I am just about to get my 12000 (km) service and asked wether the valve clearances needed adjustment. The guy got back to me and said that while the book may say this is the case, the kawasaki dealers he talked to said that it was a waste of money as most rider dont tend to rev the beast's too hard so the valve clearances stay good through to 18-24000 km.

I was wondering at what interval do the members here adjust their valve clearances ?

Given that I have trouble working out which end of a screwdriver to use, I am happy to let the mechanic do his work. I just want to make sure they are doing the right thing by me and 'pammy' (so named cause of her HUGE CANS).

Cheers

OZ

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do your valves at 12000 and maybe after that you can let it slide a bit longer between intervals

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Personally i'm not planning on checking mine until the end of the next riding season (~16-20k) 12k is a really short interval and I agree with the mechanic, unless you are riding/racing the bike hard you should be fine, there's been a couple of other posts from members who have checked the valves at 12k and I haven't seen a single post saying that they needed adjustment.

Valve adjustments and oil changes 2 of the things i disagree with from the owners manual... for some reason it says you should change the oil @ 1000km & 12,000km... wtf??

Regardless, if you are worried, get them checked the labour to check will be a LOT less then replacing if the valves and seats if they are way out for too long and the valves get burned (or god help you if there's valve/piston contact, but that's rather extreme) and the only other downside to not getting them checked is if you do have any engine issue and you try to claim it under warranty but the issue is deemed a result of out of spec valves you won't be covered.

Thanks for advice blokes :)

Nightmare, yeah they told me it was going to cost me about $400 in labor to check the valve clearances.... The longer I can postphone that particular hip pocket pain (within reason), the better.

I think I will be ok, as I tend to ride the beast below 5000 rpm most days, and when I feel adventurous I might take it to 7000....

Above 5000 it get pretty hectic :)

OZ

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I'm coming home in the dark at a clip of about 120/130mph for a short blip up. Year killing me Larry is thinking of that bottom end or when the pin falls out of this grenade, I beat it every time out. Once I get that other bike off the rack, I'll have a HOW-To - Check the valve lash 2-ways.

The manual says at 12K check as per interval. I cut my intervals in half. So if the A/C is to be changed at 12K, mine is out at 6K. Oil is changed when the shift signs off and that is roughly about 3K on the oil.

Yes, I agree. You pound those tiny beauties into the head and everything changes = Flow/Heat Distribution. So, I do not fart around with either of those two variables as far as keeping the 'smooth' in place.

Therefore, I need to $&%*(^*#@($@%*# and when I have that setting, I am going to clean house. So, I may show you the steps. YOu better know I can't mention chit about getting that thing up to AMA spec. But you'll see it is figure it out I say nothing.

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Did they change the inspection interval for '08? I went home last night and checked my '06 O.M. and it says first valve inspection at 24,000 Kilos or 15,000 miles. I don't rev mine to redline very often, rarely go beyond 7000 revs so it's 15,000 miles for me. If the manual is wrong on this, let me know.

Kruz

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On these modern bikes the first check is really to see how far out they are from the factory. Once you KNOW they are set properly some people find they don't go out of spec at all - and that includes people who 'abuse' their rev limiters...

The purity and consistency of modern alloys combined with exacting tolerance manufacturing is an amazing thing indeed.

Kruz,
The'08 owner's manual says the same 24,000km or 15,000miles

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24000 km...... nice one. I have been riding along listening to the engine, trying to work out if I really do need to get the valve clearances, but this is good news I can stop agonizing over it.

This gives me plenty of time to save up for the job then. Given my history with DIY mechanics (car crash caused by my botched brake job and having the valves tap dancing on the pistons after I tried to change a head gasket) I have no interest in 'tinkering' with a high performance engine such as my ZX14.

I did pluck up the courage to change the oil myself recently, but that was on my old CBR1000F.

OZ

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There is no way I would trust valve adjustment to a dealership mechanic. It may take me twice as long the first time (usually does) but I have the satisfaction of knowing it was done right and no corners were cut. I know there are good, honest, competent dealership mechanics out there but there's also a lot who aren't and it's sometimes difficult to know who's who until it's too late (kinda like finding a good hair stylist) . If you don't feel like tackling the valve inspection by yourself, find someone in your area that has done the job before and you supply the beer while they spin the wrenches. You'll learn something and save boocoo bucks in the process just make sure the beer/wrenching ratio doesn't get too far out of hand!

