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Valve adjustment
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Posted by: dannyboy20

i have had my quad for 6 mounths should i have the valves adjusted ?

Posted by: 02Yellow400

yeah..your supposed to get it done after 10 hours i would go get that done

Posted by: kerby400ex

I've always taken mine to the honda shop to have my valves adjusted. Next time I think I'm going to do it myself. Here is the link if your interested in learning a bit about your quad and want to spend some time doing it yourself.

http://www.exriders.com/techarticles/valves.html

Posted by: dannyboy20

whats it cost to have them done at the dealer.

Posted by: kerby400ex

I'm thinking somewhere around 50 or 60 dollars....really can't remember.

Posted by: markk

if u can use a 10mm wrench and a screwdriver at the same time while holding a feeler gage u can do your own valves! its not that hard.
1. remove plastic and gas tank(ect)
2. clean the dirt off of the top or the motor (good)
3. pull off the valve caps
4. on the balancer side of the motor pull of both caps
(one big one small)
5. get a socket and turn your crank like u are loosning the bolt
(turn to the front of the motor)
6.make sure that both exhaust and intake valves are working corectly, turn untill the intake (carb side) valves open then close
7.then look on the flywheel untill u see some marks, u will see a mark that says (TDC) top dead center
8. then get your feeler gage out and on a stock cam your intake is i beleive .004 and your exhaust valves at .005
(probley have to bend your feeler gage)
9. then set them untill u can slide your feeler gage in and out with it just barley touching
(be sure not to push down on the screwdriver!!!!!)
10. then put the caps on and start it up when done, if it makes a funny noise (shut off imedially and take to someone who knows somthing)
good luck man
that should get it done for u

it should take about 30-40 min if u take your time!
probley change your oil at the same time!

Posted by: livealatimmy

Oh yeah dont forget to put your caps back on and tighten them down. I adjusted mine one time and forgot to tighten one of the caps and well lets just say lots of oil everywhere

Posted by: EXtreme

I just had mine adjusted it cost me $50 for the full service plus cost of oil, filter and plug at my local shop. you should have yours done it's time for sure. Full serv. did include valve adj.

Posted by: Jumbo747

i might have them do the full service on mine here pretty soon...all i really need done though is my valves adjusted & ill buy a new spark plug from them & put that on myself

Posted by: dannyboy20

ya the servie deal around here is like 180 $$ he was like we change the oil and check tire pressure qand bla bla bla. I said i only need the valves adjusted. He said 70$

Posted by: dannyboy20

has anyone noticed a difference after the valve adjustment ???

Posted by: markk

there is a slight noticable diffrence, but u dont want to get that valve loose enuf to hit your piston then u have major probs u know,, its really a have to !

Posted by: dannyboy20

oh ok . Thanks for the info i plan on having it done soon.

Posted by: EXtreme

I had a huge difference in performance but i had mine jetted also.
I was running stock jetting and I had full exhaust and k&N and no lid so I imagine the jetting was way off. and the difference between when i dropped it off and got it back was night and day!!

Posted by: teamhonda

you should adjust valves evry 10-20 hours, especially if yo ride hard. around here valve adjustments run about 75.00 bucks and the full service runs about 200.00. I've seen motors that didn't have any adjustments so I keep up on my maintenance alot better now.

Posted by: ewalker302

I got a 99' last year BONE stock except the rear tires.

I can guarantee the valves had never been adjusted.
I think it still had the original oil filter in it.

I went to adjust the valves & they didn't even need it.
I did it anyway just so I would know the procedure.

The only tricky part is working the wrench & holding the valve still with the screwdriver at the same time.

It may take 3-4 tries on each one before you get it right on & tighten em down.

Posted by: Jumbo747

quote:
Originally posted by teamhonda
you should adjust valves evry 10-20 hours,

wtf are you smoking??

mine is pushing over 200 hours & it didnt even need its valves adjusted & I ride mine pretty damn hard

Posted by: teamhonda

Yah o.k. I deal with honda 400EX on an every day basis. i see motors come in all tore up from lack of maintenance. sounds like your one of them. i'm sure theres 400's out there that never had any kind of maintenance done at all, and they probably run o.k. but its highly recommended. We have alot of money in our quads and don't want to do repairs that could have been prevented. but hey you treat your 400 the way you want.

Posted by: dannyboy20

ok so if i get a manual how hard is it to do. What special tools do i need. Are u basically just tightening them up ???

Posted by: Jumbo747

the only *special* tool you will need is a feeler gauge which cost very little $$$

Posted by: KASCHAK

but still 10 20 hours thats like 3 or 4
times a week for some of us.

Posted by: RobRacing

Sometimes when the vavle clearance is lost the engine will lose performance after it gets warm i.e. stalling boggin when punching the throttle. This is because the vavle is kept open by the rocker arm because there is no clearance between the two. The vavle isn't going to wack the piston because it only moves as far as the cam allows it to. That is why there are indention in the top of the piston. Keeping the vavles adjusted is a good way to always have a good running engine. It isn't that hard. Do it once a week or whenever you feel like it. Just remember that incorect vavle clearance leads to poor engine performance. Oh and by the way always keep your air cleaner clean, it will save you $$$ in the long run.

Posted by: dannyboy20

ok so were can i get a feeler guage ???

Posted by: Jumbo747

feeler gauges can be found at your local hardware store...lowes...home depot...menards

Posted by: dannyboy20

ok well im gonna take my quad apart tomorrow and pick up a feeler guage. Hopefully i dont f*** this thing up.

Posted by: Jumbo747

I wouldnt do it by yourself...im having a friend show me how to do it for $35

Posted by: dannyboy20

ok i have it all apart and inserted the feeler guage and it seems tight enough. Hope i did this right .

Posted by: RobRacing

I hope you found the specs for the clearance. Adjusted it with the correct gauge and then used a gauge one incrament bigger than spec to make sure it is adjusted correctly. Rule of thumb is that you can't get anything to go between the rocker arm and the vavle bigger than spec, once you have it adjusted. When you tighten down the pinch nut keep the feeler gauge in between the rocker arm and vavle to make sure it doesn't move. Hope that helps.

Posted by: dannyboy20

i left the feeler guage in there when i tightened the nut

Posted by: dannyboy20

ok when im adjusting the valves should the next size up feeler guage fit in. Example on the exhaust: the oo5 fits in and i can squeeze th 006 in also is that ok or should i go tighter ?

Posted by: RobRacing

Go tighter until you cannot fit the .006 in.