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Message started by 07S40rider on 07/28/08 at 08:01:20

Title: 600 mile service question(s)
Post by 07S40rider on 07/28/08 at 08:01:20

Wondering how many here performed their own 'first service' at the 600 mile mark and how many took the bike in to a suzuki dealer or other motorcycle service shop? For those that took theirs in somewhere, do you remember what the cost was? I was just quoted $275 at the local Suzuki shop.

Title: Re: 600 mile service question(s)
Post by Kirk on 07/28/08 at 08:27:29

Hey 07S40rider I was quoted about the same for my 600 mile service so I decided to seek the advice of veteran s40 riders here on what was most important. To make a long story short I ended up changing my oil and upgrading it to a different viscocity of 20W50. I have 845miles on her and she is still running strong I plan to tackle the valve adjustment myself at around 1000mile mark. But until then nothing but some serious thumper riding and savage post reading for me. 8-) Anyhow welcome aboard and good luck on your endeavors.

Title: Re: 600 mile service question(s)
Post by SimonTuffGuy on 07/28/08 at 09:05:35

Ouch! My service cost was $150... It was like 2.27 hours at $60 an hour (and I thought my mechanics $40 an hour was outrageous?!)

I'd check somewhere else. Is this the same dealer you purchased the bike from?

Title: Re: 600 mile service question(s)
Post by 07S40rider on 07/28/08 at 09:14:47

152F2B29281233202001333F460 wrote:

Yep - same dealer. They are known for high service prices.

Title: Re: 600 mile service question(s)
Post by verslagen1 on 07/28/08 at 09:19:52

I was quoted about $250 at a $40~ shop. But I'm sure they didn't know what they were quoting.

Got Clymers? Take a look at the maitenance section for the work they do. Retorque the heads means they have to remove the head cover. In some cases that means remove the engine. The rest is easy.

I suspect Simon, their didn't quote that. ;D

Title: Re: 600 mile service question(s)
Post by 07S40rider on 07/28/08 at 09:51:37

yea, they said that the bulk of the 600 mile service was a valve adjustment. I don't mind picking up a wrench, but that sounds out of my league even with a good clymers manual. He did say that I could pretty much do it anytime prior to 1000 miles though.

Title: Re: 600 mile service question(s)
Post by skrapiron on 07/28/08 at 10:21:24

The valve adjustment is really a peice of cake. The 'How To' guide here is invaluable. I did mine with my laptop sitting on the bench beside me for reference. You will definately need a couple of specialty tools (10mm offset box wrench .001-.009" tappet feelers and a large screwdriver for the timing inspection plug). But the whole process is pretty easy and can be done in about an hour and a half. Just remember that it MUST be done on an ice cold engine. Preferrably one that has been sitting overnight.

Title: Tightening bolts?
Post by motokid on 07/28/08 at 10:30:57

Is there somewhere a list of bolts that particularly need to be checked and tightened during the service (and later on)?

thks,

K

Title: Re: 600 mile service question(s)
Post by 07S40rider on 07/28/08 at 12:30:00

well I just read through the very informative and well written thread in the tech section on adjusting the valves myself. :o I can see that I will be paying the $275 because that looks like something I could send straight to FUBAR heaven if I tried to do it myself. Maybe later on down the road when I have performed some of the other easier maintenance procedures, but not yet. wow.

Title: Re: 600 mile service question(s)
Post by jimR on 07/28/08 at 12:44:31

I had the dealer do the maint. It cost around $150. He had it anyway to fix the speedo rattle and look at the back fire. It still has some of the back fire but now I don't need to remove the idle mixture cap! And the speedo is quiet. ;)

Title: Re: 600 mile service question(s)
Post by 07S40rider on 07/28/08 at 13:22:55

Interesting update. I called a suzuki dealer in the next town over and they quoted me much less - $150. But they do NOT perform a valve adjustment. If they test ride it and feel a valve adjustment is necessary then it is an additional $140. Funny thing is that without the valve adjustment their 600 mile service basically consists of; oil change, brake check, fluid check, tire check, adjust clutch and throttle as necessary and 'check all the nuts and bolts for tightness'. now THAT is all stuff that I feel 100% I can do. So, do I pay $275 for what could be an unnecessary valve adjustment (very close to where I work) or do I take it to the next town over for the $150 service with the possibility of them calling me saying it also needs the $140 valve adjustment. I am seriously leaning towards just changing the oil myself and giving it a good solid 'once over' and calling it a day. Suggestions would be really great at this point. Would performing the 600 mile service myself effect my warranty in any way? I would ask the dealer but you know full well they will say "yes, it will void your warranty" blah blah blah.

