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I need some advice

Ssky0078

Ssky0078

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I'm coming up on 26k miles which I believe is the time to get the valve clearance checked. Over the last 1,000 miles I have noticed increased popping on decel and it is a little slower to start when the engine is cold (both of those are signs the shop guys said indicates it should be done).

Anyway, the only performance mod is I added a Micron GP exhaust. I did not do the AIS block off plates at that time.

My questions are:

1. Should I definitely do the Valve Clearance check sooner than later? and what are the potential negatives of being a little tardy on it?

2. I asked the head mechanic and he said he would do the spark plugs for me at the same time because the top half of the motor is apart or whatever (Thank goodness, I did those once already at 12,000 miles and that was no fun for my big hands)

3. Should I ask them to put in the AIS block off plates when they are doing the other work? Secondarily, where do I order those from?

4. Anything else I should try to get done at the same time with my bike apart?
 
Ssky0078 said:
I'm coming up on 26k miles which I believe is the time to get the valve clearance checked. Over the last 1,000 miles I have noticed increased popping on decel and it is a little slower to start when the engine is cold (both of those are signs the shop guys said indicates it should be done).

Anyway, the only performance mod is I added a Micron GP exhaust. I did not do the AIS block off plates at that time.

My questions are:

1. Should I definitely do the Valve Clearance check sooner than later? and what are the potential negatives of being a little tardy on it?

BETTER TO EARLY THAN TOO LATE, POTENTIAL NEGATIVES, BURNT VALVES.

2. I asked the head mechanic and he said he would do the spark plugs for me at the same time because the top half of the motor is apart or whatever (Thank goodness, I did those once already at 12,000 miles and that was no fun for my big hands)

3. Should I ask them to put in the AIS block off plates when they are doing the other work? Secondarily, where do I order those from?

YES PERFECT TIME TO DO THEM, AND THEY MAY DO IT FOR FREE, JUST LIKE THE SPARK PLUGS.
IVANS PERFORMANCE, GRAVES, ARE A COUPLE OF CHOICES FOR BLOCK OFF PLATES.

4. Anything else I should try to get done at the same time with my bike apart?
Click to expand...

HAVE THEM INSPECT AND TEST THE COILS ( THEY TEND TO FAIL )

GOOD TIME TO HAVE A THROTTLE BODY SYNC DONE ( TANK ALREADY OFF )

CLUTCH CABLE IN GOOD SHAPE OR STRETCHED ? ( again the tank is off so good time to replace )

GOOD TIME FOR A COOLANT CHANGE .

IF YOUR HAVING COLD START ISSUES HAVE THEM CHECK THE THERMOWAX UNIT, GOOD TIME TO INSPECT, CLEAN OR REPLACE.
( IF YOUR BIKE IS STILL GOING TO A FAST IDLE AFTER A COLD START THE THERMOWAX UNIT IS PROBABLY FINE )

TIME TO REPLACE THE AIRFILTER ? AGAIN THE TANKS OFF SO....
 
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What Super Googan says and I would definitely get the valves checked. Probably all ok but if not the consequences are not good. A loose one might make a little noise but a tight one can cause a burnt valve. Peace of mind.
 
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super googan said:
HAVE THEM INSPECT AND TEST THE COILS ( THEY TEND TO FAIL )

GOOD TIME TO HAVE A THROTTLE BODY SYNC DONE ( TANK ALREADY OFF )

CLUTCH CABLE IN GOOD SHAPE OR STRETCHED ? ( again the tank is off so good time to replace )

GOOD TIME FOR A COOLANT CHANGE .

IF YOUR HAVING COLD START ISSUES HAVE THEM CHECK THE THERMOWAX UNIT, GOOD TIME TO INSPECT, CLEAN OR REPLACE.
( IF YOUR BIKE IS STILL GOING TO A FAST IDLE AFTER A COLD START THE THERMOWAX UNIT IS PROBABLY FINE )

TIME TO REPLACE THE AIRFILTER ? AGAIN THE TANKS OFF SO....
Click to expand...

Throttle body sync they said they'd do at the same time. coolant change happened 14,000 miles ago (8 months), air filter replaced 2,000 miles ago, engine goes to fast idle immediately upon starting.

Great idea for the clutch cable. What is the life expectancy on a clutch cable? I'm not the nicest to it and ride aggressively.

Also great idea to get the coils checked.
 
Blanchy said:
What Super Googan says and I would definitely get the valves checked. Probably all ok but if not the consequences are not good. A loose one might make a little noise but a tight one can cause a burnt valve. Peace of mind.
Click to expand...

Ok, for the last 500 miles I've started to notice a new burnt smell. Could that be a valve going? Shit, I better get it done next week.
 
Ssky0078 said:
What is the life expectancy on a clutch cable?
Click to expand...

Really hard to say, it depends on a number of factors. ( Riding in rain, storing the bike outside, lack of lubrication and so on )

Check for fraying at both ends and see if its stretched to the point your using more than 60% of available adjustment.
 
