Valve Adjustment Step-By-Step

[yearroundrider]

No problemo, hopefully someone uses it. It took me a while to post it, lol.

I will be using this next weekend. Going to have some father and son time working on the bike. I'm the son. [emoji3] thanks for taking the time to take pictures and post this. Looks easy enough and glad to save $400 too!


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[Antarius]

You'll do just fine, guaranteed.

 

[LA_NC700X]

I have never done valves adjustment on anything before. The only things that I have done are oil changes on many different bikes, cables lube, bleeds the brake fluid and chains lube.

I will try this coming weekend. Need to go get a filler gauge first. Hopefully this doesn't mean I need to get a new engine or new bike on Monday... LOL

 

[itlives]

You too can do it LA! You want a slight drag on the feeler gauge. Tight but not so tight you can't re-insert it. Take your time. It'll probably take you all afternoon but the intimate time spent with your bike is....priceless.
Remember, too tight is WAY worse than too loose (you can burn a valve).
For posterity, write down each valves' number. You'll want to know if one is getting too tight when you do it again..

 

[670cc]

Be sure you have a torque wrench, too. The valve cover bolts do not need much torque. People have broken one off (if they broke two off they probably shouldn't be servicing their bikes).

 

[LA_NC700X]

I will probably do this first thing in the morning on either sat or sun.

I guess before I make any adjustment, just write down all 8 intake/exhaust valves current tightness. Use the filler gauge and find the one that will fit the gap... Just a bit of drag... I guess I will find out what that mean...

When time comes for adjustment, loosening those that are too tight and use the correct filler gauge and tighten up, then tighten lock nut. Sounds about right?

 

[itlives]

That's the way to do it. Nothing like actual practice!
BTW - it's a feeler gauge because you have to get the feel of it.

 

[NCGUY]

I just bought my daughter an NC700. I didn't like the 8000 mile valve check and dealer cost. This I can do and will teach her how to do it too. Thanks a bunch.

 

[LA_NC700X]

I just realized late last night that... Where is the spark plugs on the engine????? Normally plugs are between the input and output valves...
Might as well replace the spark plugs since I am taking so many things apart, thinking the air filter too, may be some k/n type air filter.

 

[Grey1one]

You may want to hold off on the plugs, they are not cheap.

 

[LA_NC700X]

You may want to hold off on the plugs, they are not cheap.

Thanks, I just found another trend that talk about the plugs and found out where the plugs are located... Right below the cylinders! Almost $30 per plug? Really???

 

[670cc]

Spark plugs found below the cylinders?

We determined in a former thread the the NGK BKR6E-11 plugs (same as used in GL1800) will work just fine in the NC700X, and they cost $2.50 each. No sense in replacing yours, however. The original iridium plugs in the NC700X should be good for 60,000 miles or more, according to NGK. Assuming your mileage is not near that high, pulling yours out now would be a total waste.

 

[LA_NC700X]

Spark plugs found below the cylinders?

We determined in a former thread the the NGK BKR6E-11 plugs (same as used in GL1800) will work just fine in the NC700X, and they cost $2.50 each. No sense in replacing yours, however. The original iridium plugs in the NC700X should be good for 60,000 miles or more, according to NGK. Assuming your mileage is not near that high, pulling yours out now would be a total waste.

Good! Once less thing to do. One last question. How dirty will air-filter be? My NC is 24,xxx miles.

 

[670cc]

Good! Once less thing to do. One last question. How dirty will air-filter be? My NC is 24,xxx miles.

I would replace the air filter at 24,000 miles. That's when I plan to do mine for the first time. Compared to other vehicles and engine sizes, I thinks the NC air filter is fairly large. Unless you live in a dusty environment, it should be fine for 25k. (I know the manual calls for changing it sooner). Bottom line is pull the filter and look at it.

Order one now, either way. Sometimes the filters are back ordered.

 

[itlives]

Take a look at the fourth pic in this thread. It is my air filter with around 6,000 miles on it.
Like 670 cc said , it depends on how dusty your area is.
Btw- you can clean your filter if you're careful. Soak it in Purple Power over night and rinse (the way the air blows) with washer hose. Let it dry thoroughly. I bought an extra so no down time - just switch it out and go.
http://nc700-forum.com/forum/nc700-mods/6757-emergency-frunk-cable-made-simple.html

 

[LA_NC700X]

May I check that the cam sprocket marks (1 & 3) should align with the lower cylinder head index line (4) instead of (2)? At (2), all the valves were overly tight. I'm only at 7k km.

What??? I did valves adjust this past saturday and I was using the top (2) mark. Yes, all the valves were super tight and none of my feeler can go in.

I been riding my bike around for over 50 miles and notice the valves seems louder than before... Power and everything else is the same. What kind of damage have I done?

I am very confuse here, the honda service manual say user the (2) and here everyone agree to use the (4)??

Please help!

 

[LA_NC700X]

I can't redo this adjustment till next weekend.

What kind of damage it will do if I put on another 80 miles on my bike?

Please help guys...

 

[670cc]

I suspect you may have loosened the valves because they were on the cams when you checked them, instead of slack. The simple method is just forget the cam marks and don't even remove the cover. Put the crank in the requested position. If they're tight, as in you can't wiggle the rocker, rotate the crank 360 degrees and then recheck to see if they're slack. If the valves you are supposed to adjust at that crank position are loose, that's the right position.

On a properly running engine adjusted at proper intervals, if the valves were inspected and all found with no clearance, something would be very seriously wrong.

 

[L.B.S.]

What??? I did valves adjust this past saturday and I was using the top (2) mark. Yes, all the valves were super tight and none of my feeler can go in.

I been riding my bike around for over 50 miles and notice the valves seems louder than before... Power and everything else is the same. What kind of damage have I done?

I am very confuse here, the honda service manual say user the (2) and here everyone agree to use the (4)??

Please help!

It's not your fault.

http://nc700-forum.com/forum/how-tos/4513-valve-adjustment-step-step-4.html

See post number 33, and read the several posts prior to it. Depending on what manual you have, there was a mistake made in one of the early ones that had the timing marks to be used, wrong. Use the bottom notches [4], not the upper ones.

 

[Antarius]

Yup. Error in some of the manuals. Use the "bottom mark", which is really the mark to the "rear" of the bike the way our engines are oriented.