Title: Re: 600 mile service question(s)
Post by BOWDIER on 07/28/08 at 13:25:07

I had the dealer do the first and know I do it myself, think it was around $200 but thy changed my tank which came with a small dent at the same time but that was free.

Title: Re: 600 mile service question(s)
Post by Sandy Koocanusa on 07/28/08 at 19:33:11

WAIT WAIT WAIT! 07S40rider, unless you have vision or fine motor disabilities, you CAN do that valve adjustment yourself. I would not kid about this.

I was petrified of doing it, but finally bucked up and tried it. It is a snap. The article in the tech section makes it look complicated because it covers the process in so much detail. When you are sitting there looking at the bike with one eye and the write-up with the other (which looks silly, I'll admit) it will all be crystal clear to you.

Also, if I may be so bold, you do not need those specialty tools to do the valve check. I used a regular box-end/open-end 10mm wrench and a 17mm socket on a ratchet to turn the engine over. I did it that way twice, and I'll do it that way again unless the wrench fairy leaves some new tools under my pillow. You will need the feeler guages, which cost about five bucks at Napa.

Try this... go pull the tank off and remove the chrome covers and look at what the write-up describes in person. At that point, you can say to yourself "Self, I think we can do this." or "Self, that Sandy is a dipstick who should stick to writing outhouse limricks."

You won't have done anything you can't reverse easily, and you will be in a better position to decide whether to spend $200. It's a great feeling when you tackle it and win.

Title: Re: 600 mile service question(s)
Post by Hard Corps on 07/28/08 at 20:12:08

Sandy- my valves have already been adjusted at 600 miles and again at 5,600. But you make it sound so easy I almost want to go out and tear the bike apart right now. Shame on you. ;D

But seriously, I think I will probably give it a shot next time it's due. Which would be when...? :-?

Title: Re: 600 mile service question(s)
Post by verslagen1 on 07/28/08 at 20:36:22

by the book, every 3500 miles, more or less.
every other oil change.

I like a plain set of feeler gages, and an 90° screwdriver.

Title: Re: 600 mile service question(s)
Post by Sandy Koocanusa on 07/28/08 at 20:37:38

I thought it was every 3500, but I'm probably wrong. I generally do stuff like that whenever I think of it. Oil I change regularly, though.

I adjusted my valves, rode it a week, then checked them again. One needed a little more love at that point, but was still within spec.

Title: Re: 600 mile service question(s)
Post by 07S40rider on 07/29/08 at 06:17:51

Ok Sandy, you have me rethinking. However the big questiong I have at this point that the tech article didn't make clear is "how do I know if the valves need to be adjusted?" the physical part of turning screws and bolts doesn't bother me. Its the when/why and how much that I am unclear on. :-[

Title: Re: 600 mile service question(s)
Post by verslagen1 on 07/29/08 at 07:15:23

Louder ticks could be one indication, but usually 3500 miles.

Title: Re: 600 mile service question(s)
Post by 07S40rider on 07/29/08 at 09:27:41

I found another shop not too far away that does the same service including valve adjustment as necessary for only $179. That is nearly $100 less than the local place and well worth it to me given that I have kids and not a ton of free time to dink around in my garage (unfortunately). Maybe at the next 3500 mile mark I will think of tackling the valve adjustment myself but for this first one I am going to drive the 20 miles and let the Suzuki shop handle this one. Thanks for all of the input from everyone.

Title: Re: 600 mile service question(s)
Post by Jay on 07/29/08 at 20:19:15

[quote author=61660265612338353423510 link=1217257281/15#16 date=1217337471]Ok Sandy, you have me rethinking. However the big questiong I have at this point that the tech article didn't make clear is "how do I know if the valves need to be adjusted?" the physical part of turning screws and bolts doesn't bother me. Its the when/why and how much that I am unclear on. :-[/quote]

I know you're commited to going with the shop, but you did ask when/why. I've checked mine twice now. Once at 600 miles, and again at 2500. Both times it was a check, no adjustment was neccesary. That is determined by the "go - no go" on the feeler guage part of vroom 1776's excellent tutorial on the valve check and adjustment. The hardest part was getting the timing inspection plug off. Get the recommended tools and it's a snap. The only problems I ran into were when I found myself thinking "I don't have to get that tool. I can make do with what I've got." BIG MISTAKE. If it says you need offset wrenches (and it does) GET THEM! The only problem, in your situation, will be time. It took me 4 hours the first time. I cut that to 2 hours the second time around, but was doing other maintenence work along with the valve check.
Follow the directions, and you shouldn't have any problems. Other than getting your chest, swelled with pride, in through the door to your house, where you will anounce to your wife/SO, "Ugh, me man! Me do mechanic work! Me no scew up! Me big time important now!" To which your wife or SO may reply, "Oh goody, think big time important man can handle taking out the trash?" . To which I replied "^!@# NO! Me too important! Me big time. You no boss of me!" Actually I think what I said was "Yes dear." ;)

Title: Re: 600 mile service question(s)
Post by rpgpgmr on 07/30/08 at 05:31:53

I let the stealership do my 600-mile service for about the same price, BUT I hadn't bought the manual and I hadn't found this site yet. I'm a computer programmer and knew NOTHING about bikes. I did the 7500-mile service myself and will be doing all the others myself. I took pictures throughout my last service am I'm gonna post a service how-to later this week. These are pretty simple little bikes and it really is fun doing the maintenance yourself.

