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First valve adjustment heads up

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Rennie

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I have a 13 NC700SAD and thought I would check the valves at 8500kms/5200miles. All four ex were very tight (could not get intake feeler in) and intake similar. Honda recommends 12000kms for first valve adjustment but I would suggest checking earlier? Many years ago while working as a MC Tech saw burnt valves from not enough clearance. Just wanted to post a heads up!
 
I'm not doubting your mechanical ability, but if they were all really tight, can you be certain the camshaft was in the correct orientation during the check and adjustment? Some service manual version give the wrong info for the alignment marks in the camshaft inspection window. At least one forum member here loosened his all up only to have to go back and readjust when the error was discovered.

Most people are reporting only little (if any) adjustments needed at 8000 miles. Honda has moved the first check to 16,000 miles in later maintenance schedules.

But if yours were all just too tight at 5200 miles, that's good to know.
 
Last edited:
What Greg said, Rennie

Totally no offense meant, but it surely would be an oddball occurrence to have all of the valves so tight a feeler wouldn't go in. I won't say it can't happen obviously, but I've never seen it in all my years of doing locknut valve checks (that's a lot, btw, lol)

I would be uber suspicious of it not being an accidental error in the info used to determine the procedure (that manual with the backwards instructions) or a user hiccup :eek:

If you mention that you double checked and all the rocker arms could wiggle freely for the valves you were measuring, but the tolerances were still that far off, well, I apologize for my speculation, and am very surprised.

Is it anyway possible that the feeler gauges you used had the incorrect thicknesses marked on them, or mm mistaken for in.?
 
It is not normal. That's all they were judiciously trying to say.

Of course, you know it's not normal. That's why you posted up!
Thanks!
 
Rennie said:
I have a 13 NC700SAD and thought I would check the valves at 8500kms/5200miles. All four ex were very tight (could not get intake feeler in) and intake similar. Honda recommends 12000kms for first valve adjustment but I would suggest checking earlier? Many years ago while working as a MC Tech saw burnt valves from not enough clearance. Just wanted to post a heads up!
Click to expand...

How many years ago was it? People offering sound advice and you didn't even consider taking it. Ride the hell out of it and good luck.
Mike
 
I am out of here!!! Just trying to give some heads up and know it all's know better! After many years with Honda Canada Inc. in Service/Tech Training then on to other departments, I know how to adjust valves, thank you!
 
Rennie said:
I am out of here!!! Just trying to give some heads up and know it all's know better! After many years with Honda Canada Inc. in Service/Tech Training then on to other departments, I know how to adjust valves, thank you!
Click to expand...

don't blame you, but many of the posts were being just about as polite as one could be.
 
Rennie said:
I am out of here!!! Just trying to give some heads up and know it all's know better! After many years with Honda Canada Inc. in Service/Tech Training then on to other departments, I know how to adjust valves, thank you!
Click to expand...

Aw man, don't be that way! :(

It's just that the only other times any of us here on the forum have come across this exact scenario, was when the poor bike owners, through no fault of their own, used the wrong info as shown in a published shop manual, where the TDC markings were listed 180* out.

Know it alls, good grief, not by a long shot! All the respect in the world was meant, only trying to help out mate. At first encounter on a forum we can't instantly know all of your past mehanical knowledge history, and completely ignore all of our findings on the subject, exactly as described. Anyone can drop a quick couple lines in a post and say they were somebody, or did something, but *we* don't know that, until we get to know you.

Isn't for the best to err on the side of caution, just in case?
 
670cc and LBS are nice guys. I'm the kind of newbie that could make the mistake they are mentioning, so don't be offended, they do it to help idiots like me (and I need all the help I can get!)
 
Bug Dr. said:
... People offering sound advice and you didn't even consider taking it. Ride the hell out of it and good luck.
Mike
Click to expand...

WTF? Did I miss something?
Rennie started this thread. So how he could refuse any "sound advice"?
You just insulted good guy who wanted to share his experience and I'm sure you don't even realize that.
No apologies are expected from you.
 
I first checked mine at 27,000 Kms and all except one clearance were tight. They were not so tight that they would have resulted in burned valves but nonetheless tight.

With regard to the camshaft position, I was aware that there was an error in the manual in relation to the camshaft position markers. However when I was taught about valve clearances years ago, one aspect I was told was to watch the inlet rocker on the cylinder to be checked while turning the crankshaft. When that inlet rocker compresses fully and then starts to come back up again, then it is time to look for the marks on the Crankshaft to line up. When they are lined up then marks on the camshaft should line up also. In such a position the rocker arms on the relevant cylinder should have some form of clearance in them, and it is time to check and adjust.

I made the assumption that the same applies to the NC. When lined up using the above method, there certainly were clearances in all the tappets, but as suggested above they were all tight except one.

To Rennie I would suggest lighten up a little. Thank you for the post. It was much appreciated. However the folks who offered advice, did so out of concern. Nothing else. They were aware that there previously had been a problem and just wanted to ensure that you did not fall into the same trap.

I believe most folks found some tightness in the clearances on the first checks at the proper mileage. However it would appear that the level of tightness that you reported for such low mileage, was unusual, hence the alarm bells ringing. I must admit they rang with me also and I even doubted my own findings for a while. Thanks again.
 
Fuzzy said:
This thread suggests to me that Honda factory screwed up one. Something done wrong at factory for valves to be like this in 5,000 miles.
Click to expand...

Brand new bike and there the issue lies. They set the interval at 8000 miles for the 700 and then extended it to 16000 for the later bikes. I would suggest that the general tightening up was allowed for and after feedback from dealers they extended the period. Mine were quite tight after 27,000kms but there still were clearances that were (imho) sufficient to prevent damage.
 
As a 59 year old newbie to motorcycle maintenance, I appreciate all the information I can get from this forum. The range of ability and knowledge of the membership is huge. I am glad to see unusual occurrences being questioned to ensure the information is accurate. To everyone involved in this forum, keep up the good work.
 
lootzyan said:
Could you, please, read one more time all posts from the beginning in chronological order.
Is there something missing between posts #2 & #3 (advice) and #4 (bullying)? Was there some negative response, now erased, which I don't see anymore?
Click to expand...

Rennie made a post after post #3, edited it, then deleted it. There may have been content that is now missing that subsequent posts refer to, adding to the confusion of the present casual observer.
 
lootzyan said:
WTF? Did I miss something?
Rennie started this thread. So how he could refuse any "sound advice"?
You just insulted good guy who wanted to share his experience and I'm sure you don't even realize that.
No apologies are expected from you.
Click to expand...

I'm not insulting anyone and I'm certainly not going to apologize for my remark. He was trying to give us a heads-up on all of his valves needing adjustment and kind folks here brought it to his attention that the manual might have given him bad advice. His was reply was to slap all of the advice away by telling us that he knows what the hell he is doing and doesn't need any advice on how to check valves. To me that is somewhat condescending and arrogant.

My point was that if you don't want to at least listen to the people that have experience with this bike, this service manual and this forum then to hell with you and your holier than thou attitude. Go ride your damn bike.

It just may be that he is the first NC owner that needed to adjust every valve after only a few thousand miles.....I doubt it.
Mike
 
This forum is one of the most laid back I've been on. It's because the people are laid back.
This is the most contentious thread I've seen. The contention is not from the people that have been here for awhile.

Rennie, of you're still reading , I think you should rethink the advice given . No one meant to degrade your knowledge .
We speak out of our experiences only.
 
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