Valve adjustment

jkautz · Post by **jkautz** » Wed Apr 22, 2015 5:29 pm

Every 15k?

fish · Post by **fish** » Wed Apr 22, 2015 6:23 pm

Re. the brake pad wear - I just take a flashlight and have a look in there. Sometimes it is too hard to see in there so I use my camera set on close-up and take a snap to put on the Dell for blowing up.
Dadgum Forza rear brake pad seems impossible to see, with or without the camera!
Fish

iceman · Post by **iceman** » Wed Apr 22, 2015 10:25 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.

Honda put the 'check' valves in at every single service interval which by itself tends to say they rarely need doing and Honda just put it in to cover themselves.

jkautz · Post by **jkautz** » Fri Apr 24, 2015 3:59 pm

Scheduled my 2500mi maintenance including the valve check on May 8. What should I say/do to make sure they do this job properly? I don't want them pulling a fast one, then sticking me with a giant bill!!

JohnL · Post by **JohnL** » Fri Apr 24, 2015 4:24 pm

Had mine done recently and asked the dealer not to do the valve check. The service manager asked how it was running, I said fine, he replied that they don't need checking at this early stage, we'll just do a maintenance service.

jkautz · Post by **jkautz** » Fri Apr 24, 2015 4:49 pm

Interesting, and not having the valves checked won't void the 1 year unlimited mile warranty? When would you need them checked? Mine makes a clicking noise during idle, and im 80% hwy riding. So idk what effect that has over others, who I would assume normally city ride at lower speeds. I'm WOT 70-80% of the time.

fish · Post by **fish** » Fri Apr 24, 2015 7:23 pm

No scooter expert here - but with air/cooled VWs, if you don't hear the valves clicking a little you got trouble! Means they're not closing fully - leading to burned valves. "Tight" valves are not healthy - a little clicking - audible at idle - might be OK.
If the 'Honda 2-wheel valve adjustment' issue were a deceased squirrel on a string behind a moped...it would be naked by now.
Some are afraid the dealer will do it - more are afraid he won't but will say he did!
Few want to do it.
Few want to pay for it.
Few think it is needed.
And a really few - just do it, per the manual's schedule.
Fish

iceman · Post by **iceman** » Sat Apr 25, 2015 6:20 am

Maybe ask that if they actually did a full and proper valve check, they state so on the receipt. If they charge for it, they should not have any issues stating they did the work.

GeorgeSK · Post by **GeorgeSK** » Sat Apr 25, 2015 1:30 pm

I have paid princely sums to have the valves checked, but am not confident that they actually did the job. Can anyone suggest an easy place to put a bit of tape or drop of candle wax that would HAVE to be broken for the job to be done?

fish · Post by **fish** » Sat Apr 25, 2015 2:18 pm

GeorgeSK wrote:I have paid princely sums to have the valves checked, but am not confident that they actually did the job. Can anyone suggest an easy place to put a bit of tape or drop of candle wax that would HAVE to be broken for the job to be done?

I don't think that is necessary.
Scooter mechanics are no more dishonest than scooter riders.
Fish

JohnL · Post by **JohnL** » Sat Apr 25, 2015 7:27 pm

[/quote]
I don't think that is necessary.
Scooter mechanics are no more dishonest than scooter riders.
Fish[/quote]

Oh oh

GeorgeSK · Post by **GeorgeSK** » Sun Apr 26, 2015 7:37 am

I guess I am just a suspicious, cynical sort of guy. Probably comes from working in a jail. If someone thinks they can get away with something, a fair number of someones will try.

