2004 R6. Runs really well... never had a problem. Has 24K miles on it. Yamaha calls for them to get readjusted at the 26,600 mile mark. So I have a few thousand more and then I'm gunna have them adjusted.I can already hear them tick especially at idle because when riding, my exhaust is so loud and all you can hear is that and the wind. Anyway, this time will come up before I know it.Just curious... what happens if the valves remain loose? Will it affect performance? How do you they become loose and is it ok to ride a bike with them like that... atleast until the specific mileage when they are supposed to be adjustd?
Loose valves don't actually cause any major problems or damage. The only loss is power and economy. A tight valve is what you don't want. A loose valve opens later and closes earlier than it should, so less air/fuel is getting into the cylinder. A tight valve can burn up because it may never actually 'close'. You won't hurt anything by continuing to ride the bike, but there is absolutely no reason why you should continue to ride the bike without getting the valves adjusted.
could cause excessive crank case pressure if the duration is way off, i know from experience. Short valve duration=blow by because exhaust gasses have less time to escape the cylinder. Could potentially cause leaks due to blow by gasses
Your ears do not determine if a valve is loose. The feeler gauge determines if the valve is loose. A tight valve will burn. Check/replace camchain tensioners.
Yes .....your throttle responce is the worst. Because the valve is not opening wide enough for the air to flow properly. Adjusting valves is real simple. it only takes a feeler gauge and a screwdriver / wrench. You just get the gauge so it drags/scratches on it's way out from in-between the rocker arm and valve tip. There should be a little resistance when pulling it out. But it should not be stuck .......or the adjuster screw is too tight. It only takes small 1/8 turns to get the movable grab you want in the feeler gauge. You can keep riding it that way..........but it will only get worse with time. Because the rocker arm starts to whack the top of the valve instead of tap it down. With it loose, the valve is not getting the full opening stroke it should. Eventually you will have to get it fixed from hard staring and lagging performance
Your bike has shim-on-bucket valve train, and like any mechanical system, its going to make a certain amount of noise. It's not something that's easily adjusted w/o some experience and special tools. You should call around to get prices and get it done at the recommended interval unless you've been hammering on the bike, in which case a little early won't hurt. If you have some mechanical inclination, go ahead and get some feeler gages and check your lash yourself. Just make sure the cam lobe is pointed away from the valve you're checking. Good luck.
