#1 Thread starter
I just completed the 16,000 mile valve inspection on my '02 VTEC. Despite internet-based fear and loathing, I found it to be a relatively straightforward procedure and a thoroughly enjoyable experience in preparation for this year's riding season. I thought that it might help other VFRDs to offer my experience in hopes that they will also be able to perform this complex piece of routine maintenance. If you've ever done a valve inspection, particularly on a pre-VTEC VFR, you have the skill to handle this. But if your father didn't give you an Erector Set as a child, leave this to the pros.
First of all, I would like to acknowledge the anonymous author of the following procedure. I printed his guidelines and placed them in a 3-ring binder. This was the basis of my work and whoever out there wrote this, this Bud's for you. :beer:
http://home.comcast.net/~guidoilse/valve_overview.html
As they say, proper planning prevents piss poor performance. Start with getting the right documentation and reading up on it. I found this to be a great release during PMS season. I was able to visually walk myself through the job once the actual moment came. At a minimum, print the guidelines. Even better, print the guidelines and order the official Honda manual. There's a link to Helm in the guidelines.
Have the right tools. I have a pretty standard set of Craftsman tools, including a torque wrench. I did pick up a $20 micrometer and a new set of feeler gauges. I also ended up with 2 new magnetic pick-ups, a 5lb-er and a 16lb-er. You won't pull the lifters without them. My last addition was a set of wrenches that I wish I'd bought years ago. Also from Sears, they were offset box-end wrenches in 10/11 and 12/14 sizes. They were critical in reaching the rear head-cover bolts and gaining access to the coolant drain plug on the front cylinder head that a socket and standard wrench couldn't easily reach.
Have the right supplies. The guide pretty much has this covered. The only thing I had return for was a tube of liquid gasket material. My local Honda shop swore by Yamabond. Shop rags, paper towels, WD-40 and the usual assortment of environmental toxins that you also find in a typical shop are good to have on-hand.
Have the right spare parts. Again, the guide has a complete list. My only problem with the recommendation for the complete O-ring kit was that it was missing 3 of the 90463-ML7-000 sealing washers. I would order all the individual parts and not go with the kit. You will also want a couple of spare 90463-ML7-000 sealing washers to replace the ones on the 2 coolant drain plugs. I also suggest a pair of 90428-PD6-003 sealing washers if you plan on removing the gas tank. Ron Ayers has a great online microfiche for scoping out parts. Great prices, too.
Have the right space. Clean, well-lit and organized. I can't say that my garage is a temple of cleanliness and efficiency, but I did my best. I even rolled the bike's carcass out into the driveway a few times when the sun was out.
Have the right frame of mind. This ain't too difficult if you're organized, patient and methodical. Save the beer for when you're staring at your handiwork at the end of the day. I probably spent 2 full weekends and several evenings on this. I could probably do it in 1 weekend now. But I took my time and completely enjoyed myself. I wouldn't do this in peak riding season, because you'll potentially be down for a week or two. Like I said, this is great PMS work.
I'm not going to re-hash the procedure because the guidelines have that covered well. What may be of help is sharing my caveats to the guidelines. Your experience may vary. Here we go!
I stripped ALL of the skins off the bike. This included the front and rear cowl and the front fender. I also completely pulled the radiators and gas tank. The guidelines have you lower them. I wanted unfettered access to the cylinder heads and I didn't want to risk damaging expensive plastic. This is well worth the extra hour. It also lets you look the entire machine over and gives you great access to do other maintenance chores.
I stored all removed parts out of harm's way in my basement. If your wife won't mind, keeping them in the living room adds interesting conversionon pieces. I spent a romantic evening polishing everything. All small parts went into labeled keep-boxes of the cheap, plastic variety. There are a lot of hoses, wires and connectors and it's easy to get them mixed up. I placed a piece of labeled masking tape on anything I disconnected, no matter how innocuous. Remember, it may be a couple of weeks before you reassemble everything. If I had a digital camera I probably would have photographed everything too.
Once you have the head covers removed, it's time to start measuring things. Just for fun, I measured all the non-VTEC valves before removing the cams. Remember, you cannot measure the VTEC valve clearance until you install the slide pin stoppers. But the non-VTEC valves are measured as you would any other bike. I made a spreadsheet to record all of my measurements. I also measured the actual thickness of the shims and lifters, as suggested by the guidelines. I ended up with 1 tight normal intake valve. My subsequent measurements of the non-VTEC valves remained consistent throughout the procedure.
