SuzukiSavage.com - Print Page

SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl
General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> valve clearance adjustment
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1431449012

Message started by hotprops on 05/12/15 at 09:43:32

Title: valve clearance adjustment
Post by hotprops on 05/12/15 at 09:43:32

it is the last ting to do on my list,but i think i might go a few more miles as the bike only has 1900 miles 2009 bought new in 2012 i just got it as second owner .

usually the clearance gets larger during break in and i do not hear much tappet noise .i would like all the reply s i could get thanks

Title: Re: valve clearance adjustment
Post by Art Webb on 05/12/15 at 12:52:21

in my experience the clearance shrinks, but I never had a brand new bike, either
I've heard that a new bike's clearances sometimes open up at first as parts wear, but when I checked mine on my 07 with 4500 on the clock. they were tight

Title: Re: valve clearance adjustment
Post by Dave on 05/12/15 at 12:58:11

I don't know if there is any guarantee on the tight/loose issue on the Savage as it ages.

Cam/rocker wear, and wear on the tip of the adjuster would make things loosen up.

Wear on the valve or seat faces, or stretching of the valve stem would make things tighten up.

Most of the folks consider doing an adjustment when the valve "ticking" gets their attention.....so for some of the folks the clearance does get bigger as they ride.

Title: Re: valve clearance adjustment
Post by hotprops on 05/12/15 at 13:43:25

thanks all .I hope we can get a fair # of posts and see what the concusses might be . sometimes its better not to mess with things .

Title: Re: valve clearance adjustment
Post by youzguyz on 05/12/15 at 13:51:33

I only adjust mine when the noise starts to bug me, or I am horribly bored, or I had the top open for some other reason (in which case, you have to adjust them).
So.. not often.
I just did the valves on Thumper for the 1st reason. 2 valves were just a tad loose, 1 valve was a tad tight, and the 4th one was right on.
The last time I adjusted them was .. 40,000 miles ago? Something like that. I would have to check my records.

Title: Re: valve clearance adjustment
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 05/12/15 at 13:52:14

The adjuster is pointed like a dull pencil. As time passes it gets mashed and mushrooms out a bit. That increases clearance. The tip slows down in changing shape. The area increases and the metal work hardens. Miles between adjustments increases. Cam wear or rocker wear increases clearance.
If the valve seat wasnt pressed fully into place at the factory then clearance could drop below minimum recommendations from the valve spring slapping it shut pounding the seat into its land. Valve wear,where it hits the seat decreases clearance, but it is miniscule.
At 5,and 10 thousand miles they were sloppy. At 15, not so bad, at 20, still in spec.

If there's a valve adjustment sticky,
Just saying.

Title: Re: valve clearance adjustment
Post by hotprops on 05/12/15 at 14:43:54

i did do a leakdown compression test, and cold it was 79/80 so all the valves and the decomp are working great i also run 100LL avgas so seat erosion will be slight due to the large amount of lead in the fuel also using zddp the red stuff just add to get it up to spec 30ml per oil change using valveoline 20/50 full syn mc oil sw fl its 92 in the shade today and most days

Title: Re: valve clearance adjustment
Post by Flint on 05/12/15 at 16:35:20

If you have the tank off you might as well take the few minutes it requires to check the valve clearance. Chances are they are fine but you don't know if you don't check.

Title: Re: valve clearance adjustment
Post by jcstokes on 05/14/15 at 01:31:05

There are posts here by people who have made specially shaped gauges to make this job easier.

Title: Re: valve clearance adjustment
Post by Dave on 05/14/15 at 03:17:34

787161667D797761120 wrote:

There are posts here by people who have made specially shaped gauges to make this job easier.

You can buy loose/separate feeler gauge stock from Graingers, McMaster-Carr, etc. You just bend it the way it works best.

It makes the job as easy as it can be.

Title: Re: valve clearance adjustment
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 05/14/15 at 19:31:27

I took the ones I wanted out of the assembly, bent to kinda a Z shape, bent a Ski tip on the end..
Tight quarters, I felt uncertain the first time and second,, I spent lots of time making sure.

Title: Re: valve clearance adjustment
Post by Kris01 on 05/14/15 at 19:53:44

Off the top of my head I think Suzuki recommends checking every 5000 miles. If you're really bored, go ahead and use their spec. Otherwise, a smooth engine is a good engine.