone who follows his directions. but please use his site for ref. pics.. for now

 

i'll let you do mine when they are needed.

 

I just bought my bike with 10,500 miles, no idea when the guy last serviced it, I have riden it almost four thousand miles. I am pretty sure the guy had a valve adjustment sometime close to when I bought the bike. How often do you need a valve adjustment and how do you know your bike needs one?
Thanks

 

Welcome to the forums.

What year and what kind of bike? Usually, you can not tell how far off the valves just by sound. They move off slowly, so you really do not notice the lack of performance until it is too late. Is your valvetrain extremely noisy? Is your bike underpowered? Etc..

Depends on the bike and year on valve adjust intervals...

 

I think mine could use an adjustment also, I'm hoping it can wait until the Winter. What is meant by "until it is too late"? Can valves not being adjusted cause harm to your engine? If so, I better get right on it.

Thanks!

 

Valves not being adjusted can lead to harm in the engine long term. Carbon buildup, too much backpressure, lack of performance, etc... Unless you valve train is real noisy, etc, You would probably be fine until winter. It's almost here anyway darn it [:@] lol

I don't believe that a slightly out of adjustment valve would cause immediate damage. I have never had that happen anyway. What I meant by it was too late is, you don't realize the how far out the valves are, lack of performance, etc, until you do an adjustment. Then afterwards you feel the power, and smoothness from the valve adjust.

 

That's one heck of a write up. Make me glad my ZRX is shim over bucket. Don't have to mess with the cams.

I can adjust my valves in about an hour to hour and a half.

 

Thanks for the info! Bike runs good yet, but I do beleive it needs the valve adjustment. Little noisy driving, but not in nuetral.

 

mine is noisy even at idle, I think its valves along with the cam tensenior

 

I can't say mine's not noisy at idle, it just makes a bit more slight rattling/tick noise starting at about 4-5,000 RPM's. I'm pretty sure it's overdue for a valve adjustment. I've got a shim kit and everything I need to have to take care of it, but just have to find the time. Actually, get my wife to let me spend the time to do it. She thinks I'm married to my bike already...LOL