Valve questions

I know(from this forum) that you are suppose to have the valves checked after a certain mileage..(I am a little over 6K) So I know it is coming up.

But I was wondering why, will the engine lock up/blow up is this is not done?....... and could I do this myself or would it be better to take to the dealer.

Too loose valves-noisy, noisy, noisy.
Too tight valves-you could end up with bent valves, blown engine, etc..
If you are handy with tools, appears to be easy (only 2100 miles on mine at the moment); drop the radiator, 3 bolts holding the valve cover on. Buy a shop manual with step by step instructions.

Jarvis said:

I know(from this forum) that you are suppose to have the valves checked after a certain mileage..(I am a little over 6K) So I know it is coming up.

But I was wondering why, will the engine lock up/blow up is this is not done?....... and could I do this myself or would it be better to take to the dealer.

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Checking valve clearance at the NC engine is fairly easy, which does not necessarily mean I would recommend doing it at home.
Everything is accessible quite easy. You would need the workshop manual and some small tools not being expensive.
However, it is not a beginners task. It requires some basic understanding of 4 stroke engines, cam shafts and things.
If dealer warranty is an issue, you should probably have your shop do it. It is not extremely expensive.
Otherwise, take your time, stick to the manual, work carefully at some clean and protected location.
And keep in mind, doing it in the wrong way might cause damage to your engine.

Omitting these checks will not blow up engine immediately, but might slowly burn off valves, reduce performance, increase engine temperature and lead to subtle damages in the long term, maybe even bad damages in extreme cases.

At the 12000km pit stop my shop had to slightly adjust clearance at one of the valves (exhaust, I think). Not a big issue, so I do not think it is a very critical thing, but it should be taken care of.

Phil

After reading Phil X post I believe that it worth taking it to the shop, as I would hate to try and save a few bucks and mess up the engine.
I was asking why it is done to bike engines because I have never done it to my cars engine....


Thanks David and Phil for the knowledge.....

This is the best source I know of for working on your bike. This is what every dealership uses.

2012-2013 NC700X/XD Service Manual - Helm Incorporated

Jarvis said:

After reading Phil X post I believe that it worth taking it to the shop, as I would hate to try and save a few bucks and mess up the engine.
I was asking why it is done to bike engines because I have never done it to my cars engine....


Thanks David and Phil for the knowledge.....

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If you're still learning the ropes then a manual like this might help: Honda NC700 Service Workshop Owners Manual NC700S NC700SA NC700SD NC700X NC700XA | eBay

Old Can Ride is right that the official Honda workshop manual covers all jobs on the bike - it's actually better written and clearer than a lot of official workshop manuals I've seen. But it is written for people who already have a lot of technical knowledge.

If you haven't done much maintenance & repair work before then you probably would benefit from a manual more oriented to the DIY person who needs more explanation about how to do jobs. I know when I was learning I'd have been lost following an official manual but in those days we had DIY manuals that told us how to do the jobs in a real step by step simple fashion.

Chris said:

If you're still learning the ropes then a manual like this might help: Honda NC700 Service Workshop Owners Manual NC700S NC700SA NC700SD NC700X NC700XA | eBay

Old Can Ride is right that the official Honda workshop manual covers all jobs on the bike - it's actually better written and clearer than a lot of official workshop manuals I've seen. But it is written for people who already have a lot of technical knowledge.

If you haven't done much maintenance & repair work before then you probably would benefit from a manual more oriented to the DIY person who needs more explanation about how to do jobs. I know when I was learning I'd have been lost following an official manual but in those days we had DIY manuals that told us how to do the jobs in a real step by step simple fashion.

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I've already posted about this in here!
http://nc700-forum.com/forum/nc700-technical/3528-service-manual.html

The comparision between a motorcycle and a car is valid. Motorcycle engines generally work harder at what they do compared to a car. They rev higher and usually their valve mechanisms work directly on the valves due to higher rpm ranges can allow the valves to get out of phase with the crankshaft and pistons - a condition called valve float. A valve that cannot be well controlled across it's range of operation can strike a piston and wreck the motor. Valves out of adjustment can also burn from overheating or hammer the valve seat out of the designed shape it has to have in order to seal the combustion chamber where the fuel is burned. Many types of car engines have hydraulic valve lifters now and they may not need looking after for the life of the engine which can be well over 200,000 or even 300,000 miles whereas most motorcycles still use some sort of direct mechanical operation of the valves. It is necessary to maintain the clearances built into the valve train to prevent damage and/or costly repairs and that is why motorcycle valves need checking more often.

Manufacturers build generous margins of tolerance into these machines and often outright neglect of scheduled maintenance does not inflict pain upon the owner/operator the entire time they own the machine and often to high mileages. Many of us know someone that takes pride in doing no maintenance because these generous margins take care of them and dealers or repair shops "are a rip off" to them. Don't buy their used stuff. On the other hand often maintenance schedules or intervals can be lengthened based on the condition of operation but the manufacturer has to lay out maintenance intervals based on the lowest common denominator of service conditions and also manufacturing tolerances of the multitude of parts spinning in close proximity to each other. You might get a prince of a motor or you might get a frog.

So, what to do? If one is familiar with these and other factors that affect maintenance intervals they may shorten or lengthen or ignore recommended maintenance and take responsibility for the outcome. People not so familiar may still defer or ignore maintenance but at their own peril.

dduelin.....
Very well explained, and understood....Thanks !!!

VALVE CLEARANCE:

IN: 0.17 ± 0.02 mm (0.007 ± 0.001 in)
EX: 0.28 ± 0.02 mm (0.011 ± 0.001 in)

Question is, will my feeler gauge work? Can you put 2 gauges on top of each other to get the required values?

Yes, that will get her done. I like the blades with the 45 degree angle better, but that is just a personal thing.

Someone suggested using go-no-go feeler gauges which you can find on amazon for ~ $14. Supposed to help with the guess work in using feeler gauges. I plan on picking up a set since I haven't used feeler gauges much since the 80s.

Question is, will my feeler gauge work? Can you put 2 gauges on top of each other to get the required values?

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Frankly I would get the proper size gauges to begin with. I got a set from Ace that have the 45 deg bend and all the proper sizes.

Valve adjustment worked like a charm. Took about 3 hours. Cyl 2 valves were all fine. Adjusted All 4 on Cyl 1 although they were within spec but seemed a bit loose. ie could get the .008 and .012 gauges in the slot and they seemed too easy to move.

Oddly enough mine has had a slight ticking from factory on both sides of the motor. When I asked the dealer about it, they said that is nothing to be worried about. I think I will be checking my valves sooner rather than later.

Thanks for the replies. Are there feeler gauge with 0.17mm and 0.28mm thickness?

If not with my existing tool and following the go-no-go method, do I use 0.15mm and 0.20mm for intake valves, and 0.25mm and 0.30mm for exhaust valves? Looks like may have some issue with meeting the specs for exhaust valves.