Anyone skip valve adjustments?

[1LIFE2LIVE]

Own an 08RT with 33,000 miles and have been doing the valve adjustments per the maintenance schedule (initial @ 600 miles then at every 6,000 miles thereafter) and other than the 600 mile, 12,000 & 24,000 checks the valves were in spec. and gives me the impression at least in my experience that you could skip a check and go every 12,000 miles.

 

Anyone else have similar experience and have or thinking of going every 12,000 miles for the valve check?

 

Thanks,

 

 

[Lmar]

My thoughts exactly. Have done that once, valves were in spec.

[RichardSpag]

My RT is at 92,000 miles and I have serviced it myself since 48,000. During that time I've only ever had to adjust two valves and the vacuum balance between the cylinders has also never needed adjusting either. Having said that I do still check these things at 12,000 mile intervals (i.e. about every 6-8 months)- mainly because I enjoy tinkering with the bike!

 

Cheers

 

Richard

[1NOTRED]

I went with synthetic engine oil on my '06RT and extended oil changes to 20k miles (it's now at 110k). That seems to be fine with the valves, too. Conveniently, that coincides pretty well with a January maintenance schedule.

[Groanup]

Only 17k miles on my 07 so far.

Checked the valves at 6k and 12k. No adjustment needed either time.

I will continue to check every 6k though. It's easy, don't cost anything and the peace of mind is priceless.

[Selden]

I've heard that the hexheads hold valve settings better. That said, the last two times I have checked my 99 RT (now at 85,000 miles), the valves were practically dead on. Since I run synthetic oil, I've decided to go to 10,000 mile intervals for engine, trans, and FD oil changes, as well as checking the valves. Multiples of 10 are easy to remember for the numerically challenged, and this way I get everything out of the way at the same time.

[KDeline]

I have 700,000 BMW miles logged, two bikes that had 160,000 plus miles when I sold them. (one went to 270,000 when I last saw it). I have learned that anywhere between 14,000 to 18,000 miles between tune ups, and oil changes works well, using synthetic oil, changing the filter every 6000 to 8000 miles. Never had those kind of related problems. IMO BMW's do not need much maintenance after the first 15,000 miles.

[racer7]

Add one more. The 6K intervals recommended by the factory are ultra conservative. You don't even have to bother with an oil analysis to tell the oil is pretty fresh at 6K and there's no reason it shouldn't be. No clutch to shear it, small engine with large capacity means relatively little combustion crap in it compared to bigger motors (BMW cars typically trigger their sensor at 12-15K miles). And the valves don't change much in only 6K- at most maybe a couple move .001" which doesn't really matter. A 12 K interval is very reasonable for valve checks. To really read clearances more closely I suggest a go-no go set such as available from Eastern. They've got a set that will actually allow you to measure to .001" with good accuracy and you can decide your own intervals from info you collect.

 

I do my own work (2 hours to a dealer so I can do a lot of work in the the 3/4 day it would take to get there, get even a small thing done, and return not to mention I save about $400 which pays for 1 1/2 sets of tires or fuel for 6K miles) so do all the rear stuff at a tire change. And the tupperware stuff is fast if you're used to doing it. So I don't mind doing it at shorter intervals but don't stress about it either.

[tallman]

One of the things that makes it easy to sell pre-owned BMW's is because they generally have a very complete service record/history.

Customers look for this and expect it.

If an owner decides to revise the suggested schedules for maintenance I hope they reveal this in any future resale venture.

[BMWRich58]

I look at it as part of the maintenence of owning a motorcycle and or anything else with a "service interval schedule".

 

Seize a potenial problem *before* it festers to something worst.

 

Yeah thats right...the valves are in spec but what about that oily film on the back of the trans or rear wheel??? A bolt missing from the frame? Yadda Yadda Yadda.....all things you'd of missed if you waited three months later to check your valves...

 

 

 

[BeemerLover]

The reason for valve adjustments in the first 20k miles is that, as the valves break in, they flare a bit which makes the stem move closer to the rocker arm. Once they get broken in they usually don't flare much more which is why checking the valves after the engine is well broken in usually results in no adjustment needed. But checking is still a good idea.

 

 

[Motodan]

May be this is a toss up, but the valve train access and potential adjustment on my '09 R bike is so quick and simple, skipping it doesn't seem to be a reasonable or prudent decision. If it was a half day ordeal and/or expensive, perhaps I'd stretch the interval. But we are talking 30 minutes at the most, even if adjustment is needed.

[1LIFE2LIVE]

Thanks everyone for your input!

 

Think I am going to continue doing the valve checks as I have been per the recommended schedule but it is comforting to know that many owners have and continue to extend these checks with no reported ill effects other than saving some time and $$$ if you take your bike to the dealer.

 

Any and all other experience shared will be Greatly Appreciated!

 

THANKS AGAIN,

 

[rad]

May be this is a toss up, but the valve train access and potential adjustment on my '09 R bike is so quick and simple, skipping it doesn't seem to be a reasonable or prudent decision. If it was a half day ordeal and/or expensive, perhaps I'd stretch the interval. But we are talking 30 minutes at the most, even if adjustment is needed.

 

Great point

To give perspective; this is what had to come off my Vtec VFR, then be reassembled before you could even check on one bank of cylinders. Then it all had to come back off again then reassemble it even if it needed no adjustment. Now you then did the same with the other bank of cylinders. No joking. Why? You had to insert slide pin stoppers in the vtec valve (only engaged above 7K) buckets to block them out so they were activated and then could be checked.

 

Many folks never checked their valves and it was a source of much debate on the VFR Forum. Me, I checked mine at every service interval and it made it very easy to sell my bike this last summer having the documentation that I did the scheduled maintenance as specified by Honda.

 

 

 

Like you you said, the Boxer motor is so easy and fast to check, why skip it?

 

[KDeline]

May be this is a toss up, but the valve train access and potential adjustment on my '09 R bike is so quick and simple, skipping it doesn't seem to be a reasonable or prudent decision. If it was a half day ordeal and/or expensive, perhaps I'd stretch the interval. But we are talking 30 minutes at the most, even if adjustment is needed.

 

 

I have a hard time believing (read don't believe) only thirty minutes to check both heads from start to finish.

[KDeline]

One of the things that makes it easy to sell pre-owned BMW's is because they generally have a very complete service record/history.

Customers look for this and expect it.

If an owner decides to revise the suggested schedules for maintenance I hope they reveal this in any future resale venture.

 

 

It's all documented in the BMW technical manual that goes with the bike I sell.

[KDeline]

I look at it as part of the maintenence of owning a motorcycle and or anything else with a "service interval schedule".

 

Seize a potenial problem *before* it festers to something worst.

 

Yeah thats right...the valves are in spec but what about that oily film on the back of the trans or rear wheel??? A bolt missing from the frame? Yadda Yadda Yadda.....all things you'd of missed if you waited three months later to check your valves...

 

 

 

That can all be seen when you clean the bike.

[Motodan]

I have a hard time believing (read don't believe) only thirty minutes to check both heads from start to finish.

 

Then don't.