Title: Re: 600 mile service question(s)
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/30/08 at 06:48:52

Mine never got that 600 mile thing.The head bolts never were retorqued. I was so involved when it was time for the cam chain I forgot to do it, remembered after it was all buttoned up.Now, with 18,000 miles on it, I cant see any maintenance issues that I can point to & say it was because I didnt do the 600 mile service. I just check valves & change oil & run it. It stays in my garage so I never wonder if I can ride it.

Title: Re: 600 mile service question(s)
Post by rpgpgmr on 07/30/08 at 10:22:41

I do the services more for my own enjoyment and peace of mind than for anything else.

Title: Re: 600 mile service question(s)
Post by sjaskow on 07/30/08 at 10:52:14

I had the stealership do my 600 mile service (it was $129) for a different reason: I wanted Suzuki to honor the warranty if I ran into any issues. I've had issues in the past where an auto company didn't honor warranty work since the scheduled maintenance hadn't been followed. I didn't figure on any issues with the bike but better to be safe than sorry.

My 12/12 warranty runs out in 26 days and I should be do for my next service just after that. :)

Title: Re: 600 mile service question(s)
Post by rpgpgmr on 07/30/08 at 13:01:10

I feel much more comfortable on the bike doing my own maintenance. Not only because I know what was done, but because I'll know how to fix it in the future if something goes wrong. I've run into many things in the last few months that would have cost me hundreds (if not thousands) that I just did myself. Once I got past the intimidation factor, it was on!

Title: Re: 600 mile service question(s)
Post by Sandy Koocanusa on 07/30/08 at 17:50:30

4A485F485F554A380 wrote:

I did the 7500-mile service myself and will be doing all the others myself.

There's a 7500 mile service? Crap. I guess maybe I should read that owner's manual I downloaded, one of these days. My, how time flies. Seems like it was only April 6th of this year that my bike had 3600 miles on it. Now here we are, almost August 1 and there are 8845 showing on the odometer. The bike is all grown up already.

I was hoping to wait until winter before checking the cam chain, but maybe I better not press my luck.

Title: Re: 600 mile service question(s)
Post by EssForty on 08/09/08 at 08:51:06

Very helpful thread!

I bought a used 2006 S40 a few weeks ago that only had 150 miles on it. At 600 miles I took it into the stealership and they first told me it would be $230 for the service. I said I thought that was a little steep, and asked if that included the valves. The service clerk said yes. Then after waiting about 20 minutes, she came over and clarified that the price was for "inspecting" the valves, but that adjusting the valves would be another $120. So I said "OK, if after inspection they find that the valves need adjustment come and get me and I'll decide if I want to pay another $120 for an adjustment". So she writes it down on the service request, and then 10 minutes later comes back and says "It will definitely need an adjustment, and if you don't adjust the valves now, then Suzuki will not honor any future claims".
So I told her that #1: the bike is not under warranty so I'm on my own anyway, #2: I am not going to authorize work that may not be needed, and #3: I am concerned about doing business with a service department that can tell me what is wrong with my bike without even removing the covers. (I could see the bike still sitting outside the service department. )

So I asked for my keys back, smiled and walked out of the shop and rode home. The service clerk and the tech were both stunned, as if their little tag team game never failed before. Figured they had a fish on the line and they could squeeze me.

I purchased the S40 for its simplicity and planned to do most of the routine maintenance myself, but thought I'd let the pros handle the first adjustment. Based on what I have read here, I will buy the specialized tools and do it myself.

Now that this forum has saved me about $350 I just need to figure out who to email the check to :-)

Title: Re: 600 mile service question(s)
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 08/09/08 at 09:42:26

Figured they had a fish on the line and they could squeeze me.

