1800 Valve check. How often?

[saddlesore]

I plan to take a two week ride out west from MI. and I am left wondering If I need to spend the $ to have my valves checked. I did it once @ 18000 mi.and they were fine. I am @ 36000 now. No knock or performance issues noticed as of now. Also I have the original battery from 03. used a battery tender each winter no problems so far. Fix if not broke?
I also plan to add A GPS and seperate outlet that may tax the current battery.I am new to this forum and need to figure out how best to use it this is my first post.So far have got some good information just reading other posts.Thanks in advance.

[Chicago-Spike]

In your service manual, every 8,000 miles but the first is the when the most adjustment is needed.. The don't ajust themselves, and you won't know if it is out of adjustment until it is too late.

[scup]

I'd get a battery, if the original one you speak of is 2003 battery.
You don't want to be sitting at a gas station trying to start your bike w/ a 7yr old battery IMO

[mark_1bx]

I'd do the valves again. You can't tell just by listening.

[LaFontaine]

My good friend is Service Manager at Honda Dealer and he confided in me that he has done many valve adjustments on the VTX1800 and never has he found one out of adjustment more than about one half a thousanth. In other words It just is another way for "Stealers" to make money.

I have had three VTX1800s. Have two of them now and I just ride'em like I stole them.

I would just worry about brakes, tires, battery, pressure regulator if you have one, shock bushings and air cleaner.

IMHO

Robert

[Poison]

Only way to know is to check them. I just did mine again and all of them were quite loose.

Service manual calls for a check every 8K btw.

[fastspek]

Originally Posted by scup

I'd get a battery, if the original one you speak of is 2003 battery.
You don't want to be sitting at a gas station trying to start your bike w/ a 7yr old battery IMO

+1

[mojoguy]

I just did mine at 10k. My buddy who was a tech for Honda for years says that after the initial check and adjustment, you can pretty much forget about them for many many miles.

[2002VTX]

Well, if you have only had them adjusted once in 36,000 miles, I would say you are overdue. Recommended 8,000 but I push it to 10,000 miles. I used to do it every rear tire change, but since I went darkside I am overdue for a change.

[mark_1bx]

I've done many valve adjustments. All I can tell you is there is no rhyme or reason why some need to be adjusted and some don't. The key point is to get them checked not by the tech who says they don't need it or the guy who bends down and listens to them but the guy OK, or women who will actually use a feeler gage and check them.

This Spring I did a valve adjustment on a 1800 that had been done previously by a dealer. Three valves had "0" clearance. It's cheaper to have the valves adjusted now than it would be to replace broke parts later.

The adjustment guidelines from Honda are exactly that, guidelines. I can see on a individual bases that a bike is checked multiply times and doesn't need a adjustment, then yes I might look to extend the inspection/adjustment. By no means should every bike fall into the category of some of these blanket statements made that once done it shouldn't need to be check again for a long time. I've also seen posts from riders stating that they have "X" amount of mileage on their bikes and NEVER have had their valves check......and it's just running fine....all I have to say about that is B.S. How do you know it fine unless you checked?

[BrettsX]

Originally Posted by scup

I'd get a battery, if the original one you speak of is 2003 battery.
You don't want to be sitting at a gas station trying to start your bike w/ a 7yr old battery IMO

i knw i am jinxing myself and maybe the jersey devil will attack again but my bvattery is 8 years old and has been n a tender twice two years ago and still cranks strong. but i think i am goign to change it soon. hey my bday is coming, wanna buy me a battery? and a service manual? lol

[VTXCRZR]

I check my valves every 8K miles and have had to adjust 2 or 3 valves every time. Over 57K miles that's 7 valve checks.

I just happend to have done mine this past weekend and had to adjust all 6 valves and I was suprised when I test drove the bike it actually made a difference in the way the bike ran. I thought the bike was running great before the valve check but in fact there was a significant improvement after the valve check. I think what happens is that over time you lose performance so slowly that you don't notice until you get it back all at once.

I replaced my battery the very first time it gave me a slight hesitation. That was at 5 years. Could I have used a charger and eeked out a little more life, probably but it was not worth the risk of getting stuck on the road somewhere just to delay buying a battery for 2 or 3 more months.

[mark_1bx]

Regarding batteries; One thing I'll never understand and that's WHY we wait so long to replace the battery in our MC. The simple answer is to have it tested and replace it accordingly...but we don't! I don't get it. We spend thousands of dollars on paint, chrome and add-on's but we wait until the last second before changing a $100 battery...Something is wrong with us.

