Valve Adjustment Interval - 2012/13 Model Versus 2014/15 Model

[Ruggybuggy]

Did not know about the ball on the end of the "tappet" to help reduce wear. Thanks for all the replies.

 

[Talamask]

My 2015 DCT manual says 16k Valve check intervals, with the first one being at 16k miles. I can take a picture if anyone wants to see it.

 

[musicman]

That's the only thing I don't like about my NC, or a lot of my other bikes, adjusting the valves. My 1100 Shadow has hydraulic lash adjusters, 53,000 miles and the engine hasn't been opened up yet.

 

[MZ5]

I hate manual/mechanical valve adjustments, too. No reason for a low-rpm design like ours to not use hydraulic lash adjusters (HLAs).

At least the NCX has screw adjusters. Shim-under-bucket types are THE WORST.

 

[musicman]

My old man's CBX drag bike runs shim under bucket, that's a miserable job pulling the cams and such to set the valves, its converted to that due to the crazy cams it has (risk spitting a shim out in stock over bucket setup) Shim over bucket isn't so bad, usually I can get close moving them around cylinder to cylinder and just buy 1 or 2 shims. But yeah, at least the NC doesn't have any of that!!

 

[donx]

hmmm.
Im not too woried but my nc seems a little "rattly" with about 1000 mile on the clock. Is it too early for a valve check?

 

[kjang]

I called two honda authorized shops for 8k miles service. First shop says I need a valve adjust. Second shop I called say I don't need it till 16k miles.
So I went with the second shop.

 

[jayceegee]

I called two honda authorized shops for 8k miles service. First shop says I need a valve adjust. Second shop I called say I don't need it till 16k miles.
So I went with the second shop.

Smart man. 16K it is for me as well and confirmed by a couple of calls to Honda dealers around the WA state area.

 

[iaRider]

I changed my oil for the 600 mile service when the local shop wanted to charge me $300 for my first service and decided to wait to check on the valves until 8k as my bike is whisper quiet. Good idea, bad idea, or doesn't matter until noisy?

 

[Beemerphile]

I changed my oil for the 600 mile service when the local shop wanted to charge me $300 for my first service and decided to wait to check on the valves until 8k as my bike is whisper quiet. Good idea, bad idea, or doesn't matter until noisy?

The valves are quietest when they are too tight. Too tight is also the most dangerous to the health of the engine. Once you decide on the interval you want to use, the only solution is to check the clearance. Whether and how often you check them depends on whether your objective to see how little maintenance you can get away with, or to see how well you can care for your machine. The prudent path is "check early and extend if warranted". Medical professionals employ the same process. A lot of good six month checkups will usually get you a one year checkup. Several of those might get you to 18 months. They don't just assume without looking that because there are no symptoms that everything is OK, nor do they call you back unnecessarily for frequent checks when things have a history at the current interval of being OK.

 

[Bamo]

Worked for Honda for years. Did numerous services on "Streetbikes where the customer requested valve adjustment. I was an honest service manager so I would advise the customer that it was recommended by Honda but not something typically needed. I can not recall ever needing to set clearance....ever. I did check mine on my ST1300, at 47K miles. Perfect, no adjustment needed. Not saying it is bad to check, just to make sure the assembly line guy was not having a bad day, but I am not going to do it to my bike. I am at 20k and it still sounds the same. The CRF250's and 450's have titanium intake valves. If you did not clean your air filter right and get it back on correctly, sand would wipe them out. The valve surface would wear, forcing the stem further up in the head, making the valve tight/open. I do not see that being an issue for us on the road. I think the valve service interval on the Honda Fit is 120K. Same top end right?

 

[turbodieseli4i6]

I've adjusted the valves three times in 32,000 miles on my NCX. Two times, I have had valves that were out of spec. Not by much, but out by Honda's specs. Your choice whether you do it or not, but if I buy a used NC someday for one of my boys. I will be asking if the scheduled maintenance was done or not. Checking the valves on this bike is too easy not to do. I'm planning to get as much miles out of this bike as possible.
Ymmv

 

[Agent]

I checked mine at 8000 miles and found the two left exhaust valves too tight. Several other people mentioned the same issue. They weren't out by much, but I brought them back into spec anyway.

