All this talk of valve checks and hydraulics makes me pine for the Honda 650 Nighthawk. I really liked that bike and had a chance to get a 'steal' deal but passed. Regret it to this day.
Valve adjustment
- Thread starter gkc501
- Start date
I am doing some regularly scheduled maintenance for a coworker and just measured valve clearances. The patient is a 2003 with 171,752. There was a clearance check within the last 60k I think but I don't know what they measured as the shop just told him they were good. Cylindars 2 and 4 don't worry me overly as they are only 0.001 tight but cylinder 1 does.
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Woodchuck
(Lyle)
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there is a valve clearance check sheet somewhere on the forum?? any body know where to find that.
I have the worksheet saved on my computer for easier access.
I have had the same experience. I have a maintenace contract with my Dealer, so they (I) must follow the contract dates and miles. I usually leave the Dealer with problems on my bike. I am very nervous whenever
they enter my bike even for an oil change.The valve adjusutment is very serious, I am thinking no AJUSTMENT is the correct decision.
Now that the ST is obsolete, qualified technicians are scarce.
The ST is obsolete?? It's younger than I am... so what am I supposed to do... check into Logans Run?
Qualified technician for an ST has always been scarce. Ask any tech at a Honda dealership if they can change a thermostat without removing the throttle body... if they say yes, use 'em.
That's because all of the good ones are on this forum!
Woodchuck
(Lyle)
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Thanks. I like the idea to have it on the laptop. Is there any other sheets like that to keep on fill.
Lyle
Lyle
Dave.David
Rider
Anyone else can't open this link? Or maybe it's a Tapatalk issue?
Tapatalk probably can't render the article section.. you need to use a browser.
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I did mine once on both sides and again on the left side on my previous ST1300
When I replaced mine, if there was the option, and my clearances had been decreasing, I'd elect to fit shims that would put the clearance on the slack side of the middle point. If they hadn't moved much, then I'd aim for the mid point.
There is. In fact there are a few. Here is one that I did for myself about 6 years ago - See links in Post#1. It is Microsoft Excel based and there are 4 version - 2 in Excel 2000 format, 2 in Excel 2007 format.
The only difference between the metric and imperial versions is that I have filled in the sheet with example data. Either sheet will handle either metric or imperial.
It works out which shims you need, which you can reuse and which to buy, and calculates the gap once it is all done. Instructions are on the tabs at the bottom. But if you don't like pratting around with spreadsheets, use a different method.
Lyle,
Check THIS out. If you go to the top of this page in the blue bar under ST OWNERS, click on Articles then scroll down on the left to Valves. There are 6 articles on this subject. MY link takes you to the description and Excel spreadsheet for valve adjustments. You enter the clearance you find and his spreadsheet tells you via colors (green, yellow, red) if you are in or out of spec and also tells you the necessary adjustment.
Peter
I don't know if qualified techs are scarce - after all, presumably Honda dealerships employ at least one or more Honda Qualified technicians (emphasis on 'presumably'). However, competent technicians are a whole other bird - and they are few and far between.
Woodchuck
(Lyle)
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That a lot of information. Thank you
Im going to do this in the fall , before I put the bike away for the winter. I commute everyday from April- October. this will give me lot of time to research all the steps, the check I feel confident, but to change shims well that's another story. I'm so glad I have the forum and the wealth of knowledge at my finger tips.
Im going to do this in the fall , before I put the bike away for the winter. I commute everyday from April- October. this will give me lot of time to research all the steps, the check I feel confident, but to change shims well that's another story. I'm so glad I have the forum and the wealth of knowledge at my finger tips.
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Can I recommend getting a set of Pt 1 and Pt 2 JIS drivers ? Those air funnel bolts are very tight from new and a standard Philips / Pozidriv can really chew them up.
Woodchuck
(Lyle)
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thanks. that's the kind of stuff I'm talking about. Ill double check what I have and I'll get them. I know my Philips driver and pretty good but I'll check any way. Any special tools or little secrets that you guys learned on the way to help me along that would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Thanks
Andrew Shadow
Site Supporter
If you do need JIS screwdrivers here is a good source in Canada- Gofast Innovations.
Woodchuck
(Lyle)
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Just ordered myself a set for fathers day. I'll tell my daughter later tonight 
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Oh - Happy Father's Day. You won't regret it.
Yeah, but I bet you can't do this with a Philips driver on one of those fairing pocket type screws !
No trickery in this photo - the driver really is horizontal - it is a heavy version with the impact driver handle. By the time I had taken the photo, the screw thread was all but ripping the skin off my thumb !
I read an article once about Philips and Pozidriv. According to that, the drivers are designed to 'cam out' (I assume that means that they use their profile to lever themselves out of the screw) when a certain torque is reached - apparently for use in power drivers.
JIS screws on the other hand are designed to stay put.