Love your videos bud. A pro tip for that flashlight is to cut an old shirt and put some cloth over the flashlight so the light comes through evenly instead of whiting the area out! Every time you pointed the flashlight at something, It was completely white.
Important correction: the valve check intervals in my owners manual are 600 and 16,000 miles. I personally think 600 is too soon and 16,000 is too long for the first one. I think 6000 is a good first check if you don't do the 600. Edit: I'm not recommending you skip the 600, but if you do, I wouldn't wait until 16,000.
SoftwareDevJason with respect do you know something Honda don't? Guy on here had the valves done at 600 and the exhaust was out of tolerance. The engine is bedding in so you could be looking at damage by not complying with the schedule. I pulled a sump plug on an S1000R where the owner missed the first oil change...the thing looked like a porcupine! Those first services are crucial. Liking your compact workshop...proper bike cave 🙂
Maybe! According to the 250L forums online, there are many Honda dealerships that are no longer doing the 600 mile valve check because it was no longer required. Apparently there was a Honda service bulletin specifying such a thing and extended the first valve service to the second 16,000 mile number. I have never personally saw this bulletin, so take that with a grain of salt. Some people are also claiming that the 2015+ owners manual actually removes the valve inspection requirement at 600 miles (same engine). I have the 2013 manual so I cant verify but there are screenshots online. Even if all the above is true, 16,000 seems like too long for a first check so I made a judgment call.
I also don't want anyone to be confused - this bike was owned by someone else for the first 1800 miles and WAS serviced at 600 by a Honda dealership. However, no valve adjustment were necessary as I assume it was still in spec at the time. By the book, I was supposed to wait till 16,000! Like the suggested oil change interval, that seems insane. IMO, going forward will be oil every 1500 and valve check every 5000 or so.
Aha! The picture is now clearer. Previous owner did the right thing and H obviously knows that the top end will go out in the first 600. Odd but there it is.
@@HORNET6 I know this is a year old, so I may be wasting my breath here. Don't sweat vales too much man. You'll know they are too loose when you hear top end chatter from all of the slack(on a Honda, noise could be from a bad cam chain tensioner though), and you'll know they are too tight when the bike seems harder to start and it seems to run a bit warmer than usual(exhaust valve not fully closing causing really hot shit to sneak past the exhaust valve). You can look into both conditions more if you wish to know what causes the noise or the heat. It's not really that big of a deal if the bike is running the way it should(like it did when it was new). It's a Honda, ride it like you stole it.
Very good video! 6 years ago! Just got a 300l. When is my first valve check?and oil change? I spoke with honda today about the sound at 46 mph. He says/ 100 miles or 20 hrs. For oil change and valve adjust??? 100 miles!
What parts actually wear?, is it the shim that wears down in thickness or is it the point of the rocker arm that contacts the shims. Wouldn't the valve clearance gap increase instead of decreasing over time ? Just trying to visualize what's going on. Good video. I'll be doing my own valve checks. 👍
Kevs Canada I believe what is wearing in this case is the valve face or seat which is why they are tightening. The result is the valve tip getting closer to the rocker arm making the gap tighter. Some bikes are completely opposite and get looser because the other components (cam lobes, rocker, etc.) are wearing faster. Don't take my word for it, I'm not a mechanic!
That makes sense too, I'm talking specifically on the CRF250L. I'll talk to My Honda dealer and see what I can find out. Also do you think I would be able to buy just the specific shims, or do I need to buy the whole shim kit ? Thx for your reply 👍
Hi I own a CRF 250L 2013.. thanks for sharing these videos on DIY. I have a question My front suspension is not stable.. I think one has more oil then the other. So what can I do to balance it?
How is it behaving/what is it doing that makes it unstable? I would verify the forks are not twisted in the triple clamps and also verify there aren't any issue with your front wheel. Stock, the forks on this bike have a spring in the right fork and damping cartridge in the left fork. So I'm not sure the specs on the oil level for each side or if they would even be the same. I can probably dig it up for you if it's not one of the other issues I mentioned.
SoftwareDevJason yea the shocks are stock and its unstable when riding at hi spped say above 100km/h. the front wheel starts to kinda wiggle.. i have checked the wheel.. everythings alright.. when I took off the wheel I saw that the left shock the disc brake side is longer than the right.
A quick google search (don't have my service manual on hand) indicates that the oil levels are slightly different in each side which I would expect because they house different components: 658cc/683cc. Are the forks sitting in the same position in the triple clamps? My bets are still on twisted/misaligned forks, untrued wheel, tire balance issues or possibly even steering stem/wheel bearing failure.
SoftwareDevJason yea the positions of both are same. My brother has the same model. And when I take off his bikes wheel. It stays in same position. Plus the damping on mine is bit harder then his..
Dual Sport Wv Nope, just thought it should be checked. Couldn't really tell a difference after either. However, I'm really bad about noticing that kind of thing.
Sorry man, I dont remember too much about this. I thought it just pulled out but I don't remember. Try looking through this: www.crf250l.org/forums/threads/link-to-online-sm.99303/
Thanks for watching! You can do this much quicker and easier if you aren't dealing with cameras, talking to yourself and drawing things out for the video. It's not screw-and-locknut adjuster easy but it's not that bad either. Very few tools needed and basic math.
Good vid, done valve check on several bikes, notably a Honda VTR1000 and a Kawasaki ZRX1200. Thought this little one lunger would be a simple task, your vid shows otherwise.
Also the service manual company you have in the description seems like a ripoff... Honda links to helminc.com for buying owners and service manuals and I bought both of them yeterday for about $50 all together.
yeah man i think ill pay the shop $400 for Full service, Oil change, filter, valves asj-ment, 12 point check on the CRF250l picking it up end of this week.. cheers man.
Only a rank amateur would knowingly magnetize a working internal engine part. Really poor practice. The only thing magnetized in your engine should be the oil drain plug.
Wrong. I magnetize all my parts since it makes the bike faster. Look into it. Also, I'm a professional race engine builder, I know everything. That's why I'm fumbling around a Honda service manual for a TH-cam video. I'm sure you're a pro too, it's why your watching this video.
Love your videos bud.
A pro tip for that flashlight is to cut an old shirt and put some cloth over the flashlight so the light comes through evenly instead of whiting the area out! Every time you pointed the flashlight at something, It was completely white.
I apologize for not reading coments first?
That answered my questions.
Thanks AGAIN!
Important correction: the valve check intervals in my owners manual are 600 and 16,000 miles. I personally think 600 is too soon and 16,000 is too long for the first one. I think 6000 is a good first check if you don't do the 600. Edit: I'm not recommending you skip the 600, but if you do, I wouldn't wait until 16,000.
SoftwareDevJason with respect do you know something Honda don't? Guy on here had the valves done at 600 and the exhaust was out of tolerance. The engine is bedding in so you could be looking at damage by not complying with the schedule.
I pulled a sump plug on an S1000R where the owner missed the first oil change...the thing looked like a porcupine!
Those first services are crucial.
Liking your compact workshop...proper bike cave 🙂
Maybe! According to the 250L forums online, there are many Honda dealerships that are no longer doing the 600 mile valve check because it was no longer required. Apparently there was a Honda service bulletin specifying such a thing and extended the first valve service to the second 16,000 mile number. I have never personally saw this bulletin, so take that with a grain of salt. Some people are also claiming that the 2015+ owners manual actually removes the valve inspection requirement at 600 miles (same engine). I have the 2013 manual so I cant verify but there are screenshots online. Even if all the above is true, 16,000 seems like too long for a first check so I made a judgment call.
I also don't want anyone to be confused - this bike was owned by someone else for the first 1800 miles and WAS serviced at 600 by a Honda dealership. However, no valve adjustment were necessary as I assume it was still in spec at the time. By the book, I was supposed to wait till 16,000! Like the suggested oil change interval, that seems insane. IMO, going forward will be oil every 1500 and valve check every 5000 or so.
Aha! The picture is now clearer. Previous owner did the right thing and H obviously knows that the top end will go out in the first 600. Odd but there it is.
@@HORNET6 I know this is a year old, so I may be wasting my breath here. Don't sweat vales too much man. You'll know they are too loose when you hear top end chatter from all of the slack(on a Honda, noise could be from a bad cam chain tensioner though), and you'll know they are too tight when the bike seems harder to start and it seems to run a bit warmer than usual(exhaust valve not fully closing causing really hot shit to sneak past the exhaust valve). You can look into both conditions more if you wish to know what causes the noise or the heat. It's not really that big of a deal if the bike is running the way it should(like it did when it was new). It's a Honda, ride it like you stole it.
Very good video!
6 years ago!
Just got a 300l.
When is my first valve check?and oil change?
I spoke with honda today about the sound at 46 mph.
He says/ 100 miles or 20 hrs.
For oil change and valve adjust???
100 miles!
600 mi first service not sure about after that. i would say once a season
What parts actually wear?, is it the shim that wears down in thickness or is it the point of the rocker arm that contacts the shims. Wouldn't the valve clearance gap increase instead of decreasing over time ?
Just trying to visualize what's going on.
Good video. I'll be doing my own valve checks. 👍
Kevs Canada I believe what is wearing in this case is the valve face or seat which is why they are tightening. The result is the valve tip getting closer to the rocker arm making the gap tighter. Some bikes are completely opposite and get looser because the other components (cam lobes, rocker, etc.) are wearing faster. Don't take my word for it, I'm not a mechanic!
That makes sense too, I'm talking specifically on the CRF250L. I'll talk to My Honda dealer and see what I can find out. Also do you think I would be able to buy just the specific shims, or do I need to buy the whole shim kit ?
Thx for your reply 👍
Kevs Canada you can get specific shims. The shim kit is convenient but not required
Thanks for the video. Any idea what the rocker arm bolts are supposed to be torqued at? I cant find it to save my life.
I cut a flat blade screwdriver and welded it 90degrees, it gives u better leverage.
Hi! Did you take off camshafts entirely to get the shims?
Hi I own a CRF 250L 2013..
thanks for sharing these videos on DIY.
I have a question
My front suspension is not stable.. I think one has more oil then the other.
So what can I do to balance it?
How is it behaving/what is it doing that makes it unstable? I would verify the forks are not twisted in the triple clamps and also verify there aren't any issue with your front wheel. Stock, the forks on this bike have a spring in the right fork and damping cartridge in the left fork. So I'm not sure the specs on the oil level for each side or if they would even be the same. I can probably dig it up for you if it's not one of the other issues I mentioned.
SoftwareDevJason yea the shocks are stock
and its unstable when riding at hi spped say above 100km/h. the front wheel starts to kinda wiggle..
i have checked the wheel.. everythings alright..
when I took off the wheel I saw that the left shock the disc brake side is longer than the right.
A quick google search (don't have my service manual on hand) indicates that the oil levels are slightly different in each side which I would expect because they house different components: 658cc/683cc. Are the forks sitting in the same position in the triple clamps? My bets are still on twisted/misaligned forks, untrued wheel, tire balance issues or possibly even steering stem/wheel bearing failure.
SoftwareDevJason yea the positions of both are same.
My brother has the same model. And when I take off his bikes wheel. It stays in same position.
Plus the damping on mine is bit harder then his..
SoftwareDevJason But anyway thanx for replying man.
Keep on shooting these DIYs, they're really helpful.
Cheers
Hello, did you checked valves again after this adjustments?, are they tightening by themselves or did they stayed in place and in spec.?
No, I haven't yet. They should be good for about 16,000 more miles before checking again. I haven't put that many miles on yet.
Durn I'll let a pro work on my Honda. If I learn to work on a bike it may have to be a hawk .
Just looked/ my 2023 owners manual says inspect valve clearance at first 16 thousand miles.
helpful video, I'm thinking my valves need adjustments, I'm noticing a different sound coming from the engine, I got 6000 miles on it?
Dual Sport Wv yeah it doesn't hurt to check. The intervals in my manual are @ like 600 and then 16,000 or something like that.
SoftwareDevJason thanks, I was just curious if you noticed anything different about the bike that made you check or what.
Dual Sport Wv Nope, just thought it should be checked. Couldn't really tell a difference after either. However, I'm really bad about noticing that kind of thing.
I'm taking on this task with much beer and trembling...
hola, sera q tu me puedes ayudar... tu sabes como scanear la moto crf250l????
My service manual says to inspect valve clearances at 600 then 16,000 then 32,000 miles...
Check some of the other comments here and the video description.
Well my bike has 750 miles on it only and makes a valve ticking noise…. 🤦♂️
I am a mechanic and good job mate
how did u get the rocker arm shaft out. im using a 6mm bolt to try pull it out but its stuck in there.
Sorry man, I dont remember too much about this. I thought it just pulled out but I don't remember. Try looking through this: www.crf250l.org/forums/threads/link-to-online-sm.99303/
Search that manual for: rocker arm shaft
@@SoftwareDevJason thanks man. ill do that chears.
o wel that rules out the simple home valve adjust , no C.R.F. for me
Thanks for watching! You can do this much quicker and easier if you aren't dealing with cameras, talking to yourself and drawing things out for the video. It's not screw-and-locknut adjuster easy but it's not that bad either. Very few tools needed and basic math.
If you go by that standard, no bike for you, ever.
@@SoftwareDevJason im dislex with the maths ability of a 6/ 7 year old, o dear
What camera are you using, Is it a akaso 4k ?
I think I was using the GoPro 5 Black in this video. I'm using the 7 Black now.
Good vid, done valve check on several bikes, notably a Honda VTR1000 and a Kawasaki ZRX1200. Thought this little one lunger would be a simple task, your vid shows otherwise.
Thomas McGugan thanks!
Also the service manual company you have in the description seems like a ripoff...
Honda links to helminc.com for buying owners and service manuals and I bought both of them yeterday for about $50 all together.
I think that site was the only one that had it in stock at the time. Doesn't look like they even offer it anymore.
very nice job.. !!! Thanks
No problem!
You forgot the most important part!!! You forgot to show how you take out the shims .
A magnet
With the shaft backed out/the rocker arm moves out of the way.sorry I forgot/this is 6 years ago
yeah man i think ill pay the shop $400 for Full service, Oil change, filter, valves asj-ment, 12 point check on the CRF250l picking it up end of this week.. cheers man.
Get the real Honda Service Manual from a Honda Dealer.
Do you have the real honda service manual that wasn't printed by Helm? How does it differ?
Only a rank amateur would knowingly magnetize a working internal engine part. Really poor practice. The only thing magnetized in your engine should be the oil drain plug.
Wrong. I magnetize all my parts since it makes the bike faster. Look into it. Also, I'm a professional race engine builder, I know everything. That's why I'm fumbling around a Honda service manual for a TH-cam video. I'm sure you're a pro too, it's why your watching this video.
@@SoftwareDevJason this all makes sense now. :D :D :D
@@SoftwareDevJason you've earned my respect.
its a honda just run it into the ground $ 5100 no big deal
Complicated
long winded with many instructions repeated twice
I'll let my producers know we didn't meet your expectations.
lmfao
Best video I could find!!