Valve adjustment

ST1300 - what is typical mileage for when valves first need adjustment? I have 71,000 miles, and the 3 times I've had the valves checked, was told they were still within tolerance. What has your experience been?

I have just shy of 119,000 on mine and I had it done one time back at 19K and I still don't believe the dealer ever looked at them, I have reason for that.

First, I don't think it's much value to compare adjustments required between bikes. There are just too many variables.

That said, I had 1 exhaust valve out of tolerance at 86,000 miles that required adjustment. IIRC I have one or two others that have closed to the limit of tolerance but they have been stable to the last check at 145,000 miles. I'm checking them now at 30,000 mile intervals.

86,000 miles last check and no adjustments required.

gkc501 said:

ST1300 - what is typical mileage for when valves first need adjustment? I have 71,000 miles, and the 3 times I've had the valves checked, was told they were still within tolerance. What has your experience been?

Click to expand...

The most important piece of information that you need is what the clearances are when they are checked. That way, you can see where the close tolerances lie and the pattern in which wear is happening. example:I just checked mine and from what I see, I have a couple that are within .0005 inch of being out of spec., one loose and one tight. I expect the loose one to become tighter over time, but the tight one will need to be watched. For this reason, I will check all again next winter. I dont do a lot of miles and I expect they will all be fine. As was mentioned, all bikes are different, but armed with the numbers, you can judge when a valve adjustment may be coming. I dont know if a dealership or shop will give you the numbers, but ask and see.

I did not know the history of my ST13,, and just wanted to be sure I was not harming it. The odometer was about 130,000 kms. I did talk to both of the best local bike shops,,, right to the mechanics,, about the task. Their responses were guesses, that did not fill me with confidence,,, in fact quite the opposite. I should mention that I felt very well read on the topic from reviewing all the excellent threads on this site, and my FSM. I checked them all myself. It was not that hard for someone who is used to wrenching. All were nominal,, except one that was nearing top limit (loose). It felt good to know where the bike stands. I have moved on to other issues,, Cat'

Thanks to all for your informative posts! I am having my valves checked next week by a mechanic I trust, and will ask for written results for future comparisons.

I checked mine when I bought the bike with 17K on the clock, and found one was slightly out of spec and 3-4 others which were at the limit.
I adjusted them at that time and brought them all to median spec. Only 26K on the clock now but I've checked again at this winter's service and they haven't changed.

Well known expression - if is not broken, don't fix it
In other words, if you don't hear clicking sound from the cylinder heads no needs to do anything.
Sometimes lower octane gasoline under 95 can produce the same sound.

If you are easy rider you don't have to worry to much for the valve clearance on ST1300, futuristic engine

Послато са SM-A500H уз помоћ Тапатока

I didn't have a service history of the bike, so I checked it at 64k not long after I bought it. All were in spec - intakes were at .010 and exhausts were between .005 and .006 (tight .006 or loose .005).

No set mileage to adjust, it varies greatly.

My first adjustment was at 118,000 miles as one was finally at .001 under. it was tight at about .0005" for many many miles. I think I adjusted in 4 valves to get them all at the top (most gap) of tolerances.

dejankiss said:

Well known expression - if is not broken, don't fix it
In other words, if you don't hear clicking sound from the cylinder heads no needs to do anything.

Click to expand...

Not true with the ST valve train- At least the exhaust will get tighter with time, so in this case no noise = bad lol
Trusted or not, if going to a mechanic I would ask to be there during the actual check "to see what it looks like". Also should have gaps recorded each time.

st1300doug said:

My two cents: So many say NO adjustments needed until way after 90K. So, I just hit the 70K number & I'm gonna go to 100,000 miles. Why? Bikes runs very good. And I'm getting a fantastic regular 44 MPG. That kinda gas mileage would suffer if they valves were outta spec. With all that entails to perform a valve-check.....I'll wait. Just my opinion. Why didn't Honda just make these valves "hydraulic" like a GoldWing?

Click to expand...

Kind of like going to the doctor in other words. If nothing bad happens to the other guy it shouldn't to me, correct?

^ Except we are supposed to have regular checkups at the doctor! lol
I checked my valves first time at 40k, and the ride I took right after was the best ever (knowing things were ok).

st1300doug said:

My two cents: So many say NO adjustments needed until way after 90K. So, I just hit the 70K number & I'm gonna go to 100,000 miles. Why? Bikes runs very good. And I'm getting a fantastic regular 44 MPG. That kinda gas mileage would suffer if they valves were outta spec. With all that entails to perform a valve-check.....I'll wait. Just my opinion. Why didn't Honda just make these valves "hydraulic" like a GoldWing?