[mikelambert]

How rough of a job is it to adjust the valves. I have 9700 miles on mine, and figured I would do it this fall, when I put bike up for the winter. I am pretty good with a wrench. Owned my own "auto" repair facility for several years, but never messed much with a bike.

Roughly how much time is involved in doing this procedure?

2006 1800 N

Thanks,
Mike

[Chicago-Spike]

Originally Posted by mikelambert

How rough of a job is it to adjust the valves. I have 9700 miles on mine, and figured I would do it this fall, when I put bike up for the winter. I am pretty good with a wrench. Owned my own "auto" repair facility for several years, but never messed much with a bike.

Roughly how much time is involved in doing this procedure?

2006 1800 N

Thanks,
Mike

http://californiavtxriders.com/phpBB...p?f=26&t=28124

[2002VTX]

It's harder for a guy like me with big hands, if you have smaller hands it's alot easier.

Will need to get a small wrench per the instructions, believe they are calling "timing wrenches". Put some fishing line on it because you don't want to drop it down inside the motor.

Most seriously, the damn 1800 motor has to be DEAD COLD, as in not run since the previous day, sitting in your garage all night. I had to do my valves 3x in one day and they still weren't right, just because the bike wasn't cold. Cold enough for me to work on, sure, but not DEAD COLD.

I had to ride the bike home from the wrench session and do it all over again the next weekend to get it correct.

[NeoSmith]

Thanks for the info and links, guys. I have 16k on my 1800 and no valve adjustment yet. I keep being intimidated but the photos and write up really help.

[BigKahuna]

Originally Posted by LaFontaine

My good friend is Service Manager at Honda Dealer and he confided in me that he has done many valve adjustments on the VTX1800 and never has he found one out of adjustment more than about one half a thousanth. In other words It just is another way for "Stealers" to make money.

I have had three VTX1800s. Have two of them now and I just ride'em like I stole them.

I would just worry about brakes, tires, battery, pressure regulator if you have one, shock bushings and air cleaner.

IMHO

Robert

I had a service tech quietly tell me the same thing.

[mark_1bx]

The bottom line is you either believe the guys who actually do them or the so called Honda techs, (who you wouldn't let touch your bike anyway) who say they rarely need adjustment. BTW these are the same people, Honda Techs, that had no idea what the ground fix was or that there was a flange bearing problem and the same people that tell you to run premium in your gas tank.

[theindy1800]

Hate to say it -- because I am a cheapskate but I would be inclined to do both. I am sure you will find that the valves are just fine, but its really not that expensive of a maintenance item, especially when you do them every 15 to 18K miles. A little peace of mind is good!

As for the battery, its amazing you made it this far. You should take it out an enshrine it somewhere in your garage. Again they are pretty cheap given how valuable they are to you when you are out on the road.

You should check to see if you are getting a good charge to your battery before you go whole hog on wiring up power for your GPS. Definitely don't want to rob yourself of any power if you leave the battery as is.

[Taz-man]

Originally Posted by mark_1bx

The bottom line is you either believe the guys who actually do them or the so called Honda techs, (who you wouldn't let touch your bike anyway) who say they rarely need adjustment. BTW these are the same people, Honda Techs, that had no idea what the ground fix was or that there was a flange bearing problem and the same people that tell you to run premium in your gas tank.

I have probably done several hundred VTX valve adjustments by now, lost track a couple of years ago! Out of all those adjustments there has been one or two bikes that did not need an actual adjustment, I ALWAYS do an actual adjustment, even if the clearance is ok I still loosen each one, remove the adjuster screws, check the wear on the adjuster and the valve tips, then set the lash. It only takes an extra couple of minutes to do this.

I know most of the Honda techs here in Phx. at the dealerships, most are young inexperienced mechanics that have little or no idea about VTX's as so accurately stated above! You can call most of the Service Managers here in Phx. about your VTX problem and they don't know **** from shinola either!

It is a tribute to Honda's engineering that these engines will go a lot of miles without a proper valve adjustment and not have issues. But, does that make it ok to run 36k miles without at least checking them?? I don't think so...it is a critical adjustment that needs to be done for the engine to run at peak performance and extended useful life. I have 120k miles on my bike, it gets a valve adjustment every 15k, it still has the original adjustment screws with very little detectable wear on the valve stem tips.

Taz

[danater]

Originally Posted by mikelambert

How rough of a job is it to adjust the valves. I have 9700 miles on mine, and figured I would do it this fall, when I put bike up for the winter. I am pretty good with a wrench. Owned my own "auto" repair facility for several years, but never messed much with a bike.

