15,000 mile valve clearance check. Were any of your valves out of clearnance?

[Nightmare]

I just did the valve clearance inspection @ 15,200 miles. Keep in mind my miles were basically spot on, not like other people that do not have a speedo healer. Stock the 07-08 zx6r's are off exactly 10%. So at 15,000 miles there is actually 13,500 actual miles on the engine w/out a speedohealer of some sort. Anyway, I did my inspection with my trusty pdf. service manual, and my snap-on feeler guage. Every single valve was in way within serivce limits. How many of your guys that did your inspections actually need to reshim? I'm confident that the 30,000 mile interval, I will have a few valves out of spec. Is this common for the 600cc bikes to not need a valve adjustment on even 1 valve? I'm just curious, that's all. When I helped my buddy do the valve check on his 08 cbr600rr at the 16,000 mile service interval, he had only one valve out of the service limit. I use my bike for commuting, to riding twisties hard and sometimes keeping the revs above 10,000 rpm's for a majority of an hour. So I use my bike moderately hard, but I don't beat the shit out of it.
Just shoot me your input and opinions.
-jon

[Nightmare]

Sorry for the the wronged title, I meant your, not you.... My bad, it's late and I'm tired.

[Tommy2273boy]

no, im due in the spring. pretty much everything gets done at 15k. Im getting my front tire put on and front brakes done aswell.

[JBearSVT]

I did my ten a little late, or maybe it was early, since I didn't have a SH the first season. Anyway, my valves were all within spec. I think they're usually fine, from what I've heard from most people. Still a good idea to do it though.

[Shifty1]

Mine were still good.

[Geezer]

Originally Posted by Nightmare

Sorry for the the wronged title, I meant your, not you.... My bad, it's late and I'm tired.

Sure glad you clarified that; I didn't know if being called a "valve" was good or bad, though back in the squid (navy, not screwball rider) days being called a "checkvalve" (aka diode, one-way) was a bad thing

My zx isn't anywhere near that many miles yet, but previous experience with other bikes is that typically at the first interval the valves will all be in spec. I think the take away factoid here is that if you're at that point where they are due, you don't need to panic and stop riding if say, you can't get around to doing the valves until next week, etc., but I hope no one concludes that it can be blown off, cuz the stakes are too high (as in possible destruction from a single valve with too little clearance).

your comment about the true (healer corrected) mileage vs. "factory" miles also gave me pause for thought; it makes me wonder, since we all know that they know that the uncorrected miles are way low, if they take that into account when deciding maint intervals, hmmm (if that sentence hurts your brain, it's okay, it hurt me to write it).

[dhowton]

Mine needed to be readjusted. I could tell they needed it when I was riding

[quick_daddy]

I got almost 9K and I've noticed a little ticker on one until it warms up to about 120 then it shuts up and you never hear it again to next cold start so I figure 1 must be a little loose. It's been this way for ever it seems like. At least 8K.

It runs to good to be any problem and I give it hell. I feel sorry for it every now and then. Then again when I come to a red light or stop sign after running hard and at idle some times it's whomp whomp whomp whomp whomp like a big ass cam it's just wanting some more.

After full exhaust and re-tune this bike has been a monster.

[JBearSVT]

Pretty sure you're describing the notorious ZX6 tick, which is unrelated to the 15K valve adjustment.

[quick_daddy]

I thought the famous tick did not go away? This just sounds very very light sound above the rest of the valves. Just a little obvious then shuts up fairly quick and sounds like the rest of the valves. I've had other owners listen and told me it's not the famous tick.

[JBearSVT]

Huh. Dunno.

[dhowton]

when you give it a little throttle does the tick your hearing spped up? If so then it is probably just a loose valve. If it doesn't you might have something else going on. But if it is only happening with cold starts and then going away when it warms up I doubt it is the famous tick.

Just my $0.02

[quick_daddy]

Yea is speeds up with the rest of the valves. You can tell it's just one in the crowd of 16 just making a little more noise above the rest and like I said it revs with the rest and about 125 -120 degrees it never sounds anymore. They all sound the same.

I'm positive it's just one critter a tad ass loose on cold start. The way I drive it if something was wrong it would have grenaded a long time ago. It never gets just a easy ride around the block. I'm going to kick it once anyway.

That's what I like about this bike. If you are feeling bad or down just go around the block and in my case run down a 1/4 mile and you'll feel better the rest of the day.

[Moscap87]

the 15k valve clearance check may be just a service to prevent any further damages if left alone like we do at my work for the m3's. just about all of them are in spec and we pretty much do it as an inspection every 20k miles. usually have to start changing the shims at the 40k.
since these are expected to have a normal tick, you do the service to make sure its not an abnormal tick which will cause big $$$ later down the road.

[dhowton]

Originally Posted by quick_daddy

Yea is speeds up with the rest of the valves. You can tell it's just one in the crowd of 16 just making a little more noise above the rest and like I said it revs with the rest and about 125 -120 degrees it never sounds anymore. They all sound the same.

I'm positive it's just one critter a tad ass loose on cold start. The way I drive it if something was wrong it would have grenaded a long time ago. It never gets just a easy ride around the block. I'm going to kick it once anyway.

That's what I like about this bike. If you are feeling bad or down just go around the block and in my case run down a 1/4 mile and you'll feel better the rest of the day.

Yeah best bet is it is just a loose valve. Think you are right, nothing to worry to much about if you ask me.

And yes, the bike is amazing

[tukn20s]

15k is too soon for a valve job...i did mines around 29k...im at 55k now and still going strong...