Valve Adjustment

Need some input. Do I realy need to adjust my valves ? I have 26000 miles now, the engine sounds good ( no tap, tap ) cold or warm. It just seams like a lot of work if it's not making any bad sounds and runs good. Would love some input.

Chances are you won't need any actually adjusted but for me personally, I'd check them regardless just for the peace of mind and having that data point moving forward.

Mr. BR

No, probably not.

What you NEED to do is to check your valves. With only 26 k miles they are probably still "in spec" according to a poll that I ran on here about valve checks.

But there is a small (but hardly insignificant) percentage of bikes that were already out of spec at their first valve check and if that was your bike you would not want to just let it go another 26k miles.

Also, the bike will make no noise since the intake valves generally get tighter in clearance over time (unlike some old school push-rod and rocker arm bikes that got looser and noisy). Your FJR valves will remain perfectly quiet and sedate right up until the clearance is too slight and you start burning up your valves and valve seats.

Just check them, or have them checked. It isn't that big of a deal really. Unless you'd like gambling on an top end failure in your future

Mr. BR said:

Chances are you won't need any actually adjusted but for me personally, I'd check them regardless just for the peace of mind and having that data point moving forward.Mr. BR

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Thanks I think I'll do it this winter.

Fred W said:

No, probably not.
What you NEED to do is to check your valves. With only 26 k miles they are probably still "in spec" according to a poll that I ran on here about valve checks.

But there is a small (but hardly insignificant) percentage of bikes that were already out of spec at their first valve check and if that was your bike you would not want to just let it go another 26k miles.

Also, the bike will make no noise since the intake valves generally get tighter in clearance over time (unlike some old school push-rod and rocker arm bikes that got looser and noisy). Your FJR valves will remain perfectly quiet and sedate right up until the clearance is too slight and you start burning up your valves and valve seats.

Just check them, or have them checked. It isn't that big of a deal really. Unless you'd like gambling on an top end failure in your future

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Thank you sound like need to do it this winter.

The answer is easy. Pay a little now or a lot later. Do you feel lucky???

Fred W said:

Also, the bike will make no noise since the intake valves generally get tighter in clearance over time (unlike some old school push-rod and rocker arm bikes that got looser and noisy). Your FJR valves will remain perfectly quiet and sedate right up until the clearance is too slight and you start burning up your valves and valve seats.

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This ^^^

The OP would not be the first guy to make the mistake of thinking the bike would get noisy if the clearances were "off".

It will actually get quieter and sound great ... right up to the point where everything goes "bang".

I was brought up on tappets too

WRB08 said:

Need some input. Do I realy need to adjust my valves ? I have 26000 miles now, the engine sounds good ( no tap, tap ) cold or warm. It just seams like a lot of work if it's not making any bad sounds and runs good. Would love some input.

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Dude, you're just south of me. You should pay attention on here and watch for a Tech Day to attend. There will be guys and tools to show you how to do this again in the future. The one in Michigan is not too far and the group is fun and knowledgeable.

Allen_C said:

The one in Michigan is not too far and the group is fun and knowledgeable.

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Tell me you're NOT talking about the Owosso Mudfuckers are ya? Fun? Sure, I'll give ya that, but knowledgeable???

We ARE talking about Bust and Bikergeek here.

Yeah, let Bikergeek check your valves for you...That's a good plan.

At least Bust is a gracious host with a fully stocked frig and a wife who is a saint, putting up with him and us! Hell, he even helped Crump by removing his front wheel and forks when we realized his front tire was worn past the indicators. Ray and Bill worked the No Mar and static balancer like experts!

Confession time. I am right at 36,000 miles, and have not yet checked my valves. When I bought the bike new in 08, my dealer advised me to call him when I hit 26,600 miles and he would advise me on a valve check. I called and he asked me a few questions... 1. Does it start easy? Yes. 2. Is it running okay? Yes 3. Does it make any clicking sounds? No. 4. How's your gas mileage? Ok. 5. Are you running premium gas? No, just good old regular. Oh, then you'll want to change to premium. You'll get fewer deposits in the top end. Ok. Then he says that he just hates to crack open a perfectly good engine. All the ones they have checked have been close enough to spec that only one out of ten bikes needs one valve tweaked. He says you will do more harm by opening the engine to possibly allow a couple grains of sand to blow in than if you don't check it at all.

