-
There were many reasons for the change of the site software, the biggest was security. The age of the old software also meant no server updates for certain programs. There are many benefits to the new software, one of the biggest is the mobile functionality. Ill fix up some stuff in the coming days, we'll also try to get some of the old addons back or the data imported back into the site like the garage. To create a thread or to reply with a post is basically the same as it was in the prior software. The default style of the site is light colored, but i temporarily added a darker colored style, to change you can find a link at the bottom of the site.
Valve Adjustment?
- Thread starter Firefly
- Start date
Dudley
New member
That's another service that is hard to prove done by most riders, unless you know what to look for. Several hundred dollars can be easily made in less than a minute. With over 40K miles, my SE5's valves have never been checked. May get them checked at 50K...maybe.
:dontknow:
It would be nice to hear from someone who had their valves adjusted;
Not just billed for it but, Actually seen them do it.
opcorn:
Sarge707
Active member
I don,t think they let you watch:roflblack:???:dontknow:
It would be nice to hear from someone who had their valves adjusted;
Not just billed for it but, Actually seen them do it.
Do you really think they go to all the trouble of Lubing the grease nipples at 600 miles:roflblack:???
I,ll bet most techs don,t even go to the trouble of checking the front plug even though your charged for it:roflblack:???
With the help of this group I will do as much as humanly possible myself so I know its done!!!:yikes:
Raptor
New member
Same here. I like my dealer very much but this whole valve adjustment thing is something that I feel is highly suspect. :dontknow:
:2thumbs:I don,t think they let you watch:roflblack:???
Do you really think they go to all the trouble of Lubing the grease nipples at 600 miles:roflblack:???
Of cause not,can't make money that way.
I,ll bet most techs don,t even go to the trouble of checking the front plug even though your charged for it:roflblack:???
Of cause not ,can't make money that way.
With the help of this group I will do as much as humanly possible myself so I know its done!!!:yikes:
NancysToy
Motorbike Professor
Pretty cynical group we seem to have here. That is most unfortunate. I have to say that I have never doubted that my tech did the work he said he did. Sometimes I wish he had done more, but I have never found evidence that he lied...and I have found lots of evidence that he did his job. I'm positive he lubes the fittings, because he always fails to wipe the excess grease off! :roflblack: I don't know how it is in most states, but here in Michigan the law comes down hard on shops that charge for work they don't do. It is sad that so many of you seem to have been burned. Find a shop you trust. It may come in handy some day, even if you do much of your own work. I suppose you guys do your own warranty work, too, and that the reported "backorders" are really just extended coffee breaks. :joke:
Raptor
New member
Yes it is unfortunate. Even more unfortunate is the sad truth that many if not most of us HAVE been taken advantage of by crooked dealers or independant shops. Factor that in with the fact they are charging several hundred dollars to do a valve check. I can do it on my chevy with relative ease myself. It's just kind of hard to justify. Who did your valve check? I am just curious. It seems to me that you are one of the guys out here that could do the job yourself. And I say that with much respect!
NancysToy
Motorbike Professor
Yes, I can do a valve check myself, but it is easily a 2-3 hour job. With shop time, which includes dealer overhead, at $75-$125 an hour these days, that's several hundred dollars any way you cut it, especially when you add the parts that are needed. You have to remove the body panels and the airbox. Even then, getting the valve covers off is tricky, as is getting on the new ones without damaging the gaskets. Adjustment will be much worse. Trust me on this. If you are going to start comparing working on a Spyder to working on your Chevy, you are going to be in trouble. That actually goes for any bike with a full fairing. You don't just pop the hood and take off the wingnut for the aircleaner. If you want Chevrolet ease, buy a naked bike!
Frankly, I have heard of disreputable mechanics many times, but in 50+ years of being in the thick of automotive and motorcycle ownership and hobbies, I have seen very few. Maybe it is how one looks at people in general. Expect to see the bad, and you probably will. Expect the good, and you may well find it. At any rate, condemning dealers (or automobile drivers) in a wholesale fashion does a lot of good people a real disservice, IMO.
Raptor
New member
First off, at no time was I comparing my Chevies to these machines. I own two of each so I know the difference. It was a figure of speech that wasn't meant to be taken literally.
I asked you Scotty because I know you would know what would be involved and provide proper perspective for edification purposes. Please don't attempt to give me any lectures on philosophy, human nature, ethics or anything else for that matter. We all know what goes on out there. I'm nobody's fool and let's just leave it at that. I prefer to stay on topic, which is the job itself.
I have had all the body panels and the airbox off my Spyder and took a good look at the engine. And I must say it doesn't look very easy! I don't know if I would want to tackle it. Here is where the dealer relationship comes into play. If you trust them, then you will feel comfortable with their assessments, what they tell you etc. Like anyhting else, it's a leap of faith!
I think it's time to buy the ole shop manual and look at this in more detail. Until then I thank you for providing an expert description of this procudure. I always respect your advice and your posts because you know your stuff!
bikeguy
New member
I've adjusted the valves on 3 different BMW's as well as several different cars but they are all pushrod valve trains with adjustable rocker arms. They are easy to adjust. But I don't think I'm gonna learn how to adjust the bucket and shim system that most overhead cam machines, including the Spyder use. That's one of the main reasons that I bought a maintenance contract with my RT. Truthfully, I was split between buying the maintenance contract and Dudley's method of doing a minimum amount of maintenance myself. In the past I've always done all my own maintenance but I decided on the maintenance contract because of the Spyder's complexity and computerized systems.
