Adjust your valves!

[blueboy5000]

This site is filled with thread after thread of people who describe valves being too tight.

Valves are self-tightening. They require regular inspection every 800 miles or so. Gy6 valves are supposed to be set to .004" for the intake, and .005" for the exhaust. This valve to rocker arm gap is not a variable setting, no bike requires " less" gap. Valves must be adjusted ONLY WHEN ENGINE IS DEAD-COLD.

If your bike starts hard, cuts out after becoming warm, or won't start after being shut down and is still at operational temp, it is 99% likely you have over-tight valves.

[Irish]

Originally Posted by blueboy5000

This site is filled with thread after thread of people who describe valves being too tight.

Valves are self-tightening. They require regular inspection every 800 miles or so. Gy6 valves are supposed to be set to .004" for the intake, and .005" for the exhaust. This valve to rocker arm gap is not a variable setting, no bike requires " less" gap. Valves must be adjusted ONLY WHEN ENGINE IS DEAD-COLD.

If your bike starts hard, cuts out after becoming warm, or won't start after being shut down and is still at operational temp, it is 99% likely you have over-tight valves.

I think that one of the most important things that you said was that the valves must be adjusted " ONLY WHEN THE ENGINE IS DEAD-COLD"! I worked in a place that built MANY drag-racing street bikes & many times had to wait over-night to tune an engine in order to make sure that the engine was dead cold" Thank you for bringing that up! It makes a HUGE difference! Irish

[rks]

Originally Posted by blueboy5000

If your bike starts hard, cuts out after becoming warm, or won't start after being shut down and is still at operational temp, it is 99% likely you have over-tight valves.

How true this is......and once you've done it a couple it of times, valve adjustment becomes a very simple procedure. Clearances tend to tighten up quicker during the break-in period, and should be checked a few times, but will settle in after 2, or 3000 miles of operation.....Then once a year or so, should do it, unless you experience one of the symtoms blueboy stated above.

My scooter's valves have held their adjustment very well for the last 6800 miles.....last adjusted them in June 2013, at 2502 miles. Now at 9294 miles, and gaps are still .004" and .005". I do check them annually as stated above, but have not needed to adjust them.

[bintelli]

Here's a how to video that we made:

[crawford]

On my 3 Ice Bear trikes 1 7,000 another 5,000 another 2,000 mile never been checked took a compression test new and ever now and then no change no reason to. They been running great for the the last to 2 years if not broken don't fit it.

[sc00ter]

Just because nothing performance wise has not changed does not mean to ignore them. As you ride the scoot on a regular basis you will not notice the slow changes in performance. I rode with another Buddy 125 (when I still had my Buddy 125) and kept leaving him for dead. To him it seemed normal, to me it was weak in power. So, we checked the valves. Sure enough, the exhaust was silly tight and the intake was out of spec. Everyone on the Spyder forum told me to not bother with the valves at 16,000 miles but I checked them anyways. They were fine, just took FOREVER to get to them! So I see your point with the Ice Bear trikes.

[crawford]

Remember compression will change if valve lash changes. It sort of like you heart and blood pressure reading. If you test compression which is simple keep a record it will tell you the health of the over all of whole engine not just valves but the oil rings and compression rings and so forth. Nothing like the whole picture not a snipped.