GO SLOWLY when it comes to removing the lifters, springs and shims. This is an area that can get you into trouble fast. I had a piece of labeled shop towel on which to organize things. DO NOT get mixed up by rushing things during this step. Also, BE CAREFUL when you reinstall the slide pin holder into the VTEC lifter. The side with the protruding pin faces towards the top of the lifter. This is easy to reverse and it will screw your measurements up big time. Please don't ask how I know.
One BIG caveat that I must point out is in the measurement of the VTEC valve clearances themselves. With the inner springs removed, it is easy to actually open the VTEC valves with the feeler gauge. If you jam the thing in there, you will open the valve and think you're measuring the Grand Canyon. I strived to seek the exact same "feel" when determining the clearance on the VTEC and non-VTEC valves. A slight drag was all I wanted. I started with the normal valves, then went on to the VTEC side. I also started with a thin feeler gauge and worked my way up. Measure the clearances several times and record them. Roll the engine over a few times and repeat. This is obviously the most critical step and you want it done right!! When I ended up with odd VTEC clearances (all tight), I had 2 friends stop by for a blind test. We all agreed on the final readings.
Speaking of measurements, all of my VTEC intakes were 0.13mm. The spec is 0.20mm with a tolerance of .08mm, so all were within spec but all were tight. I made a decision to leave them as they were, given that you have to replace a $30 lifter as opposed to a $6 shim. I'll see how far off they are at 32,000 miles and adjust them then. All of my VTEC exhaust valves, however, were 0.23mm. The spec is 0.35mm with a tolerance of 0.08mm, so they were all 50% out of tolerance! This is why I was so paranoid about my measurements. But I swapped 2 lifters and got clearances on those 2 valves that put them within spec, so I felt my that my technique was correct. I then only had to buy 2 VTEC lifters, plus 1 shim for the tight non-VTEC intake valve. All was well.
The guidelines suggest working one bank of cylinders and reassembling them before moving on to the second. The thought is that it would be easy to mis-align the cams with respect to the crank if all 4 cams were pulled at once. I was going to go this route until I had to swap a VTEC lifter between front and rear cylinders. To do this, of course, you must remove all 4 cams. Here's what I did. I followed the procedure for removing the rear cams and then rolled the engine 450 degrees cw to align with the front cylinder timing marks. I removed the front cams and then swapped the 2 lifters, installed the 2 new lifters as well as the new shim. I then reassembled the front cylinder and rolled the engine another 270 degrees cw. This is the alignment point for the rear cylinders, which I then reassembled. This was the only time I pulled all 4 cams at once. Every other time I did a pair at a time. I checked the cam timing marks relative to the crank numerous times to be sure I was 100%.
As I said, I removed all of my plastics, the gas tank, the air box and the cooling system. This gave me access to everything and was a great help. A friend and fellow VFR owner (5th generation) stopped by but couldn't stand the sight of the entrails. He left shortly thereafter holding his stomach. But I found it beautiful and it really made me appreciate what Honda went through in the design. While I was at it, I lubricated the throttle cables and the seat latch cable. I then drained and bled the brakes and clutch lines. This is usually a messy task and it runs the risk of damaging painted plastic. Well there was no plastic left, so I was much less nervous. I made note that my brake pads were worn and would have to be replaced soon. I have a new set of tires to mount, so I'll wait until then. I also found the seat rail was cracked and will have to be replaced (recall item).
Reassembly was a breeze. With all the hoses and cabling labeled and all the parts organized, it went back together without a hitch. I must admit to a degree of trepedation as I hit the starter, but she fired right up and purred.
Over the winter I read a lot of motomags and began drooling over a CBR1000 Repsol edition. The VTEC was too heavy, too underpowered and too ugly. But what did I know? My test ride was pure heaven. Maybe it was my imagination, but I don't think she ever ran that well. It is said that the VTEC gets better with miles, and my '02 is a testament to that theory. Riding down one of my favorite roads, I once again fell in love with my VTEC. It was lithe, powerful, smooth, comfortable and confidence-inspiring. I stopped by an oceanside haunt of mine and pulled out a Macanudo and a Diet Coke. I looked at the sea and stared at my ugly duckling. She was beautiful.