I don't know whether all dealers can be trusted or not, but I think I can trust mine. They've been up front with me on everything so far. I asked to watch the RT being assembled and they agreed. The tech who put it together told me that I was the first customer he had ever seen in their shop so I just tried to stay out of his way but he answered every question I asked him. Last week I had the RT in for a 6000 mile service and I told the service manager that I would like to see the spark plugs when they pulled them out to check them which is part of the 600 mile service. And I told him that the main reason I wanted to look at them was that the RT was running great and I wanted to see what a good running set of plugs looked like just for a baseline. He said no problem and he called me back in the shop when the tech pulled the plugs so we could look at them. They were a nice, pretty, light chocolate color which surprised me a little. I thought they would be more white like most of the automobile plugs I've seen since the advent of lean-burn computer controlled engines. The tech also showed me how he went about getting to them which isn't the easiest thing in the world.
So I think my dealer does what they say they do. I agree with Scotty that the vast majority of mechanics are straight up, honest folks who do the best job they can do.
Cotton
I don't know whether all dealers can be trusted or not, but I think I can trust mine. They've been up front with me on everything so far. I asked to watch the RT being assembled and they agreed. The tech who put it together told me that I was the first customer he had ever seen in their shop so I just tried to stay out of his way but he answered every question I asked him. Last week I had the RT in for a 6000 mile service and I told the service manager that I would like to see the spark plugs when they pulled them out to check them which is part of the 600 mile service. And I told him that the main reason I wanted to look at them was that the RT was running great and I wanted to see what a good running set of plugs looked like just for a baseline. He said no problem and he called me back in the shop when the tech pulled the plugs so we could look at them. They were a nice, pretty, light chocolate color which surprised me a little. I thought they would be more white like most of the automobile plugs I've seen since the advent of lean-burn computer controlled engines. The tech also showed me how he went about getting to them which isn't the easiest thing in the world.
So I think my dealer does what they say they do. I agree with Scotty that the vast majority of mechanics are straight up, honest folks who do the best job they can do.
Cotton
Raptor
New member
Firefly, I was thinking the same thing! :dontknow:
And bike guy, Power to you for finding a place you can trust. Stick with them! So far my dealer has been very good to me as well. And I went with service contract as well. I can do all the electrical, peripheral stuff and basic engine work. But if it comes to cracking the case, that's where I'm going to stop I think. At least for now.
And bike guy, Power to you for finding a place you can trust. Stick with them! So far my dealer has been very good to me as well. And I went with service contract as well. I can do all the electrical, peripheral stuff and basic engine work. But if it comes to cracking the case, that's where I'm going to stop I think. At least for now.
NancysToy
Motorbike Professor
:agree:
groundeffect
Registered User
I had my valves checked at 10,000km as per the manual, the first inspection, and they are in spec. Then it is required to be checked/adjusted if needed every 20,000km after the first 10,000km, according to the manual.
My questions are:
1. What happens when the valve clearance goes out of spec?
2. How will we know when they go out of spec... as they could go out of spec before we bring Spyder in for the service of course. What are the ways we, the ryder can tell if they are out of spec?
3. What kind of failures could occur if the valves are unchecked and does in fact need to be adjusted to within spec? Damage?
In addition, as I understand it, the tank has to at least be loosened and moved back (or removed for more space) to access the rear cylinder valve cover for the check or adjustment of the valves.
Thank you.
Cheers.
My questions are:
1. What happens when the valve clearance goes out of spec?
2. How will we know when they go out of spec... as they could go out of spec before we bring Spyder in for the service of course. What are the ways we, the ryder can tell if they are out of spec?
3. What kind of failures could occur if the valves are unchecked and does in fact need to be adjusted to within spec? Damage?
In addition, as I understand it, the tank has to at least be loosened and moved back (or removed for more space) to access the rear cylinder valve cover for the check or adjustment of the valves.
Thank you.
Cheers.
docdoru
Doru the Destroyer-Spyder Photo Investigator
1. Measure and order from BRP the new shims. TIGHT valves (small clearance) are open longer and the motor breathes better and makes more power but the valves don't last as long. LOOSE valves (lots of clearance) are closed longer, run cooler (due to ability to transfer heat to head), last longer but don't make quite as much power.
2. This is not happening overnight, the clearance is getting tighter and tighter between 2 measurements.
3. Overheating/burned (most likely exhaust) valves may result.
sinkhole
New member
Reputable Dealers...
My problem with all of this is not finding a reputable dealer... if you look long, and hard enough, you will find one. The problem is finding one close enough to where you live that you don't have to drive half way across your state to get there.
Unlike auto service where you can find many dealers for your brand in your city, the Spyder dealers are too few and far between.
The three closest dealers to me are all over 100 miles from my home, and service that can't be completed in one day becomes a real hassle. :gaah:
My problem with all of this is not finding a reputable dealer... if you look long, and hard enough, you will find one. The problem is finding one close enough to where you live that you don't have to drive half way across your state to get there.
Unlike auto service where you can find many dealers for your brand in your city, the Spyder dealers are too few and far between.
The three closest dealers to me are all over 100 miles from my home, and service that can't be completed in one day becomes a real hassle. :gaah:
Similar threads
