How soon should I adjust the valves?

[Old_Yeller]

On a new bike how long should I wait to have the valves checked. Is it important on the new bikes to have the valves checked quite often. What do you guys do? I've adjusted valves before on muscle cars but they only have two valves per cylinder. Five valves sounds scary!

Thanks in advance!

Fred

[unkle_george]

Once after breakin (500 miles) then once a year is pretty typical. The first sign that they're off is the bike will get increasingly harder to start.

It's a Yamaha ... The valves just don't move much.

Checking them is pretty easy. Just two allen bolts and a few hoses and the lid comes off, then all 5 of the valves are reachable with the right sized feeler guage. You only need to remove the cams if they're out of adjustment.

Good luck and welcome

- Ryan

[TimBrp]

Once after breakin (500 miles) then once a year is pretty typical. The first sign that they're off is the bike will get increasingly harder to start.

It's a Yamaha ... The valves just don't move much.

Checking them is pretty easy. Just two allen bolts and a few hoses and the lid comes off, then all 5 of the valves are reachable with the right sized feeler guage. You only need to remove the cams if they're out of adjustment.

Good luck and welcome

- Ryan

That is some sweet news to me!! I was fearing the job. Sounds easier than my XR w/ it's valve/tappet setup. ?

[Dirt_rebel]

becareful nt to drop the bearing retaining pin when removing the cams ?

?

[Kepy]

becareful nt to drop the bearing retaining pin when removing the cams ?

?

it happend to me a few years ago when I was changing the WR timing to YZ specs

[SPDFRK450]

I just checked the clearance on my valves last night and they are still perfect. Right on spec and tight. I have 1200 miles on my 426 so I thought for sure they would be off. However I talked to my brother who used to be a Taurus SHO freak. He told me that since Yamaha built the engine for the Taurus SHO's that it was the exact same design with the underbucket shims, and since it is a solid setup, that its reliable, and they very rarely get out of whack. But still check em once a year for good measure. They you know your bike is running at optimum performance.

[OneToGo]

Valve clearances will tighten up as the valves seat...

still perfect. Right on spec and tight. I have 1200 miles on my 426 so I thought for sure they would be off..... running at optimum performance.

If they are "tight" on the MINIMUM spec, they are close to needing shimming - if in the middle they are OK, towards the MAX - somethings amiss!!

True, first sign of out of adjsutment valves is poor starting

?

[jwcrf05]

what do you guys consider poor starting.

[crrider491]

thats why i hate 4 strokes you half to adjust the valves, on 2 strokes race the crap out of them and just change the piston for $60 and dont half to adjust any thing on them ??

[TimBrp]

thats why i hate 4 strokes you half to adjust the valves, on 2 strokes race the crap out of them and just change the piston for $60 and dont half to adjust any thing on them ??

That's great pal. Enjoy your two smokes while they last, HeH. I know I will.

[crrider491]

That's great pal. Enjoy your two smokes while they last, HeH. I know I will.

and i will enjoy it ?

[crrider491]

when im out riding ? you be adjusting the valves ?

[TimBrp]

when im out riding you be adjusting the valves ?

Valves are a once a year maybe twice thing. I personally love wrenching on the bikes, almost as much as riding so it's of no concern to me. While your halfway through a race mixing gas, changing plugs or rings or that clutch you gotta ride the snot out of I'll wave as I pass by w/ 4000 miles on the same topend going strong.

BTW- you didn't happend to catch my sarcasm in the last post. I have a two stroke. ?

[Kepy]

thats why i hate 4 strokes you half to adjust the valves, on 2 strokes race the crap out of them and just change the piston for $60 and dont half to adjust any thing on them ?

Holly God in heaven, Pope Benedict XVI and Jesus Christ please forgive him his blasphemy... ?

[YamahaWR450FMike]

I've had my WR for two years now and haven't done a single thing to the engine since it was new. Still runs hard and strong.

[crrider491]

I've had my WR for two years now and haven't done a single thing to the engine since it was new. Still runs hard and strong.

you dont ride hard! my friend got a new 05 yzf and he blow it up in 3 races from racing it

[lipskid]

you dont ride hard! my friend got a new 05 yzf and he blow it up in 3 races from racing it

He blow it up in three races from racing it? I bet he fast.

[Moto5]

you dont ride hard! my friend got a new 05 yzf and he blow it up in 3 races from racing it

Maybe your friend needs to learn to shift a little sooner.

[Rooster426]

He blow it up in three races from racing it? I bet he fast.

lol, reary, reary fast...

[Numskull]

what do you guys consider poor starting.

I wont go into all of the possible circumstances of firing the beast up, but will say under ideal conditions, the bike will start with one kick. (If you know what your doing, under any condition, it should be 3-5 kicks).

I would think that after trying to start it, it acts like she wants to run but is having a hard time, would be a good time to check the valves. Of coarse, it could be allot of other things to. But after reading allot, I don't think the valve adjustment is a big issue, it sounds like they stay in tolerance pretty well. ?

I love 2 smokers myself. In fact thats what I wanted cause I remember the power being 10 times that of a 4stroke. But after getting this 426, I can tell you it has 2 stroke power and rpms that just scream, and also has the tractor torque down low. ?