This experience has added another dimension to my enjoyment of motorcycling. Ahhh. The smell of WD-40 in the morning. It smells of.....victory! I'm looking forward to another great year on a VFR (my 10th) and I marvel at what a wonderful bike I own. Now if I can just talk the wife into that Repsol replica...... :wheel:
First of all, I would like to acknowledge the anonymous author of the following procedure. I printed his guidelines and placed them in a 3-ring binder. This was the basis of my work and whoever out there wrote this, this Bud's for you. :beer:
http://home.comcast.net/~guidoilse/valve_overview.html
As they say, proper planning prevents piss poor performance. Start with getting the right documentation and reading up on it. I found this to be a great release during PMS season. I was able to visually walk myself through the job once the actual moment came. At a minimum, print the guidelines. Even better, print the guidelines and order the official Honda manual. There's a link to Helm in the guidelines.
Have the right tools. I have a pretty standard set of Craftsman tools, including a torque wrench. I did pick up a $20 micrometer and a new set of feeler gauges. I also ended up with 2 new magnetic pick-ups, a 5lb-er and a 16lb-er. You won't pull the lifters without them. My last addition was a set of wrenches that I wish I'd bought years ago. Also from Sears, they were offset box-end wrenches in 10/11 and 12/14 sizes. They were critical in reaching the rear head-cover bolts and gaining access to the coolant drain plug on the front cylinder head that a socket and standard wrench couldn't easily reach.
Have the right supplies. The guide pretty much has this covered. The only thing I had return for was a tube of liquid gasket material. My local Honda shop swore by Yamabond. Shop rags, paper towels, WD-40 and the usual assortment of environmental toxins that you also find in a typical shop are good to have on-hand.
Have the right spare parts. Again, the guide has a complete list. My only problem with the recommendation for the complete O-ring kit was that it was missing 3 of the 90463-ML7-000 sealing washers. I would order all the individual parts and not go with the kit. You will also want a couple of spare 90463-ML7-000 sealing washers to replace the ones on the 2 coolant drain plugs. I also suggest a pair of 90428-PD6-003 sealing washers if you plan on removing the gas tank. Ron Ayers has a great online microfiche for scoping out parts. Great prices, too.
Have the right space. Clean, well-lit and organized. I can't say that my garage is a temple of cleanliness and efficiency, but I did my best. I even rolled the bike's carcass out into the driveway a few times when the sun was out.
Have the right frame of mind. This ain't too difficult if you're organized, patient and methodical. Save the beer for when you're staring at your handiwork at the end of the day. I probably spent 2 full weekends and several evenings on this. I could probably do it in 1 weekend now. But I took my time and completely enjoyed myself. I wouldn't do this in peak riding season, because you'll potentially be down for a week or two. Like I said, this is great PMS work.
I'm not going to re-hash the procedure because the guidelines have that covered well. What may be of help is sharing my caveats to the guidelines. Your experience may vary. Here we go!
I stripped ALL of the skins off the bike. This included the front and rear cowl and the front fender. I also completely pulled the radiators and gas tank. The guidelines have you lower them. I wanted unfettered access to the cylinder heads and I didn't want to risk damaging expensive plastic. This is well worth the extra hour. It also lets you look the entire machine over and gives you great access to do other maintenance chores.
I stored all removed parts out of harm's way in my basement. If your wife won't mind, keeping them in the living room adds interesting conversionon pieces. I spent a romantic evening polishing everything. All small parts went into labeled keep-boxes of the cheap, plastic variety. There are a lot of hoses, wires and connectors and it's easy to get them mixed up. I placed a piece of labeled masking tape on anything I disconnected, no matter how innocuous. Remember, it may be a couple of weeks before you reassemble everything. If I had a digital camera I probably would have photographed everything too.
Once you have the head covers removed, it's time to start measuring things. Just for fun, I measured all the non-VTEC valves before removing the cams. Remember, you cannot measure the VTEC valve clearance until you install the slide pin stoppers. But the non-VTEC valves are measured as you would any other bike. I made a spreadsheet to record all of my measurements. I also measured the actual thickness of the shims and lifters, as suggested by the guidelines. I ended up with 1 tight normal intake valve. My subsequent measurements of the non-VTEC valves remained consistent throughout the procedure.