For me, evidence of the job done would be reassuring.

jkautz · Post by **jkautz** » Mon Apr 27, 2015 12:46 pm

That would be nice to ensure they do the job. Though unlikely. But right now, I'm under the 1 year unlimited mile warranty. I'm going to pay for the valve check at 2500mi next week, and make sure I have a record of it just in case. I plan to put an additional 12k miles on the scooter this year. So if it burns a valve, it'll be on them, and warranty will cover me.

iceman · Post by **iceman** » Mon Apr 27, 2015 1:13 pm

I wonder how many PCX's owners we know of have actually had valve problems that through inaction (getting a bit Asimov here) caused harm to the bike?

you you · Post by **you you** » Mon Apr 27, 2015 1:21 pm

iceman wrote:I wonder how many PCX's owners we know of have actually had valve problems that through inaction (getting a bit Asimov here) caused harm to the bike?

I'm doing OK. Never checked never will until it's needed

jkautz · Post by **jkautz** » Mon Apr 27, 2015 2:18 pm

How many miles are you at "you you"?

jkautz · Post by **jkautz** » Mon Apr 27, 2015 2:19 pm

Anyone on here run their PCX @ WOT on the reg like me?

MikeP · Post by **MikeP** » Mon Apr 27, 2015 3:26 pm

At 600 miles I paid 270.00 for the first service. After I "healed" from that I decided to do my own servicing.
Thanks to all the good folks on this board for your posts and advice.

At 1500 miles, I did my own service. I found my valves were tight and way under spec. In reading more I saw the need to do the valve check on a cold engine. Hmm....I rode to the dealer last time and picked up the bike 6 hours later...Hmm....metal expands when heated....
Anyhow, after my check at 1500 miles, I noticed a light "ticking sound". I rode for a week, researched some more and finally could not stop worrying so I did them again. I checked and they were bang on, manually rotated the engine, checked again, and they were bang on. Did this 4 times to ensure I was not missing something. Might add that all my work was done on a stone cold engine.
So now I am at over 7200 miles, still the same light ticking sound. Engine runs great. I do a lot of highway riding at 55 to 65 miles/hr. Not uncommon for me to do a 200-300 day trip for example.

My conclusion: If it ain't broke don't fix it" I don't plan on checking the valves anytime soon. Perhaps at 12000 miles, I will just for the hell of it, but only if I have nothing better to do.

In regards to warranty, for what my dealer charges, I will take my chances, maintain the bike myself and save the cash. (I still have 6 months on my warranty left) If I made a mistake and have to pay for some repairs, I will use the money I saved on their outrageous warranty service and pay for it myself. Lets face it if after 1000 miles if nothing has gone wrong, then nothing will probably will go wrong. Save your money

jkautz · Post by **jkautz** » Mon Apr 27, 2015 4:24 pm

^^This makes scary sense to me! lol thanks for the info MikeP. I am reconsidering even having the dealer check my valves. I guess I can argue the fact if my scooter burns a valve & leaves me stranded that they were supposed to check them at the 600mi interval I had mine brought in for. I know my scoot is running like it was the day I bought it. It hasn't lost any power and it still rides as smooth as day 1. Also good to know others are hwy riding theirs like me. Gives me some peace of mind. Thanks again.

fish · Post by **fish** » Mon Apr 27, 2015 6:35 pm

Would there be all this discussion regarding the valve check/adjustment....if you could get the valve cover off in 20 minutes? Hondas are not the only scooters with buried engines.....but you can make a scooter that is easy to service. Several Kymco scooters are much easier to service..and therefore they get regular service! :-)
My Forza is not exactly a piece of cake to get inside either.
Fish

The Honda PCX / Forza / ADV150 / SH Forums

Valve adjustment

Re: Valve adjustment

Re: Valve adjustment

Re: Valve adjustment

Re: Valve adjustment

Re: Valve adjustment

Re: Valve adjustment

Re: Valve adjustment

Re: Valve adjustment

Re: Valve adjustment

Re: Valve adjustment

Re: Valve adjustment

Re: Valve adjustment

Re: Valve adjustment

Re: Valve adjustment

Re: Valve adjustment

Re: Valve adjustment

Re: Valve adjustment

Re: Valve adjustment

Re: Valve adjustment

Re: Valve adjustment