 

[dduelin]

Mine also needed adjustment at 8,000 though not at 16 or 24,000 IIRC. If I hadn't checked and corrected a tight exhaust valve at 8,000 it could have caused problems by 30,000 or 40,000 miles. It's easy to do and provides peace of mind if anything. Bikes I like I keep a long time. My ST1300 has 155,000 miles on it. I stretch the valve check intervals from 16,000 to 20 now to 30,000 but I check them and a tight exhaust valve found at 86,000 miles might have burnt after that. I saw it getting tighter at 20, 45, and 65,000 miles. That is another reason you check them, particularly the first and second checks, to get benchmarks, to see movement. Bike engines live a harder life than a typical car engine and things can get out of spec quicker.

I don't understand advice that basically says to ignore recommended maintenance. Yes, many bikes don't need adjustment for a long time but if you take that advice and don't check then you don't know they are in spec or not so the statistics people use are not reliable. And it's a bet you take that your bike was built on a day the assembly technician got all the clearances right. Another thing is many bikes don't really get ridden much so they never get into expensive repairs unless a second or third owner racks up miles.

IIRC the Honda Fit gives a check engine code to check valves based on manifold pressures. It can come on as low as 30,000 miles. Looking in Fit forums shows at least some owners checking them between 30 and 50,000 miles. This is not unreasonable based on how a car engine lives. It's geared lower and turns lower rpms for equivalent road speeds and usually is revved less between gear changes. If fitted with a CVT transmission it lives much of it's time in a narrow range of most efficient rpm and doesn't speed up and slow down with every acceleration/deceleration cycle.

 

[Bamo]

I don't think anyone ever said to ignore the maintenance guidelines. All I said was that if you don't do them at the first service, it will probably be okay.

 

[Beemerphile]

... if you don't do them at the first service, it will probably be okay.

Give me a choice between probably and certainly on this issue and I'll take certainly every time.

 

[showkey]

IIRC the Honda Fit gives a check engine code to check valves based on manifold pressures.

^^^^^^^^This not exactly correct. There is no code for valve adjustment. If the valve(s) are tight the most likely code would be misfire. General code or a specific cylinder may appear. If the valves were loose the complaint most likely be noise. There are some Honda car engines that setting the valves to the loose side the spec is called for cords for some fuel trim Errors. It has to do with valve over lap. That how critical valve adjustment can be with some engine and how it plays with emissions values.

The MAP has a very wide range in normal operation. The check for the MAP. Sensor or value is change the scan Scan data value to volts. MAP value of 1.0 volt or below hot idle, no load , no accessories on is considered normal. This is not substitute for checking the valves but a quick check method when completing an engine scan.

If one had a scan tool of the NC or other Honda bike you could could easily determine the normal MAP value. Then determine or judge the valve setting from that value. This assumes everything else remains exactly the same. Even small changes Engine load, vacuum leaks, RPM, general engine health will effect the MAP value.

 

[dduelin]

Thanks for that info Showkey. I'm under the impression a check engine light can be triggered by many things, among them something out of spec that leads to variations in manifold pressure leading a diagnosis that a valve(s) needing adjustment or repair. My point was that a Fit valve check interval is not 120,000 miles.

 

[draco_1967]

I checked mine at a little over 8k. They were in spec, but just barely. They were on the tight side of the range, so I adjusted them back to the middle. I will check again at 16k, and see where they are. If I rode 10k miles every year I might feel differently, but I don't so I'll keep checking when the handbook says.

 

[Bamo]

I ask because I'm taking my 2012 in for it's 8,000 service next week, and I'm sure the valve check will be a hefty piece of the overall 8,000 mile service charge. The service manager mentioned when I set up the appointment that it's rare that they find a bike needing it's valves adjusted at the 8,000 mile service.

I agree with him OP. My two cents.