Valve adjustment

jkautz · Post by **jkautz** » Fri Mar 06, 2015 2:11 pm

Little background. I have a PCX150 with almost 1500 miles. About 80% of them are all highway riding @ 55+mph. I did my oil change at 500 miles and again at 1200 miles. When will I need to get a valve adjustment? And are there any signs that I can "hear" that will help me know when it needs a valve adjustment? I am still under warranty, so I know at 2500 miles it says to maintenance and adjust. I'll be at 2500 by the end of the month. Am I okay to wait till 2500 or check them now?

jkautz · Post by **jkautz** » Fri Mar 06, 2015 6:26 pm

I must have the wrong forum. I'll have to search PCX150 forums to get some quality feedback.

yak · Post by **yak** » Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:32 pm

You can search this site for the many others who have posted this same question. Click on SEARCH in the top right.

At the initial 600 to 1,000 mile service, they check the valves. I am using rough numbers but maybe 10-20% of scooters needed an adjustment. The others were fine. For the next 4,000 miles, hardly anyone reported needing further adjustments. By 10,000 miles, many were finding the valves to still be "at spec".

Others will have more and better info for you. This site is active at all times but winter-time (in US and UK) is not a time when many forum members are thinking about their PCX.

iceman · Post by **iceman** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 5:07 am

In most countries and most dealers, they never check the valves! (they say the check means 'listen' not actually remove all the paneling and really check them). It's a pain to remove the paneling to do a 2 minutes check, and it will cost 1-2 hours labour to do so. So no, saying they are checked at 600 is not true, most of the time.

tbln930 · Post by **tbln930** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 10:28 am

From my dealer conversations maybe 10% of the owners bother to do the checks at all until at least 5000 miles. Then most didn't need it anyway. Listen observe any engine changes. Sometimes dealers break things that dont need fixing.

yak · Post by **yak** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 1:24 pm

@iceman, I went back and checked the owners manual. On page 88 it says to have the dealer Inspect the Valve Adjustment and adjust if necessary at 600 miles. I know it takes at least an hour to check the valves but i never thought that an inspection could be done by "listening". You make me wonder if PCX owners don't need to be very specific when asking that the valves be adjusted at the 600 mile service. i wouldn't want to pay for someone to "listen" to my valves. I think my dealer charges $185 USA for the initial service.

you you · Post by **you you** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 2:02 pm

yak wrote:@iceman, I went back and checked the owners manual. On page 88 it says to have the dealer Inspect the Valve Adjustment and adjust if necessary at 600 miles. I know it takes at least an hour to check the valves but i never thought that an inspection could be done by "listening". You make me wonder if PCX owners don't need to be very specific when asking that the valves be adjusted at the 600 mile service. i wouldn't want to pay for someone to "listen" to my valves. I think my dealer charges $185 USA for the initial service.

Fair enough, point missed

iceman · Post by **iceman** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 2:15 pm

yak wrote:@iceman, I went back and checked the owners manual. On page 88 it says to have the dealer Inspect the Valve Adjustment and adjust if necessary at 600 miles. I know it takes at least an hour to check the valves but i never thought that an inspection could be done by "listening". You make me wonder if PCX owners don't need to be very specific when asking that the valves be adjusted at the 600 mile service. i wouldn't want to pay for someone to "listen" to my valves. I think my dealer charges $185 USA for the initial service.

The 'listening' rather than really removing many of the covers and bits and doing a real inspection was just from most peoples experience and feedback from dealers, and knowing what is involved in getting at the valves on the PCX. It's really only the main 'service' issue that people believe could have been better designed for quicker access - indeed, one member of this forum mentioned you could remove the battery housing retainer bolt and have easier access to the valves after the 1st major dissembly (sorry, not sure if the was Homie, Whitenoise or other).
Feedback from dealers seems to suggest if the bike starts easily, runs well, is economic and sounds about right, they will not do a proper inspection unless you ask and pay!
My 600 mile service cost £83 inc tax and that was really just a £8 oil change and quick look over - took them all of 20 minutes!

you you · Post by **you you** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 3:10 pm

iceman wrote:
yak wrote:@iceman, I went back and checked the owners manual. On page 88 it says to have the dealer Inspect the Valve Adjustment and adjust if necessary at 600 miles. I know it takes at least an hour to check the valves but i never thought that an inspection could be done by "listening". You make me wonder if PCX owners don't need to be very specific when asking that the valves be adjusted at the 600 mile service. i wouldn't want to pay for someone to "listen" to my valves. I think my dealer charges $185 USA for the initial service.
The 'listening' rather than really removing many of the covers and bits and doing a real inspection was just from most peoples experience and feedback from dealers, and knowing what is involved in getting at the valves on the PCX. It's really only the main 'service' issue that people believe could have been better designed for quicker access - indeed, one member of this forum mentioned you could remove the battery housing retainer bolt and have easier access to the valves after the 1st major dissembly (sorry, not sure if the was Homie, Whitenoise or other).
Feedback from dealers seems to suggest if the bike starts easily, runs well, is economic and sounds about right, they will not do a proper inspection unless you ask and pay!
My 600 mile service cost £83 inc tax and that was really just a £8 oil change and quick look over - took them all of 20 minutes!

