[Steel City]

So i checked my valves and the intake valves were dead on. Then i checked the exhaust valves, the right one was fine but the left one was at 0.013. The spec says it should be 0.011(+-0.001) Has anyone had only one valve out of wack? Does the valve have to be shimmed?

[Asmith]

Welcome to the Site!!!

Wow,

That is the first valve I have heard of shrinking???

Most valves stretch with use, as the springs are pulling up on the stem and the seats are keeping them from going up.

When they stretch, the clearances become smaller.

I haven't ever heard of a valve clearance becoming larger. That would mean that the valve itself was becoming shorter.

Maybe carbon build up on the seat??? I don't know...

You might check it again to make sure this is actually the case.

[LeapYear Jim]

The same valve on my bike did the same thing.
Yes, you have to get it shimmed.

[[email protected]]

Jim ! How's it going ?
Hey, if your bike runs fine and starts right up , if it was me I would not shim it unless it had an obvious degradation of performance.
It's too easy to screw up the measurement, and there will not be any damage done whatsoever to the engine regardless.
If it runs and starts good, I wouldn't do it. Doug

[Steel City]

Thanks guys for your responces. I'm not sure why the gap is bigger, maybe it came for the factory that way. I put it back to gether and it runs great so im an not going to worry about shimming it right now. As you said dobent it shouldnt hurt the engine so ill let it go for now.

[[email protected]]

it shouldnt hurt the engine

Not a bit it won't. You'l probably be like most of us,hundreds of hours and no valve problems at all. Doug

[Steel City]

thats what im hoping.

Smith, thanks for the welcome!

[fatty432]

I wanted to jump in here. I'm new at this and I expect my bike will run fine for a year or two, but I was at the shop today and there was a guy in there with a 450X that told me he has had alot of problems with the valves on his machine. He told me that the valves are Titanium and will wear and have to be shimmed after a while. He suggested that as soon as that happens not to mess with it and install stainless valves. Is this accurate what he told me.

A.S. I'm sure you can enlighten me.

Thanks
Jeff

[Asmith]

I wanted to jump in here. I'm new at this and I expect my bike will run fine for a year or two, but I was at the shop today and there was a guy in there with a 450X that told me he has had alot of problems with the valves on his machine. He told me that the valves are Titanium and will wear and have to be shimmed after a while. He suggested that as soon as that happens not to mess with it and install stainless valves. Is this accurate what he told me.

A.S. I'm sure you can enlighten me.

Thanks
Jeff

The issue was prevalent in the early 2003 450R's and the 04-05 250X's.

It's not an issue with the 450X. However when a valve does start to go they do go fast.

Typically a symptom of this will be hard starting. Not having to crank it three times, but not being able to start other than bump starting.

The valves will have gone to zero clearance. It's almost always an intake valve. They can be reshimmed but the interval in which they stay that way will get shorter each time.

Some guys will just change out the titanium valves with SS valve (Kibblewhites) or Ferrea coated steel valves from Ron Hamp (RHC).

[fatty432]

Thanks man, I think your right it was an 03 bike so it probably was an R. He was getting pricing on the SS valves. I won't worry until it happens, 20 Miles from my truck.

[Smash]

I wouldn't worry too much about that valve. The tolerance is close and personally I'd still run the snot out of it, make sure you run it against the rev limiter a bunch just to make sure it holds!

Definitely keep an eye on it. You won't do much damage with too much clearance. It's when you don't have enough that things get rough.