Kruz

* Last updated by: Kruz on 5/19/2009 @ 7:26 AM *

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Just had mine done at 17000 mi. spec is intake .0059 to.0079 in. intake, .0087 to .0106 in. exhaust

from #1 to #4 as sitting on the bike left to right
Exhaust .009 .009, .009 .009, .0095 .0095, .010 .009
Intake .0075 .0079, .0069 .0069, .0075 .006, .007 .006

no adjustment needed, except the turds caused a valve cover leak, which they "fixed" with a new gasket and another day of not riding and it still leaks! dumb turds ! guess I'll just have to do it myself if I want it right (thought I would save some time letting the dealer do it - at least they did not charge me for the 4 hours and gasket for the replacement) but anyway when I fix the leak myself I will wait till around 24000 mi. to recheck the adjustment, Shim under bucket valve trains only tighten up the clearance as they wear ( vale seat ) so it should be right at or ever so slightly under the service limit on the exhaust, intake should go to around 30K mi., but the exhaust will wear faster due to the elevated temps they run at. How do I know this? 40 years of wrenching, certified master mechanic, class A heavy duty mechanic, owned my own shop, have rebuilt hundreds of engines - gas, deisel, propane, fuel, etc. The danger of letting a valve clearance get too tight is the combustion gasses will squirt past a tight valve @ zero clearance and it will burn the valve and seat - too loose and it will clatter, make noise, loose power, and accelerate cam wear.
Obsevations = well desighed valve train / head, liquid cooling rocks! (used to own a CBX, and with 24 valves it needed adjustment every 7000 mi. - I blame air cooling, but was quicker to do with the shims on top of the buckets - no never spit a shim, even at 14000 rpm) last Kaw I had, 74 Z1, did spit shims, (shim over bucket),but had a radical cam and I abused the crap outta it. Bottom line is I give the ZX-14 upper end a B+ - it would have been an A but I do not particularly like the automatic cam chain adjuster - it sounds like a good idea, but too many rattle on startup - I would rather manualy adjust the chain. Other than the dealer induced valve cover leak the only trouble I have had with my '06 is a hole in my wallet from the tires this thing eats - but that is the price of formula 1 performance @ middle class income. What would a 190 mph, 9 sec. 37 mpg car cost ? 120K, 200K ? I rest my case.

Well Paladin-sounds good.At 15,000 I was ready to have Kawi check mine.The guy said"wait till 24,000".Okay-I will then.She's at 21,000 right now.WoHoo-FUN FUN FUN!!!!Runs like a raped ape.I hear ya on the tires!!!Having ANOTHER one replaced in the morning.Geez,that's about 8 tires in 2 1/2 years.It's all good.3 fronts,5 rears.Ya man-I LOVE this bike!!!!

It sounds like you're having a love affair with acceleration Blue....alotta rubbers in a short period a' time lol

Hey Blue - you should try the Conti Road attack tires - so far they are the only ones I have been able to keep under this thing for any length of time, and they grip well wet or dry.
FYI, I broke my bike in on conventional oil then switched to synthetic @ 5000 mi. - most ware will stop with a good quality synth, but the valve seats do not get oiled (unless the rings go south!) I am probabbly throwing money away changeing the oil out every 3K mi. (1K mi. on the conventional) but it makes me feel better -oil's cheap compared to motor parts/down time, but internal combustion causes dirt and the dirt is removed with the oil/filter change.
Hey one more thing about the Road attack's - they look cool! very very important......

Hey all-yeah,tires-might as well have fun on em!I may try those road attacks in the future.I don't change my oil but about every 3,000 miles either.Usually when the shifting becomes notchy-that's for me a pretty good indicator.Like clockwork.Very cool.My bike talks to me!Ride safe you guys!!!!!

The European 14 manuals recommend a valve check at 26k miles if I remember right. Yamaha also recommends 26k for all their inline-4 sportbikes. All the modern inline-4's use the same valvetrain architecture.....so 24k miles for a first check on a 14 doesn't sound at all bad to me Neither of my bikes are getting checked till 26k miles and I'd bet big money they'll both be within spec
BTW Blue I'm running road attacks on my busa.........so far I like'm lots, handle awesome and seem to be wearing great I change the full syn in my busa every 5k miles...prolly gonna be changing the dino (to save the clutch under big boost) in my turbo 14 every 2500

* Last updated by: BadinBlack on 6/10/2009 @ 9:44 PM *

As much of a pain as it might be (and I don't know how bad it is on this bike, on the ZRX it is a breeze with the fan shroud ripped out) I will always check my own valves. A lot of dealerships don't even frigging do the job and then charge you for checking them.

