Don't berate me.. just valve question I can't figure out

[Plump Kibbles]

Originally Posted by stewbrash

This video is an excellent teaching-tool for those of us who are 'not quite sure' about things! The only issue I have is that you should only tighten the lock-nut down with a closed-end wrench...firmly...while keeping your nipple-tool/vice grips attached. Using the torque wrench WILL only tighten the adjustment nipple you so carefully set. BAD MOJO! There is a tool you can obtain, which is a wrench-head attached to 1/4" ratchet-head...which attaches to your torque wrench, but to me that's getting carried away. Just FIRMLY tighten with the wrench. I've never had a problem.

Agreed - I had to refer to the 'ol Motocheez video to just figure out how to get to them, and which version I have lol I have the SOHC setup, no push rods. Same with the spoke torque wrench IMHO; it's 80 f'n dollars.. My 15 dollar Amazon special does just as good does what it's supposed to!

The tool I need I believe would just be a Honda CRF230 valve lash wrench..... if I could find one. Advanced Auto has some online only - standard sizing too. Need the metric 4mm square bit and a 10mm hex. Till then though - I should be good for another 500mi. I believe.. someone said 500mi. for a valve maintenance schedule; I think.. The manual has nothing for valve lash adjustments either.

[Plump Kibbles]

Originally Posted by KenTaoyan

I posted this information before based on my learning curve. (slow) Seams like it has already been answered but here are my 2 cents with a little more detail that I found to be useful...


Valve lash - It came from China with “0” clearance. There is extensive information on this topic but I needed further description on “Top Dead Center, Compression stroke” (yeah I am a newbie motorcycle mechanic.) With the valve cover off, rotate the motor counter clockwise until you see the Intake valve close. Slowly keep turning until you first see a double line then a line with an “F” and then finally come to rest on the line with the “T”. I found it tough to tighten the nut down and stopping the adjustment screw from turning as well. I found that if I tightened the nut down on a .005 feeler gauge it would create a snug .003 on the intake valve and a .006 on the Exhaust valve it would create a .004.(Some clicking is expected.) How much clicking? Mine has a slight click sound and my hawk runs awesome.

Same for me - I did the first adjustment and it went perfectly! Same - 0 gap from the factory, cold starts were a b!tch and wouldn't stay on. That is a promising sounding trick though - I'll have to give that a shot if I can't find the right tool for my engine! I do usually pull the plug and just watch for the piston, just was lazy this time.. and showed lol Lots of new stuff to me being a new China bike owner lol the closest powersports shop just said 'no' and was kinda rude about it. Maybe cause I didn't get it from them.. but still; tire truing? Anyway, yeah I do have some taps, not loud, not silent, but they're there. Kind of like piston slap on the older LS1 engines; normal audible quirks. But, now I know what too much gap sounds like!

[Plump Kibbles]

Well - the new tail tidy kit I got for my bike, gone..

Was on the trail and started to get a little bunny hoppy - little hills.. and I got maybe a few ft. of hangtime, overshot like crazy and came down on the incline of another hill and bottomed out... didn't know. Kept riding - ripped one side of my tail tidy off, ripped the wires out of the tail light / brake light, popped the wiring out for the signals, AND bent my plate.. Just my luck! lol No injuries - no crash; just a botched landing -__-

On a good note - after getting the valves straightened out, I was able to keep up on I81 getting to the trail at 80MPH!! Now I can change my signature for top speed lol Good Lord was that iffy though.. I do have the nice 90/10 knobbie tread too. THAT was very surprising to me - but made me grin! I do have a good bit of blow-by that catches in a tube off the crank case leading to (I'm assuming) a check valve that I put a breather filter on... is that normal though? Granted, I was pretty much WOT on the road. 55MPH is good, the interstate pushed it hard though. Just want to make sure it's not something to worry about.

I'm an old desert rider, so I go pretty hard off-road anyway.. Just didn't think that was going to happen!!

I DID get that on my GoPro as well - I'm working on the video and writing this.

Thanks everyone again for all the replies! Now that I'm getting off my duff and being more active I'm sure I'll be back for more!

[stewbrash]

Besides the needle-nosed vice-grips, the coolest thing I've seen is something Jerryhawk 'invented'! He acquired a 4mm square-head deck screw, from a hardware store (or somewhere) and 'screw' it into a yellow electrical wire-nut (as a handle)...and voila...instant valve-lash adjustment tool! It was Brilliant!