GO SLOWLY when it comes to removing the lifters, springs and shims. This is an area that can get you into trouble fast. I had a piece of labeled shop towel on which to organize things. DO NOT get mixed up by rushing things during this step. Also, BE CAREFUL when you reinstall the slide pin holder into the VTEC lifter. The side with the protruding pin faces towards the top of the lifter. This is easy to reverse and it will screw your measurements up big time. Please don't ask how I know.
One BIG caveat that I must point out is in the measurement of the VTEC valve clearances themselves. With the inner springs removed, it is easy to actually open the VTEC valves with the feeler gauge. If you jam the thing in there, you will open the valve and think you're measuring the Grand Canyon. I strived to seek the exact same "feel" when determining the clearance on the VTEC and non-VTEC valves. A slight drag was all I wanted. I started with the normal valves, then went on to the VTEC side. I also started with a thin feeler gauge and worked my way up. Measure the clearances several times and record them. Roll the engine over a few times and repeat. This is obviously the most critical step and you want it done right!! When I ended up with odd VTEC clearances (all tight), I had 2 friends stop by for a blind test. We all agreed on the final readings.
Speaking of measurements, all of my VTEC intakes were 0.13mm. The spec is 0.20mm with a tolerance of .08mm, so all were within spec but all were tight. I made a decision to leave them as they were, given that you have to replace a $30 lifter as opposed to a $6 shim. I'll see how far off they are at 32,000 miles and adjust them then. All of my VTEC exhaust valves, however, were 0.23mm. The spec is 0.35mm with a tolerance of 0.08mm, so they were all 50% out of tolerance! This is why I was so paranoid about my measurements. But I swapped 2 lifters and got clearances on those 2 valves that put them within spec, so I felt my that my technique was correct. I then only had to buy 2 VTEC lifters, plus 1 shim for the tight non-VTEC intake valve. All was well.
The guidelines suggest working one bank of cylinders and reassembling them before moving on to the second. The thought is that it would be easy to mis-align the cams with respect to the crank if all 4 cams were pulled at once. I was going to go this route until I had to swap a VTEC lifter between front and rear cylinders. To do this, of course, you must remove all 4 cams. Here's what I did. I followed the procedure for removing the rear cams and then rolled the engine 450 degrees cw to align with the front cylinder timing marks. I removed the front cams and then swapped the 2 lifters, installed the 2 new lifters as well as the new shim. I then reassembled the front cylinder and rolled the engine another 270 degrees cw. This is the alignment point for the rear cylinders, which I then reassembled. This was the only time I pulled all 4 cams at once. Every other time I did a pair at a time. I checked the cam timing marks relative to the crank numerous times to be sure I was 100%.
As I said, I removed all of my plastics, the gas tank, the air box and the cooling system. This gave me access to everything and was a great help. A friend and fellow VFR owner (5th generation) stopped by but couldn't stand the sight of the entrails. He left shortly thereafter holding his stomach. But I found it beautiful and it really made me appreciate what Honda went through in the design. While I was at it, I lubricated the throttle cables and the seat latch cable. I then drained and bled the brakes and clutch lines. This is usually a messy task and it runs the risk of damaging painted plastic. Well there was no plastic left, so I was much less nervous. I made note that my brake pads were worn and would have to be replaced soon. I have a new set of tires to mount, so I'll wait until then. I also found the seat rail was cracked and will have to be replaced (recall item).
Reassembly was a breeze. With all the hoses and cabling labeled and all the parts organized, it went back together without a hitch. I must admit to a degree of trepedation as I hit the starter, but she fired right up and purred.
Over the winter I read a lot of motomags and began drooling over a CBR1000 Repsol edition. The VTEC was too heavy, too underpowered and too ugly. But what did I know? My test ride was pure heaven. Maybe it was my imagination, but I don't think she ever ran that well. It is said that the VTEC gets better with miles, and my '02 is a testament to that theory. Riding down one of my favorite roads, I once again fell in love with my VTEC. It was lithe, powerful, smooth, comfortable and confidence-inspiring. I stopped by an oceanside haunt of mine and pulled out a Macanudo and a Diet Coke. I looked at the sea and stared at my ugly duckling. She was beautiful.
This experience has added another dimension to my enjoyment of motorcycling. Ahhh. The smell of WD-40 in the morning. It smells of.....victory! I'm looking forward to another great year on a VFR (my 10th) and I marvel at what a wonderful bike I own. Now if I can just talk the wife into that Repsol replica...... :wheel: