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VFR1200F Valve Inspection


HispanicSlammer

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Plastics Removed

 


I began with a strip down of the basic plastic removal around 3am in the morning, I work nights anyway and well it is a quiet time for me with no interruptions from nosy family members! That took no time at all I am getting pretty good at removing the plastic.

 

 

 

 

Top cover and air filter removed

 

 

 

 

 

Fuel tank Quick Disconnect

 

 

 

 

vfr1200f ECM

 

 

 

 

Top cover and K and N filter

 

 

 

 

You can see the ecm connectors here

 

 

 

 

removed the rest of the air box

 

 

 

 

Removed the throttle body

 

 

 

 

Fuel rails and fuel injectors

 

 

 

 

Covered the intakes with tape to avoid anything getting into the engine

 

 

 

 

Removed the front cylinder head plastic heat shield

 


Yes you have to remove all that just to get to the front spark plugs, lucky they use high mileage iridium spark plugs with a 30k lifetime so you are going to have to inspect the valves before hand before you have to replace them - I did that and they all looked fine. I had all of my exhaust valves just out of spec those are the rocker roller set, and one of the bucket under shim intakes was loose but still in spec. Just as I figured the roller rocker design would be more apt to be out of spec then the bucket under shims would be, just like the CRX dirt bikes! Its a simple elegant design, less rolling mass with only one cam shaft and the cam chain does not need a huge bend in it for a powerful cam chain tensioner this design uses a spring loaded bow tensioner instead of a massive punch design like the vtecs use.

 

 

 

 

 

Gapping the iridium spark plugs

 

 

 

 

The front cylinder has very cramped working space

 

 

 

 

More fun days on the bike

 


There are two marks on the timing cover I suppose its easier then the 4 I had on the old girl, you watch the cam shaft on the rear set for direction ques as you turn it to make sure the engine is in top dead center for the cylinder your inspecting all marked out in the manual but the manual has very small pictures for the cam shaft positions so its hard to read. I managed it though. They have 3 measurements for the Valve Clearance

Exhaust Valves have a roller rocker design with a roller on one end and a screw driver and lock nut on the other with a square head for the driver. They were all out of spec all of them!

The manual has two sets of measurements for the exhaust side

Valve side with the lock nut 0.03 + or - 0,02 mm or (0.012 + or - 0.001 inches)
Roller side 0.21 + or - 0.02 mm or (0.008 + or - 0.001 inches) my gap strips were in listed in both but came stepped up in inch sizes so I use the inch listings

Intake side is the shim under bucket design

0.16 + or - 0.003 or (0.006 + or - 0.001 inches) on one was loose at .007 but still in tolerance and most likely to go tight as it wears.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Manual has a warning picture on how to gap the plugs

 

 

 

 

 

The cylinder fireing order adjustment sequence

 

 

 

 

Manual procedure to measure the exaust valves

 

 

 

 

The manuals procedure for a adjusting the vavles

 


Edited some of the photos with additional info that I neglected to mention first draft. I started at 3am and had it done and back together with the bike running at 6am. Including a half an hour bathroom veg out break, take your time, be diliberate, read the manual for instructions, read all the back pages for what to do and dont take any short cuts be careful removing connectors and fasteners they can get dropped easy - calm slow and methodical is best. If you dont have much time to do it then just let a pro do it or wait till you can dedicate all your attention to it and not hurry the job. Break it up into sections/tasks and it wont seem so difficult. Each task one at a time then reverse it to button it all back up.

 

 

 

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  • Member Contributer

Nice write up HS. I've got mine apart this week too for the same reason. All my exhaust vavles were out of spec too, some by a fair margin. Three of the intakes were right on the money an one was .01mm off.

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Guest fasterspider

This 1200F valve adjust is breaking my heart, I would rather adjust the 24 valves in my CBX any day.

I have another 8000 miles before my VFR is due for her valve adjustment though but, thanks for the demonstration and now I know the nightmare I am in for.

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It's not that bad, really. Now, my 6th gen, that it another story altogether.

This 1200F valve adjust is breaking my heart, I would rather adjust the 24 valves in my CBX any day.

I have another 8000 miles before my VFR is due for her valve adjustment though but, thanks for the demonstration and now I know the nightmare I am in for.

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  • 3 months later...
  • Member Contributer

Just checked mine and all were in spec... One exhaust was slightly tight but within in spec and one intake was slightly tight but within spec also. I only checked the exhaust roller side as well...you don't have to check both. Great advice to take your time. Lots of connections and wire harnesses to get in the way or damaged. Agree...the front cylinder head cover is a pain to get out. Two of the bolts are very hard to get to...I could only trouqe two of the four so just made sure the other two were tight. I did not take the fuel rail or injectors out. The fuel line going to the throttle body from the gas tank comes out with the throttle body; you just have to route it though some hoses and wiring harnesses. It took me almost six hours start to finish inlcuding all the body work.

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  • 11 months later...
  • 6 months later...

I'm in the middle of checking my valves. What a PITA getting the front cover off!

In this thread, a few of you said your clearances were out on the exhaust valves but didn't say whether they were tight or loose. I'm interested to know which. It looks like all my exhaust valves are about 0.001" to 0.002" too loose. Do the VFR1200 valves get loose with wear? I know it's usual for exhaust valves to tighten as the valves wear their seats.

G.

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  • Forum CEO

Loose, more likely for a rocker setup to get loose then a shim under bucket. The screws back out due to vibration, where the shim is not going anywhere not compressing and like you said wear out the valve seats.

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  • 1 year later...

I'm in the middle of checking my valves. What a PITA getting the front cover off!

In this thread, a few of you said your clearances were out on the exhaust valves but didn't say whether they were tight or loose. I'm interested to know which. It looks like all my exhaust valves are about 0.001" to 0.002" too loose. Do the VFR1200 valves get loose with wear? I know it's usual for exhaust valves to tighten as the valves wear their seats.

G.

This is very good question. Guys who did their valves on VFR12, your valves very loose or tight? In other words, did you have to increase the valve clearance or reduce it? (next larger/up shim size - INTAKE, turn tappet screw in - EXHAUST) or (next smaller/down shim size and turn tappet screw out).

Typically when they say "valve is tight" - clearance needs to be decreased: normal and typical wear. When they say "valve is loose" - clearance needs to be increased and this is not normal wear but initial assembly issue.

So which one was it guys?

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  • 6 months later...
  • Forum CEO

Getting ready to perform my second valve service this weekend, I just got my new spark plugs in the mail, this time I am going to keep the fuel rails attached to the thottle body, I dont want to have to replace orings I will just inspect them for leaking.

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  • 3 years later...
  • Member Contributer
8 hours ago, JoeVFR said:

Got my vfr all apart......

 I know how todo the shims, and I know how to ajust the tappets...... I know how to check the rollers and they have to big of a gap.... but it doesn't look like they have an ajustment??????

 

There is a set screw and lock nut on the other side of the exhaust roller arm that adjusts the exhaust valve roller/cam gap.

Be sure to replace the PAIR o-rings and use grease to hold them in place during install, or you'll end up with this:

 

image.jpeg

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Got my vfr all apart......

 I know how to do the shims, and I know how to adjust the tappets...... I know how to check the rollers and they have too big of a gap.... but it doesn't look like they have an ajustment?????? 

I still don't see.

So you take the rocker arm off, and the adjustment screw is underneath?

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  • Member Contributer
9 hours ago, JoeVFR said:

20180911_212907.jpg

 

Rocker arm is not removed.  Start at the red circle and follow the rocker arm to the other end.  There is a locknut and adjuster screw there...clearly visible in the photo. Use them to adjust the gap between the cam lobe and roller.  Just like a see-saw...right side up, left side down.  So, if you have too large a gap at the cam/roller, just loosen locknut and screw the adjuster CW.  Did I mention the PAIR o-rings...

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