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450 valves

By XRrider62,
in YZ400F/426F/450F/450FX

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XRrider62

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Gentlemen, I don't mean to beat a dead horse but was wondering what kind of life your getting on your valves on the 450's. I'm looking at an 06, excellent cond. I have a crf450 now thats getting close to a valve job and wondering how the yz's are chalking up compared to the Honda. Thanks for any feedback.

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Grand Master

grayracer513

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I'm not certain how long they last. I'd love to give you a more definitive answer than "a long time", but I don't know because I've never worn any out. :worthy:

I have two '06's, one with low hours, and one that's been ridden quite a bit in the last year and four months. neither has needed a valve adjustment yet.

I also have an '03 that also has not ever once needed a valve adjustment. In 4+ years. It has a lot more than 300 hours on it, too.

So, like I said, I just don't know how long they last, but they do seem to hold up rather well.

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todds924

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Gentlemen, I don't mean to beat a dead horse but was wondering what kind of life your getting on your valves on the 450's. I'm looking at an 06, excellent cond. I have a crf450 now thats getting close to a valve job and wondering how the yz's are chalking up compared to the Honda. Thanks for any feedback.

I looked up in the parts computer at work today how many CRF 450 valves have been sold since 2005. 320 sets. Thats in 2 years. I also looked up how many CRF crankshafts were sold in that time frame. 153. Then i looked up how many Yzf 450 valves were sold. 37 sets, 24 crankshafts. There isn't a week that goes by it seems that I see at least 2 CRF's in my service dept for valves. I personally won't let my friends buy a Honda. Yamaha and Kawasaki have the most reliable valvetrains by FAR! I've checked YZF and KXF valves in motors with well over 100 hours and they are still in spec. There are even a few older 99 and 2000 models with way more hours than that that i've checked and they are still in spec. Lets just say Mr. Honda has made it so i'll have a very nice Christmas this year!!!!!! If its any consolation, Even though honda valvetrains are very suspect, They havent been as bad from 06-08 like the earlier CRF's. If i was buying a new 450, Honda would be my last choice.

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Grand Master

642MX

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I looked up in the parts computer at work today how many CRF 450 valves have been sold since 2005. 320 sets. Thats in 2 years. I also looked up how many CRF crankshafts were sold in that time frame. 153. Then i looked up how many Yzf 450 valves were sold. 37 sets, 24 crankshafts.

Wow, thats quite a difference. How many YZF's vs. CRF's are sold each year at your shop?

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Grand Master

NorCal

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I looked up in the parts computer at work today how many CRF 450 valves have been sold since 2005. 320 sets. Thats in 2 years. I also looked up how many CRF crankshafts were sold in that time frame. 153. Then i looked up how many Yzf 450 valves were sold. 37 sets, 24 crankshafts. There isn't a week that goes by it seems that I see at least 2 CRF's in my service dept for valves. I personally won't let my friends buy a Honda.

After reading hard data like that, you have to admit

Honda has a pretty impressive...eerrrr...marketing plan:excuseme:

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todds924

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Wow, thats quite a difference. How many YZF's vs. CRF's are sold each year at your shop?

More Hondas, then Yamaha then Kawasaki. The thing of it is: If you took 20 of each brand, You would be seeing 80% of the hondas coming back for valve problems. With none or maybe one of the others. The only Yz's i've seen come back were for cracked cases from the kickstarter gear exploding. Then again that was only two and I've also seen the CRF's with the same problem. I believe they were caused by the rider kickstarting the bike with an open throttle and it kicked back.

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07thommi

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It makes me wonder why so many people buy Honda's.....

Its a proven fact that the YZF is more reliable, but the CRF sells better.... :worthy:

+1

You are not the only one. I have a lot better luck with my Yamaha's than my buddy has with his Honda's. Come to think of it, I dont know how much longer he will own them, the repair bills are getting to be to much for him.

-mt-

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Grand Master

642MX

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Around here all I see is CRF's on the track. And a few YZF's.

And the woods looks like a pumpkin patch.

What I have noticed are a lot more smokers showing up at the tracks and in the woods....and most are yellow. :worthy:

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Grand Master

grayracer513

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.... every bike needs maintenance, i think the big factor is who is maintaning it.....
I apologize, but maintenance has little or nothing to do with valve wear. The only maintenance you can do to the valve train is to check the clearances and adjust them if it's necessary. If it's necessary, then the valves have worn. If not. as is the case thus far with all 3 of my YZ450's, then there has been none.

Valve faces and seats, where the wear occurs, are not lubricated by the oil system, so the level to which that system is maintained has no effect on them. They either wear, or they don't, according to how they're made, and how they're used, not how they're maintained.

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2grimjim

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All I know is my 1999 WR400 has yet to have the top end apart. I bought it new from Apex Sports in Colorado Springs in '99, rode the wheels off it, sold it to a friend of mine when I bought an '03 WR450 and he rode it for another three years before buying an '06 YZ450. That old WR400 looks like hammered sh*t on a stick but it still runs like a swiss watch.

My '03 hasn't needed a valve adjustment either (I did blow up 3rd gear last memorial day; a problem with the '03's and since resolved on the '04 and later WR's) and my '06 YZ450 hasn't need one as of yet.

I do know one thing for certain. If you run your valve clearance too loose early in the life of the top end you will shorten the life of the valves dramatically.

When I worked at the local Yamaha shop and customers brought in machines for valve clearance inspections I would NEVER adjust clearance unless it was clearly below the lower limit. Just because the smallest feeler guage is a little tight, that doesn't mean you need to change shims. It just means you need to keep an eye on it in the future.

I think a large majority of valve issues are due to owners that are worried that not enough clearance is a bad thing AND unscrupulous mechanics trying to pad their service tickets with unnecessary valve adjustments.

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stroller

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I quit a yamaha shop and went to work at a honda dealer for more work, not only valves but water pumps too. thay hate my 04 yz450 at the shop I just change the oil and go ride. I only checked the valves once sence i bought it used in 04. it seems that if you keep a clean and well oiled air filter in a CRF the valves will last a little longer.

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2grimjim

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I quit a yamaha shop and went to work at a honda dealer for more work, not only valves but water pumps too. thay hate my 04 yz450 at the shop I just change the oil and go ride. I only checked the valves once sence i bought it used in 04. it seems that if you keep a clean and well oiled air filter in a CRF the valves will last a little longer.

I can't hold the bike or the giant rock responsible for that innocent water pump cover. I just had the overpowering urge to hike 8 miles in riding boots at 11,500 feet.

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