8,000 mile service.

[Hmcp88]

I've not had to do the job yet - and won't be doing it for a long time as first service will be at dealer for warranty preservation so I'm talking from no practical experience of the job. But I've read the service manual through on the subject a couple of times and it does not suggest removing the radiator. It specifies disconnecting the radiator mountings and the cooling fan but then says to just lower the radiator in order to access the cylinder head cover - it does add a special note to be careful not to damage the radiator fins so space will be tight no doubt.

Chris

I read the same thing..but after some trial and error it just does not seem possible. There is hardly any movement in the radiator when you dismount it. The hoses are too tight I guess. I figure it may be possible but instead of fighting the radiator I would rather just have a clear shot at the valves with it out of the way.


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[L.B.S.]

It's amazing how far engine design has come. They can now hold a valve cover on with just 3 bolts and it doesn't leak!

That was my first thought!

Three! Three?

My BMW valve cover had speeeeeecial BMW bolts ($$$) (that didn't even work, so you had to buy a "new and improved" retrofit kit to swap them all out) (and then they still didn't work)

...and my bike spewed oil like the Exxon Valdez. So much so, that I was actually worried about catching fire, 'cause most of it dumped directly onto the header pipes. Great clouds of blue smoke would billow up from under the fairing and obscure my instrument cluster.

And you couldn't reuse any of the gaskets, of course. The valve cover gasket kit was well over $100.00 Canadian, and came with new bolts! You couldn't buy just the gaskets, you had to buy the whole kit, and use new bloody bolts every frigging time as well!

So the NCX uses three bolts, has no oil leaks, and you can reuse everything pretty much indefinitely. If you do want to buy bits, you can get them all seperately, and they are all cheap. (This is the same as with all my previous Hondas, I never had any oil leaks or ever had to buy a new valve cover gasket, ever. Let alone new special bolts every time, lol)


Boy, I sure am sad that I traded in my BMW for my new Honda.


<dripping sarcasm>

 

[mcook]

Just another data point. Serial #007 got its 8000-mile check this week. All four exhaust valves were at 0.009 in, one intake was at 0.006 in while the others were dead on at 0.007. The spark plugs looked really good. And this is on California's crappy regular unleaded. I gave the bike an oil change, general inspection and lube as specified by the manual. Took about half a day but a lot of that was a matter of discovery.

Only two issues. First, whoever did the 600-mile service must have installed the oil filter with a huge breaker bar. It absolutely wouldn't come off without brute force. Second, the Honda light bar blocks access to the radiator cap, which is a minor PITA.

Otherwise, this was one of the easiest maintenance events I've done in a long, long time. (Maybe my DR650 is easier, but even then you have to pull SOME bodywork.)



Both plugs looked this good.



With the NC up on the lift, access to the top of the motor is fantastic. Removing the radiator is the only thing close to difficult, and it's actually pretty easy.

 

[Hmcp88]

One thing I have noticed after doing this service and adjusting all valves is that the fuel mileage on the interstate has come up. I would imagine since the valves were so tight and when they are tight they don't close all the way when hot that at higher speeds for longer periods you could loose fuel efficiency. It makes sense in my head that if the combustion isn't fully sealed it could loose mileage. All I know is I was not surprised to see 50's mpg at 75-80mph and now I can't get it to drop in the 50's mpg even riding hard on the interstate. I rode the interstate for about half that last tank and got 66mpg. A big plus I have seen since this service...

 

[TwoSlow]

Thanks for the information. Looks like you have a Harbor Freight mcycle lift: best $300 I spent, but I added a front wheel chock from Cycle Gear that really secures the bike. I bought my lift the second time I had to pull the engine on my previous bike: a 1997 Triumph Trophy. At 30k I had to remove the engine, turn it over, and remove the transmission to replace a sheared bolt on the sprag clutch shaft. Three years later and I had to do the same thing to replace the sprag clutch itself. That was when I decided to trade it in for my NC. My son has a 06 Honda Shadow Spirit, and I am trying to restore a 1981 Suzuki GS 550, so my lift will stay occupied, I'm sure.

 

[OriginalRocket]

Those spark plugs look like iridium. If it is, that's a sweet OEM setup! And then I'll believe they can go the full 30k miles!

 

[mcook]

I would imagine since the valves were so tight and when they are tight they don't close all the way when hot that at higher speeds for longer periods you could loose fuel efficiency. It makes sense in my head that if the combustion isn't fully sealed it could loose mileage.

In this case, I'd actually be surprised if the adjustment has any measurable effect. The valves were out of spec by one thousandth of an inch. I doubt very much that the operating clearances change enough from cold to hot to keep the valves from properly seating.