Hi Guys,

Just got a price back from mechanic to do following work:

Valve Adjustment (he thinks will all need replacing)
Timing Chain,
Full service (plugs, oil etc)
Carbie Sync
Wheel bearings

Said between 1500 and 3000 as ball park. Thought this was over the top.

Bike has 50,000km on it. Would it really need new valves after that many km?

Anyone done valves with similar km?

Cheers,

Phil

 

He's saying the valves need to be replaced? Or the shims to bring the valve clearances into spec?

Dunno if I'd pay low or high estimate for an F3. I'd do the work myself if I wanted to keep the bike. Otherwise its time to move on. But valve job + timing chain + wheel bearings + tune up from a dealer? Sounds bout right.

 

I would walk away. First of all, the mechanic can tell you if your bike needs a valve replacement, head gasket, or ring replacement with a leak down and compression tests. Secondly, I have 70,000 miles on my F3 and it's still going strong. Hell, I have yet to do a valve adjustment. So, replacement of valves just because there are 50,000 km on the clock is ridiculous. The cam chain should be just fine, but my guess the guy was suggesting a cam chain since he would already be there. If there is excessive noise coming from it, start with the cam chain tensioner.
However, I agree with a carb sync being needed. It wouldn't hurt if this was done every other year. The wheel bearing is hard to call on a forum, but if there is any gritty feeling coming from the wheel or a grinding sound. The bearings need to be replaced.

 

do the carbs yourself.
save yourself 300+ bucks.

 

He is saying that after 50,000km the valves would more than likely need replacing. I thought i would have seen some smoke out of the back of the bike if this was the case? (bike blows zero smoke)

He suggested just tensioner on the bike but told him i wanted new chain if he was going to pull down half the bike anyway to do valves.

Think i will do the work myself and you wouldn't believe it.......It is cheaper for me to buy parts from the US and have shipped to AUS than by them from my local guy.

Anything else i should be doing while i have the bike apart?

Any body recommend a site to buy a set of carbie syncing gauges?

Cheers,

Phil

 

Would something like this suit?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Vacuu...motiveQ5fTools

 

No way can you tell if it needs valves without disassembling motor. You can tell by looking if they are beat into the seats enough to need replacing if you remove the head. You can also tell by how tight the clearances are. There's no set mileage limit for them going out either. I'd just have him check/set the clearances and be done with it. If they are too tight to adjust, then yeah replace the valves. For that much money, I'd just buy a used head off ebay. And like someone else suggested, do the carbs yourself, it's not a big deal if you're even halfway mechanically inclined.
In the event you do need valves, get stainless aftermarket ones. They are half the price of OEM's.

 

Holy Crap ! Run, don't walk, but run away from that dealer. He's just trying to take your money. Although we don't have any background information on your bike except for it's got 50,000 km on it, that's no reason to replace all the valves, or the cam chain. You should check the valve clearances, but don't let them do it. I wouldn't trust them as far as I could throw them. You can download the shop manual from several places on the Internet. Review the proceedures for doing the adjustments, cleaning the carbs, replacing the CCT if it needs it, and then go riding.

 

Hey Fleb,
I am in Sydney where are you I know some great places for repair around here and i could point you in the right direction.
But I am with everyone else do as much as you can yourself.

 

My last valve adjustment+Carbs+Oil cost me around $450 & even then I thought it was a bit much. How much would it cost to buy a good 2nd hand F3 over there?