I REALLY wish I could do the valve adjustment/check myself.I don't know what to do.The idea of getting it wrong scares me.My bike runs so good-I don't want to mess it up-nor do I want a "mechanic"getting it wrong either.These guys are supposed to be Kawasaki Certified-But I've yet to see one a my dealer.If they can't get the plastics on right,how do I trust they will get the internal parts correct,and assembled professionally?I just get almost sick thinking about taking my great running bike over there.She's right at 23,000 miles-hasn't had the check yet.I mean I had to tell the last mechanic which way to turn the sprocket nut to loosen it.For God sakes,don't these guys READ a manual?.My dilemma.I know I can do most of the removal and install of the various parts-and get it right.I'd like to just take all the parts off that need to come off for the inspection,have someone come over and do the inspection/adjustment,then I could reassemble my bike.If I could check it myself-I WOULD.

Blue, just for you, I will bore you with a video of HOW-TO set crank/check shim gap/remove cams/change shims/re-time engine/re-sync [if shims need replacing] is give me a little more time on the engine. I clocked 7K a few days ago.

I'll have that valve cover off way before the first 15K interval.

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Hub Wrote:

Blue, just for you, I will bore you with a video of HOW-TO set crank/check shim gap/remove cams/change shims/re-time engine/re-sync [if shims need replacing] is give me a little more time on the engine. I clocked 7K a few days ago.

I'll have that valve cover off way before the first 15K interval.

Hub, videos would be cool! Just keep it SIMPLE JACK! <<<<<<<

Show us how Hub...show us how to do it...

Well-I'm just gonna have my dealer mechanic do it-I'm confident he can-HOWEVER...............I'm gonna REMOVE the bodywork BEFORE I take it over to him.So my bike will have it's first "naked"experience-WooHooo!(I've had too many "accidental slips" from dealer mechanics[read:scratched fairings and fenders].)My mechanic there is quite sharp about doing these kinds of things(mechanical)-but I'd feel a lot better putting the bodywork back on myself.So I'm cool with it.

* Last updated by: blue07 on 6/30/2009 @ 1:49 PM *

Blue wrote:

Well-I'm just gonna have my dealer mechanic do it-I'm confident he can-HOWEVER...............I'm gonna REMOVE the bodywork BEFORE I take it over to him.So my bike will have it's first "naked"experience-WooHooo!(I've had too many "accidental slips" from dealer mechanics[read:scratched fairings and fenders].)My mechanic there is quite sharp about doing these kinds of things(mechanical)-but I'd feel a lot better putting the bodywork back on myself.So I'm cool with it.

Blue, just a thought after you take off the necessary hardware/tupperware. Try to make an early appointment and put your "naked" bike in a pickup truck etc...and drop it off "cold" (engine must be cold to check clearances). Make sure your mechanic/tech has access to the necessary shim kit *if* need be. That way, you can pick your bike up at the end of the day. Independent race shops are usually pretty good at doing these things. Best of luck. That said... I still hope Hub shows howie do it?

* Last updated by: CoolWhip on 6/30/2009 @ 4:30 PM *

Thanks Coolwhip."Tech/Mechanic?"(I don't mean you)-I aint takin it over there afterall-friggin mechanic tells me he's NEVER done a valve check(on a 14)."Okay,well,how bout a 12?"I says.Nope-only a zx11(his).WTF?I have no desire to have anyone who hasn't at least done a few valve adjustments on a 12 touch my engine.SH#@.I have one more hope.A guy who used to work there-opened his own shop.He used to do the routine maintenance on my zx12, and my zzr 1200.I know this guy knows what to do.What a drag.So much for KAWASAKI CERTIFIED MECHANICS.WTF they teach those guys at KAWASAKI anyway-Maybe I'll sign up as a "certified"mechanic.Sh*&,I've done just about everything on my bike that they might do,short of tearin down the engine and that stuff.Now it makes sense him tellin me to wait till 24,000 miles.Wonder if the local Yamaha Dealer could do this?They do have a big azz dealership(and shop).Anyone think a valve check on a zx11 would qualify as "experience" for doing it on a 14?-I'm serious about this one.I honestly don't have any idea what it entails on a zx11.

* Last updated by: blue07 on 7/1/2009 @ 1:12 AM *

Do NOT = DO NOT >>> Use any other shim other than OEM! Data is all I am going to say!!!! 07???

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I understand about the shims-ya-That's EXACTLY what I'm talkin about with these guys-how do I know they aint gonna just do it "their way" and screw my engine up.I've read the manual-NO un-OEM shims, or sliding shims under another shim to get the clearances right.Maybe they could do that on earlier bikes(not 14's),but I aint chancin'that possibility.I can see it now-I'm blastin along at a buck fifty-BAM,she lets go.Maybe survive the ensuing crash,maybe not.I'd rather NEVER get em checked than have some guy do it wrong.Know what I mean?