Click to expand...

Like playfair said just above your post, no noise is not good on valves. The tighter they get the less noise until there is no gap and then there will be a big noise! The exhaust can get held open with no gap and that's when you get a burnt valve. When a valve seats to the head heat is transferred away from the valve, no seating no heat transfer. A valve with the correct gap should tick tick tick as it seats.

I"m not sure of the lift and duration of the ST camshaft but probably around .200 to .350" of lift to a valve. The gap changing a few thousands (.007") will not help performance since you say yours is running so good but it may get you a burnt valve.

My 2 cents...

I recommend checking (and documenting) clearances at the intervals stated in the manual. I also think you should get confidence that they're in spec for 3 subsequent checks (18k mi apart), not drifting, THEN consider skipping checks (as dduelin mentioned above, I also changed to 36k mi increments when I had mine, after establishing the clearances were stable)

Doing it the other way around (not checking and assuming they're fine) doesn't make sense to me unless you're ok with burnt valves and difficult/costly repairs, or ok with finding a cheap donor replacement engine (sometimes the eBay engines are cheaper than the engine repair bill would be).

st1300doug said:

My two cents: So many say NO adjustments needed until way after 90K. So, I just hit the 70K number & I'm gonna go to 100,000 miles. Why? Bikes runs very good. And I'm getting a fantastic regular 44 MPG. That kinda gas mileage would suffer if they valves were outta spec. With all that entails to perform a valve-check.....I'll wait. Just my opinion. Why didn't Honda just make these valves "hydraulic" like a GoldWing?

Click to expand...

bike running good and MPG have nothing to do with valve clearance

hydraulic valves are a less compact design (probably lower revving as well) and most importantly, they remove service income from dealerships balance sheet

If you're not doing the check yourself, then the money spent at the dealership can add up pretty quickly on something that as you say, isn't likely to be a problem anyway. Let's say they charge $300 every 15k miles, you'd be $1800 into labor charges at 90k and probably no better off because of it. Might even be higher cost, I don't know. I check mine every 15k because its free other than the cost of a valve cover gasket here and there, but if my only option was taking it to the dealership instead, I wouldn't bother.

dwalby said:

hydraulic valves are a less compact design (probably lower revving as well) and most importantly, they remove service income from dealerships balance sheet

Click to expand...

More space needed, slightly less performance and limited to lower max RPM (hydraulics have a slight delay and will float the valve, never letting it fully open or close when they get moving too fast). Our engine are already limited to an RPM range that hydraulic lifter could handle, but they do need more height and other things need to be changed to accommodate (cam profile, spring tension to start).

Definitely check them a few times before saying it's good to skip. I admit, my first check was long after the recommended interval. But now they get down more regularly. It's always a small or zero amount needed to be fixed. But I tie it into some other maintenance jobs and it's not too bad.

This is a whole comment of experience owner from another forum:

- BURNT OUTLET VALVE -
" I'd be interested in a picture of the head with both valves in place. Several conditions will burn valves and generally exhaust are the first to "burn". Intake valves a cooled by the air fuel mixture passing so a lean condition will be passing less air fuel and cooling less. Damage to the intake valve? The fastest way to burn a exhaust valve is lack to clearance. Lack of clearance opens the valve sooner and closes it later not allowing the valve to seat and pass the heat to the head and cooling system contained within. Honda uses STELLITE coated valves an extreemly tough coating used in extreme heat areas, very hard to burn under lean conditions without intake damage at the same time.

You say this is new to you.
Did performance drop off since you bought it or has it remained about equal?
A lean condition would show up on the exhaust headers first then work it's way back to the mufflers and lean enouh to burn a valve should blue the muffler. Muffler(s) discolored?
Any chance the previous owner had a problem found a tight valve and replaced the shim? Damage already started and a burned exhaust valve only burns more once it starts.
Extreme carbon buildup on the valve face can insulate the valve allowing it temperature to rise. Long term garbage fuel use by previous owner?

The only burned valve I have heard of on a 1300 was the result of tight valve clearance. Burned 1100 valves were reported on extreemly high mileage bikes. It is believed their cause was age related wear of the Stellite coating.

The bottom line on a computer controlled fuel system is several running problems will show up long before heat to the valve burning range shows up. This bike has more than enough sensors to christmas tree the dash before it burns a valve. The FI light should have been burning bright. I'm thinking other than a fuel delivery problem was at work here. "
Paul

P.S. Just don't panic... stay cool

Послато са SM-A500H уз помоћ Тапатока