2005 CRF450R first valve check 1.5hrs - not good

[panhandler]

Well, due to the winters in Ohio, I only have an hour and a half on my bike, but I'm in the middle of adding some bling and decided to get a baseline reading on my valves -the results are not what I wanted to see.

Intake L .004 too tight ?

Intake R .006 good ?

exhaust L .010 fine

exhaust R .010 fine

Decompress was way out of adjustment but I fixed that.

So should I ride it some more to be sure this isn't a "break-in" issue or order up some a shim for my left intake? Could this be the result of a sloppy engine builder putting in the wrong shim to start with? ?

Brent

[NorCalRider]

Personally, I would not ride the bike anymore until you shim the left intake back to spec. It could of tightened up a little bit during break in.

I bought the shim kit from Hot Cams a while back. It's one of the best things I have ever bought for either of my CRFs. No need to run to the dealer (with the chance of them having to ORDER a shim). Just open the box, find the shim you need, slap the bike back together and you're done. ?

[skipn8r]

I had the same thing on my '05 X. At this point, call it break-in "settling", reshim it and ride ? .

[ProAMA725]

Yeah, I would definitely reshim it before you ride any more. If you are that tight, you could burn that valve. I was thinking some of the people with valve issues on the Hondas maybe having that same problem. i did that on my Gsxer and was so mad at myself for not going ahead and waiting for the shim to come in.

[Doug.]

I cant believe this. Its a brand-new $7,000 bike and already you have to mess with the valves. If I were in your shoes, I would be mad. Even if doing the work isn't hard, its just the fact that your valves are out of spec when the bike is BRAND-SPANKING-NEW. Its an outrage! Buy a Yamaha!!!

Doug

[FFRacing79]

I cant believe this. Its a brand-new $7,000 bike and already you have to mess with the valves. If I were in your shoes, I would be mad. Even if doing the work isn't hard, its just the fact that your valves are out of spec when the bike is BRAND-SPANKING-NEW. Its an outrage! Buy a Yamaha!!!

Doug

??

[Doug.]

??

Got something to say?

Doug

[MED]

I'd just ride the thing! My '05 has 30-40 hrs on it. I check the valves a month ago and they were similar to yours. Let see, intakes were 4 and 5, exhausts were 9 and 10. I checked them two weeks ago before a race and they were identical. I don't plan on touching it until/if it begins to be hard to start or they go to 2 or less. If/when that happens = Kibblewhites are going in. My 2 cts. ?

[davbrucas]

Got something to say?

Doug

dont mind tryce...he's just a bitter old man...but he does ride a yammi! ??

[Throttlejockey]

Got something to say?

Doug

Yes, get a clue. Valves tighten up during break-in and sometimes they're not shimmed correctly from the factory. That's why you check them after break in.

I'm sure you've checked yours. ?

Why don't you go polish the rust off your frame or something. ?

[davbrucas]

Yes, get a clue. Valves tighten up during break-in and sometimes they're not shimmed correctly from the factory. That's why you check them after break in.

I'm sure you've checked yours. ?

Why don't you go polish the rust off your frame or something. ?

damn, throttleman...you have seasonal affective disorder due to the snow? you are getting to be a sour-puss like that davbrucas guy! ?

[NorCalRider]

Why don't you go polish the rust off your frame or something.

???

[ProAMA725]

Do what you will, I am just saying from experience that sometimes bikes were perfectly set at the warehouse, but alittle up and down movement made them tighter. I learned that it is better to go ahead and do it right, rather than letting it go. If you don't, and when your bike gets hot, your valve will not close properly. Thus, you will burn a valve. Just my 2 cents...

[Throttlejockey]

damn, throttleman...you have seasonal affective disorder due to the snow? you are getting to be a sour-puss like that davbrucas guy! ?

No way! I ride year round. I've been injured since the end of December and unable to ride. ? First ride tomorrow! ?

BTW Dave............maybe you are rubbing off?????????.............nah.

[BlackBuzzard]

I don't know what to say.

My 03 has at least 100 hrs on it, I've never even had the valve cover off so I have no clue as to the valve status, yet it starts and runs great everytime.

I'm just going to bury my head in the sand until something happens. Of course its always had frequent oil changes and I don't know what it feels like to hit the rev limiter.

Blackbuzzard

[davbrucas]

No way! I ride year round. I've been injured since the end of December and unable to ride. ? First ride tomorrow! ?

BTW Dave............maybe you are rubbing off?????????.............nah.

i hear ya on the broke thing...i broke my wrist 2 months ago and havent been on the bike since...planning on trying to ride tomorrow! i will certainly take it easy though!

[panhandler]

Thanks for all the great input, except the Yamaha guy! I think I'll reshim, just to be sure I don't burn that valve. Does kinda suck, but we are dealing with F-1 race car technology and I'm sure if I burn the coating off the valve (if that's possible) I'd definately be in trouble.

Too cold to ride yet anyway in OH!

If I get in there and find the smallest shim installed, I'm gonna park it back at my dealer!

[mikerides33]

Yes, get a clue. Valves tighten up during break-in and sometimes they're not shimmed correctly from the factory. That's why you check them after break in.

I'm sure you've checked yours. ?

Why don't you go polish the rust off your frame or something. ?

Definately.

I rode for a few hours and checked the clearances. All but one valve were tight. I didn't have the kit from hotcams yet ( I do now. Thank you Fred) and when I went to order shims from my shop they thought I was crazy because I had bought the bike a couple weeks earlier. They were tight from break-in (hard) or the factory. Anyway I have the entire bike apart now and checked the clearances yesterday and they are all perfect. Spot on... After the learning curve last fall and a couple of hard hits on the limiter. Mike

[petedrz]

I cant believe this. Its a brand-new $7,000 bike and already you have to mess with the valves. If I were in your shoes, I would be mad. Even if doing the work isn't hard, its just the fact that your valves are out of spec when the bike is BRAND-SPANKING-NEW. Its an outrage! Buy a Yamaha!!!

Doug

? If your Yamaha is so great why are you lurking around the Honda forum's? ?

[r1superstar]

I cant believe this. Its a brand-new $7,000 bike and already you have to mess with the valves. If I were in your shoes, I would be mad. Even if doing the work isn't hard, its just the fact that your valves are out of spec when the bike is BRAND-SPANKING-NEW. Its an outrage! Buy a Yamaha!!!

Doug

Lighten up bro...

I for one think that "panhandler" checked his valve clearances too soon. Honda does state 15 hours for the first inspection and than again at 100 hours.