They must be VERY good if they can squeeze a fish.
A little compressor, even a 2 gallon tank, will power an impact long enough to bust a bolt loose. Pawn shops have them & air tools, Harbor freight sells stuff that works, but wouldn't be anything that would last with too much use.My compressor came from there. Sometimes it makes noises that concern me :-? Some tools need to be quality, especially those being used in places hard to reach. Dont want to put cheap tools on sorry nuts & bolts, especially in hard to reach places.I don't have an offset 10 MM wrench & I have very successfully adjusted the valves several times, but I am hunting an inexpensive, quality offest 10 MM.
Last time I did the valves I used the .003 blade. I had been using the .004. I checked the valves after 3,500 miles & no adjustment needed. I wonder if the closer setting decreases the Slap as the cam ramp closes the gap & is allowing the setting to stay. I dunno.

All I can do is encourage people to do their own valves for sure, & over time, cam chains & stuff, too. I dont trust any mechanics out there to actually care. They know that if you are bringing it to them for thise level service, you arent too likely to go behind them & check it, or you would have just done it. I cant imagine asking for $120.00 to adjust, on TOP of charging just to get there & check them. Crazy. This severely impacts the economy of riding a bike. , I paid about $60.00 to a small shop to check & adjust the valves the first tiome & they let me be there to watch, which gave me all the comfidence I needed. $200.00 every 3,000 miles to check & adjust the valves, no way. Tires on bikes go away fast & cost a good bit & most just pay to have them mounted, another small sackload of cash.This is a pretty Owner friendly bike. There is fun to be had messing with it & $$$ to be saved, with just a small investment in tools & a MANual. & the " getting Squoze like a fish" is over when you do it yourself. It takes a while to get into the swing of things & paying for help as you get used to the idea & the tools to do it is the only way to stay on the road, but once folks start doing their own work,they will have more ride time, since it wont be sitting in line at the shop , waiting.& more $$ in the pockets, since they wont be paying for someone elses 6 packs, And, a Bigger Grin, because knowing you are the one keeping the thing running just plain FEELS good.

OHH yEa, Last time I did the rear tire, I spoent a few hours on the rim, while the tire was off, cleaned up the rust in the wheel & treated it with Ospho. A shop would have popped the tire off, slapped a new tube in & crammed the old tire back on & never even told me it needed cleaned up inside. All they want is to get PAID. But we, the owners, take the time to do the TLC stuff & while messing with it, we find little things that need done.
I've said all that to say this. Working on this little bike pays off more than once. MOney saved, more riding,self satisfaction, time working on it is time inspecting & paying attention to what needs done, soon.

Title: Re: 600 mile service question(s)
Post by joeh100 on 08/09/08 at 10:15:43

I just adjusted my valves yesterday. It was a pain in the arse. Very hard to get to them to check the clearance. I had to bend my guages.
I would highly recommend getting the "trick" feeler guages referred to in the tech secion.

You don't need the special wrench to remove the timing inspection plug. I used an electrical junction box cover that was curved similar to the slot on the cover. I used an old denim wrag over it and there was not a ding on it after removal. It wasn't really that tight either. You could also use a large washer.

I did buy the offset wrenches and they easily payed for themselves. I think they were less than $15 bucks at harbor crap.

There was nothing hard about it. It was just a bit of a pain to check the clearance with standard guages.

Title: Re: 600 mile service question(s)
Post by joeh100 on 08/09/08 at 10:21:23

Title: Re: 600 mile service question(s)
Post by EssForty on 08/09/08 at 12:42:05

[quote author=090C060B525353630 link=1217257281/15#29 date=1218302483]Oh, yea. My brother's bike is going to need a valve job soon. It's also an S40. I'm thinking about doing a video of it if you guys would be interested. /quote]

A short instructional video would be great! Sure would save a lot of time for you typing up instructions and trying to describe each step. I bet it would also give people more confidence to try their own adjustments.

A final benefit is that you can edit out the parts where you tear a bloody strip of skin off and cuss for 10 minutes. Nobody will notice the new band aid that appears in the next scene and you'll always look like a pro ;D

Title: Re: 600 mile service question(s)
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 08/09/08 at 16:04:38

People will notice new band-aids that pop up in the video. Maybe you should just put some one places likely to get wounded before you start.
Get Robertomoe to film it, it wont take long that way.

Title: Re: 600 mile service question(s)
Post by Jay on 08/09/08 at 21:21:08

6D6F7A6161607D677D0E0 wrote:

You could spend it in support of this website. Spend it at the store, buy an Alliance Membership, check the marketplace for new "toys" for your Savage. Just be sure to send all the booty care of "Jay" in Fort Worth, Tx. ;)

Title: Re: 600 mile service question(s)
Post by Sandy Koocanusa on 08/09/08 at 21:35:50

That made me laugh. I wonder how my ISP would respond if I tell them their "check's in the e-mail, but that is usually a little slow, so you might not get it for awhile." CenturyTel has the slowest electrons on the planet.