I plan to call him back this fall at about 40,000 to see what he has to say. Meanwhile, I'll just keep motoring along. Now... I'm going to put on a pair of Kevlar underwear to get ready for any unkind replies. )

I wouldn't go near any shop that was so ignorant about engines.

As has already been said earlier in this very thread, your engine will run wonderfully with no outward indication that the clearances are well below spec, right up until you ruin it. There will be no warning signs.

Also, running higher octane fuel will not affect top end deposits (carbon). That is old wives thinking that since it costs more it will have more or better cleaning additives. There is absolutely no reason to run high octane fuel in these engines. That would just be a waste of money.

He says that hates to crack open a perfectly running engine? You've got to be shitting me. What an idiot. (The shop guy, not you) You will just want to find yourself a mechanic who knows a lot more if you care about your bike.

If this is a certified Yamaha dealer and giving service advice contrary to the service manual, I would report them to Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA, 6555 Katella Avenue, Cypress, CA 90630. If this were just a minor issue no, but valve check is an important issue and if omitted because of dealer advice I think Mother Yamaha would not look kindly at such advice.

Mackeroni said:

Confession time. I am right at 36,000 miles, and have not yet checked my valves. When I bought the bike new in 08, my dealer advised me to call him when I hit 26,600 miles and he would advise me on a valve check. I called and he asked me a few questions... 1. Does it start easy? Yes. 2. Is it running okay? Yes 3. Does it make any clicking sounds? No. 4. How's your gas mileage? Ok. 5. Are you running premium gas? No, just good old regular. Oh, then you'll want to change to premium. You'll get fewer deposits in the top end. Ok. Then he says that he just hates to crack open a perfectly good engine. All the ones they have checked have been close enough to spec that only one out of ten bikes needs one valve tweaked. He says you will do more harm by opening the engine to possibly allow a couple grains of sand to blow in than if you don't check it at all. I plan to call him back this fall at about 40,000 to see what he has to say. Meanwhile, I'll just keep motoring along. Now... I'm going to put on a pair of Kevlar underwear to get ready for any unkind replies.

)

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The person who gave you this information is an idiot. Not much else to say but check the valve clearance to be safe. It does not take "cracking open" the engine. The only thing "cracking" is your dealer!

Good feedback all...and I understand that there is an element of risk in delaying a scheduled service. The only comment I will offer in this gentleman's behalf is that he has the benefit of greater experience on his side. He owns the shop where Yamahas are sold and serviced. He has witnessed firsthand the condition of the valves at 26,600 and beyond. I own only one Yamaha which has never given me a single problem. Yes, I have had the ignition switch and spider ground recalls performed, but they performed fine to the last.

So now, I have been advised that my engine could self destruct without warning. I feel Ike I would be tempting the fates too much if I simply slunk away and ignored the good advice of my fellow riders. So I will schedule a valve adjustment for the near future and will happily share the outcome with you all.

Thanks!

Mackeroni said:

The only comment I will offer in this gentleman's behalf is that he has the benefit of greater experience on his side. He owns the shop where Yamahas are sold and serviced. He has witnessed firsthand the condition of the valves at 26,600 and beyond.

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Or, you could look at the experience of 149 other FJR owners, 21 of whom needed to be re-shimmed at the very first valve check. That is 14%.

Are you willing to take a 1 in 7 chance that you will not be OK?

I believe Sacramento Mike can share an instructive (but painful) story about what can happen (and how much it costs) when you gamble on not doing the valve check and lose. A search will get you more of the story, but read this:

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php/topic/141466-update-on-my-mechanical-woes/?p=905792

On the topic of when to have your FJR valves checked, I was advised that they would last at least 100,000 miles before they would need to be checked. This was not a Yamaha dealer thought, but I took my FJR in at 121,000 miles, for the first time and I was told nothing needed to be done. Two years later when they started making a little noise at 200,000 miles and I had them adjusted and two years later at 305,000 miles they didn't need anything done to them. This has worked for me, so I guess you do what you feel is best for you.

You are out of your mind if you think that is a wise idea.

Valves don't make noise when they need to be adjusted.