What happens if you dont adjust motorcycle valves

Reliability is also affected by valve clearance. This pounding will wear out valve train parts prematurely. When it comes to a brand-new bike, most manufacturers require that valve clearances be checked right after break in, or at about 1, km. This might seem premature, but what happens in a new bike is that valve clearances are set to spec at the factory, but tighten up considerably in the first few hundred kilometres, as the valves work their way into their valve seats.

Valve clearance is verified by inserting a feeler gauge of the correct thickness between the valve stem or rocker arm, and the cam heel. Pre-ignition Pre-ignition can be caused by an engine that needs a valve adjustment. Rattling Noise Loose Valves Ever wonder what that loud rattling noise near the heads of your bike is? Overheating Tight Valves Overheating is another possible sign of an engine in need of a valve adjustment.

Increased Fuel Consumption If your motorcycle used to be as efficient as prius and now its reminding you have your truck at the pump, you might have an issue with your valves.

Valve Train Failure Poorly adjusted valves will cause wear and tear on the entire valve train. Conclusion Valve adjustments are crucial to your engines health and should not be overlooked. Share this: Twitter Facebook. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Close Privacy Overview This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website.

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You need to fit the chain to the exhaust cam first, pulling it taught at the front of the engine with the T 1. On this bike, there needs to be 30 chain links between those two lines on the gears, to ensure the chain is correctly fitted. Wipe some fresh engine oil on the bearing surfaces, check the O-rings are in good condition and correctly aligned, then locate the camshaft. Without refitting the spring and bolt, reset the tensioner by holding down the ratchet and pushing the plunger all the way back into the body the O-ring should be replaced.

Check the cam-chain is tight and rotate the crankshaft through two full turns, then check again. The moment of truth — following the same process as you did before, check all the valve clearances. Check the gaskets and replace if necessary. Still using a gradual cross-cross pattern, refit the cylinder head cover. Great work!

Prices include VAT, but not parts. How to adjust the valve clearances on your motorcycle. By John Milbank. Why is it important to have a gap in valve clearances? How do I know when my valve clearances need adjusting? What tools do I need? Step 1: Ensure the engine is stone cold This really is important, so leave your bike to cool overnight before starting work on it.

Step 2: Strip the bike down To get to the valve cover on this bike, the fairing panels and tank need to come off, as well as the carbs. Step 6: Measure the first set of clearances Once you know which valves to measure first, use your feeler gauge to check the gaps. Know what price you should pay to get your vehicle fixed. This clearance must be tightly controlled. If it is too little, the valves may not seat properly.

Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search. Press ESC to cancel. Skip to content Home Dissertation How do I know if my motorcycle has valve clearance? Ben Davis April 12, How do I know if my motorcycle has valve clearance?