Ssky0078 said:
Ok, for the last 500 miles I've started to notice a new burnt smell. Could that be a valve going? Shit, I better get it done next week.
Click to expand...
I think you are starting to panic over nothing, more then likely your valves will be fine,if it was the valves you could smell, it would be way passed a shim adjustment and the head would be comming off for something more serious, go home and get a good nights sleep
 
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I'd like to know who here has reached 26k on the ODO, had the valves serviced, and if so, were they actually out of spec and *needed* adjustment?

super googan hit all the other key points. Well done! :Rockon:
 
FZ1inNH said:
I'd like to know who here has reached 26k on the ODO, had the valves serviced, and if so, were they actually out of spec and *needed* adjustment?
Click to expand...

I had the valves checked on the 919 at 55,000 miles and they were spot on perfect. They probably would have made 110,000 miles without even needing adjustment, too
 
You would never smell a valve burning they actually melt FYI. I am going to check mine this winter I am getting close. I have checked other yamahas and they have never really been out when I checked them.
 
Hi SSky,

I have 43k miles on this Fz1 and the one before I had in Germany had as well a valve check. Everytime I checked the valves I needed to adjust some, here in the US I do not do high speed driving like in Germany but like it spirit so only 3 valves had to be adjusted I think it was 6 back in Germany.

Valve adjustment is usually not very large but should always be done, just in case you have a bad valve and to get optimal performance. Yamaha gives one of the longest service intervals for valve inspection of all manufactures.

I do the valve adjustment myself and usually do not trust jobs that tell me nothing would have to be adjusted, I never experienced something like this not with my bikes nor with my friends bikes. Maybe if you really ride very cautions but usually the bike manufacturer knows at what interval you have to correct for usual wear and tear.

Concerning the clutch cable, well I have not changed it yet but had to replace my throttle cable at 42k miles and I would not worry at 26k about this. The same goes for the coils, I had one starting to fail at 36k miles so this might be an issue but all tested well when I did the valve adjustment. You can change the coolant, is anyway cheap and must be drained for the check.

I would not worry about burned valves usually you just have to adjust some slighty, never had any bad valve in any bike and most had many more miles than 26k.
 
Concerning the valves, 2006-2007 owners may want to pay extra attention about maintenance and not go over the 26,000 mile mark. Personally I'd have them checked early. Some 2006-2007 models have had rapid valve stem wear.

Yamaha changed the valves for 2008 and up because of the stem wear.
The 2006-2007 part number has been changed to match the 2008 and up valves.

Fairly common issue for 2004-2006 R1's and Yamaha updated that part also.
 
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The burned smell is new, it smells like bad exhaust, either a little rich or too full of carbon build up. My mileage has never been above 30-32 in the commute city/hwy blend I do. It has dropped slightly in the last few hundred miles as well as lows as 27 mpg.

I'm planning on taking it in next week. I ride the crap out of my bike and ping the rev limiter more than is probably good (I'm sorry but redlining in first is fun).
 
Ssky0078 said:
The burned smell is new, it smells like bad exhaust, either a little rich or too full of carbon build up. My mileage has never been above 30-32 in the commute city/hwy blend I do. It has dropped slightly in the last few hundred miles as well as lows as 27 mpg.

I'm planning on taking it in next week. I ride the crap out of my bike and ping the rev limiter more than is probably good (I'm sorry but redlining in first is fun).
Click to expand...

Some of the guys that were data logging the air fuel ratio noted that the FZ1 ECU over compensates and makes the bike run rich in cooler weather.
That MAY explain the slight loss in mileage and rich exhaust smell. Nothing to worry about, just Yamaha playing it safe and staying on the rich side in cooler weather.

I don't remember the specifics of what air temp or coolant temp triggers the ECU to richen the mixture.
 
Ssky0078 said:
I'm coming up on 26k miles which I believe is the time to get the valve clearance checked. Over the last 1,000 miles I have noticed increased popping on decel and it is a little slower to start when the engine is cold (both of those are signs the shop guys said indicates it should be done).

Anyway, the only performance mod is I added a Micron GP exhaust. I did not do the AIS block off plates at that time.

My questions are:

1. Should I definitely do the Valve Clearance check sooner than later? and what are the potential negatives of being a little tardy on it?

2. I asked the head mechanic and he said he would do the spark plugs for me at the same time because the top half of the motor is apart or whatever (Thank goodness, I did those once already at 12,000 miles and that was no fun for my big hands)

3. Should I ask them to put in the AIS block off plates when they are doing the other work? Secondarily, where do I order those from?

4. Anything else I should try to get done at the same time with my bike apart?
Click to expand...

Be a little wary here.
They are also the signs of other things. Like fuel mixture off, worn spark plugs.

Sounds a little like the time I took my car in to a guy. It was overheating. He asked how many miles on the car? I told him 160,000. Without even looking at my car he said "Oh well, I could get you a rebuilt engine at a local place". Told me how another customer - an old man - had saved new car payments by having him put in another motor for $5,000. That it was a good deal.
Scary stuff!
I did not let the guy touch my car. I found the issue myself - it was very minor. The car (Z-28) now has 265,000 miles and runs like a scalded dog.

Be wary of these guys.
 
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