I skipped that one too and changed the oil myself. The world is stil spinning on its axis

tbln930 · Post by **tbln930** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 4:40 pm

My dealer didn't say don't do them. He just said 600 or 2500 was too soon.

WhiteNoise · Post by **WhiteNoise** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 7:25 pm

you you wrote:
iceman wrote:
yak wrote:@iceman, I went back and checked the owners manual. On page 88 it says to have the dealer Inspect the Valve Adjustment and adjust if necessary at 600 miles. I know it takes at least an hour to check the valves but i never thought that an inspection could be done by "listening". You make me wonder if PCX owners don't need to be very specific when asking that the valves be adjusted at the 600 mile service. i wouldn't want to pay for someone to "listen" to my valves. I think my dealer charges $185 USA for the initial service.
The 'listening' rather than really removing many of the covers and bits and doing a real inspection was just from most peoples experience and feedback from dealers, and knowing what is involved in getting at the valves on the PCX. It's really only the main 'service' issue that people believe could have been better designed for quicker access - indeed, one member of this forum mentioned you could remove the battery housing retainer bolt and have easier access to the valves after the 1st major dissembly (sorry, not sure if the was Homie, Whitenoise or other).
Feedback from dealers seems to suggest if the bike starts easily, runs well, is economic and sounds about right, they will not do a proper inspection unless you ask and pay!
My 600 mile service cost £83 inc tax and that was really just a £8 oil change and quick look over - took them all of 20 minutes!
I skipped that one too and changed the oil myself. The world is stil spinning on its axis

Wayne's World?

yak, Book does say what you said it said. Jus You do what "you" think is best and what makes "you" comfortable and feeling safe (right?) "It's your scoot, and you can do what you want"

Me, I'd just change the oil too. But, IF I heard, felt, saw, or smelled anything irregular with my scoot, I'd take a look or have it looked at.

Time to take a ride to "Wayne's World!"

jkautz · Post by **jkautz** » Mon Mar 09, 2015 3:59 pm

I know there is a search. I use it often. I was just looking at getting solutions to my driving habits and my scenario. I pulled into my garage yesterday and took my helmet off, let the scooter run and listened for any noises. It seemed like there was some irratic "clicking" noises "pinging". I don't know how normal it is. I just know my scooter is ran at WOT for about 70%-80% of the time. So I was wondering if I should get the valves checked? I am still under the 1 year unlimited miles warranty, but what would you do in my situation? Is the pinging normal?

tbln930 · Post by **tbln930** » Mon Mar 09, 2015 4:05 pm

WOT for 70-80% sounds like a good case for 10W-40 oil.

you you · Post by **you you** » Mon Mar 09, 2015 4:18 pm

jkautz wrote:I know there is a search. I use it often. I was just looking at getting solutions to my driving habits and my scenario. I pulled into my garage yesterday and took my helmet off, let the scooter run and listened for any noises. It seemed like there was some irratic "clicking" noises "pinging". I don't know how normal it is. I just know my scooter is ran at WOT for about 70%-80% of the time. So I was wondering if I should get the valves checked? I am still under the 1 year unlimited miles warranty, but what would you do in my situation? Is the pinging normal?

The pinging and clicking noise is because your engine is made of different metal alloys. Each with its different coefficients of expansion and contraction. So when the metal alloys cool they click or ping back in place

Perfectly normal and shows that the bike has been through a proper heat cycle.

jkautz · Post by **jkautz** » Mon Mar 09, 2015 5:01 pm

Thanks for the response you you. This is the informative feedback I was hoping to get on my issue.

jkautz · Post by **jkautz** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 1:53 pm

Reading on the forum here, several people mention that a bad valve is "noticeable". What exactly are the symptoms for a bad valve to the PCX150? It'd be nice to keep an open eye/ear

jkautz · Post by **jkautz** » Tue Apr 21, 2015 6:18 pm

bump..............

OriginalRocket · Post by **OriginalRocket** » Wed Apr 22, 2015 10:48 am

jkautz wrote:Reading on the forum here, several people mention that a bad valve is "noticeable". What exactly are the symptoms for a bad valve to the PCX150? It'd be nice to keep an open eye/ear

Usually it is loss of power, and/or poor fuel mileage. You may also notice a different sound than normal that is RPM dependent.

The valve checks on these engines are stupid short. I used to follow them. 600, 2500, 5000, 7500. But they never moved after the 600. (could have been off from factory)

Last checked at 7500 miles. I'm at 13,000 now, and I plan on checking them at 20k, and then every 15k from then on. Basically a new spark plug, air filter, and valve check, new brake pads all in the same service. All done in the winter storage months.

Slickvic · Post by **Slickvic** » Wed Apr 22, 2015 11:26 am

jkautz wrote:Reading on the forum here, several people mention that a bad valve is "noticeable". What exactly are the symptoms for a bad valve to the PCX150? It'd be nice to keep an open eye/ear

People have also stated that they hear a ticking sound from the engine at idle.

jkautz · Post by **jkautz** » Wed Apr 22, 2015 12:49 pm

Thanks for the info guys. Definitely helpful. So a new spark plug, air filter, brakes need to be changed how often?

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