Roughly how much time is involved in doing this procedure?

2006 1800 N

Thanks,
Mike

I have it down to about 20 minutes once the tank is off. Unless you dont take care of the engine then its a big pita

[checkers]

Originally Posted by saddlesore

I plan to take a two week ride out west from MI. and I am left wondering If I need to spend the $ to have my valves checked. I did it once @ 18000 mi.and they were fine. I am @ 36000 now. No knock or performance issues noticed as of now. Also I have the original battery from 03. used a battery tender each winter no problems so far. Fix if not broke?
I also plan to add A GPS and seperate outlet that may tax the current battery.I am new to this forum and need to figure out how best to use it this is my first post.So far have got some good information just reading other posts.Thanks in advance.

my honda. dealer says no valve adj needed ever, unless they become noisey, if one has been done i dont feel a second adj needed unless noisey. i would rep battery, will leave you set and not at a good time

[checkers]

Originally Posted by LaFontaine

My good friend is Service Manager at Honda Dealer and he confided in me that he has done many valve adjustments on the VTX1800 and never has he found one out of adjustment more than about one half a thousanth. In other words It just is another way for "Stealers" to make money.

I have had three VTX1800s. Have two of them now and I just ride'em like I stole them.

I would just worry about brakes, tires, battery, pressure regulator if you have one, shock bushings and air cleaner.

IMHO

Robert

exactly what my honda dealer told me. "dont waste your money" on a valve adjust. they have done many and found none worth the adjustment

[Mowoc]

I personally have done valves on three different VTX's that I owned. each and everytime they needed something.

For those that are on the fence, this is just not that big of a deal. I did my first valve job on a VTX 7 years ago in my garage with just the instructions from Bare's site. I was by no means a mechanic, and I had no idea what I was doing. It took about three hours. I still take about two since I am somewhat methodical. That is generally how I learned to do things on this bike - instructions and time (And a bunch of swearing).

For those that don't want to mess with the valves, great. I hope you have no issues and can ride a long time.

[Tweetys_Revenge]

Doing mine this weekend

[midegim]

Let's see I started at 10AM and it is now 2:30 and I haven't gotten to the valves yet. I fix my own cars but nothing will prepare a person for how difficult this is. Is there anything that isn't in the way? I couldn't get the timing cover off cuz the pipes were in the way could get those off the right floorboard was in the way. Good Lord! Found a mouse nest in the air cleaner box. Hope I can get it done before dark. Very little has gone as the various "How Tos" have said. I finally called the Honda dealer to see if the cost was worth this much grief, he said like $500 but in twelve years they have only done 1 valve adj on an 1800. I wish I would have just left it alone. I am going to get the ones I can but that back one isn't going to be touched if the others are ok. Personally I would rather be riding.

[mojoguy]

Originally Posted by midegim

Let's see I started at 10AM and it is now 2:30 and I haven't gotten to the valves yet. I fix my own cars but nothing will prepare a person for how difficult this is. Is there anything that isn't in the way? I couldn't get the timing cover off cuz the pipes were in the way could get those off the right floorboard was in the way. Good Lord! Found a mouse nest in the air cleaner box. Hope I can get it done before dark. Very little has gone as the various "How Tos" have said. I finally called the Honda dealer to see if the cost was worth this much grief, he said like $500 but in twelve years they have only done 1 valve adj on an 1800. I wish I would have just left it alone. I am going to get the ones I can but that back one isn't going to be touched if the others are ok. Personally I would rather be riding.

Can be a real PITA That back one almost requires two people. I'm laughing with you...Just went through it 2 weeks ago and had my buddy helping me so it was a little faster.

[danater]

I have found that if you buy a regular set of feeler guages and take the 5 that corrolate to the correct #'s given by honda, then jb weld them to a piece of 1/8" flat aluminium bout a foot long. it makes the job almost trivial for the back exhaust valve. (keep in mind ive done the desmog with flat plates) the middle valves are simply easy to get to. make sure you have a string so you can get your feeler out when you drop it (believe me you will drop it). front exhaust if you bend the feeler into an long u shape you can get it in there and keep ahold of it pretty easy (string of course) once thats done put it all back together.

I check my valves, rotate the plugs, check anti freeze level, go over the crucial fasteners, and do the retro clutch clean everytime I change the oil (5k)

[mark_1bx]

Originally Posted by mojoguy

Can be a real PITA That back one almost requires two people. I'm laughing with you...Just went through it 2 weeks ago and had my buddy helping me so it was a little faster.

It does get easer.