how do you know when it's time for a valve adjustment???

[TOMMYHPX4X4]

i have been havin my 04,hpx 4x4 sinse it was new and i never had any work done to the engine. it doesn't smoke and it fires right up . i change the oil and plugs regularly. the valse don't clatter and the engine runs fine so should i get the valves adjusted ??it has 700+ hours on it.i have always been one to go with the saying if it ain't broke don't mess with it.

 

[Dargo]

i have always been one to go with the saying if it ain't broke don't mess with it.

Sometimes that's the best policy. If it's not showing any ill effects or making any strange sounds, maybe it's best left as is.

Hey, how'd you survive ole Gustov? Dang Ike went about 30 miles due west of me and we had 75 mph winds but absolutely zero rain! We haven't had any measurable rain since early May!!

 

[coobie]

Sometimes that's the best policy. If it's not showing any ill effects or making any strange sounds, maybe it's best left as is.

Hey, how'd you survive ole Gustov? Dang Ike went about 30 miles due west of me and we had 75 mph winds but absolutely zero rain! We haven't had any measurable rain since early May!!

dargo,I live in southern michigan and also work for the local power company as a electric lineman.We had about 8-9 inches of rain this past weekend with little wind.The last good rain we had was early july.We sent line crews to texas & ohio this last weekend to help with the power outages.coobie

 

[TOMMYHPX4X4]

gustav tore us anew you know what!lol. here's the video i made at my brothers house about 2/3 miles north of my house.the last scene of the film is my house after the storm.lol

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/atvs-utility-vehicles/128988-video-i-made-gustav.html

 

[Donegal_TDI]

i have been havin my 04,hpx 4x4 sinse it was new and i never had any work done to the engine. it doesn't smoke and it fires right up . i change the oil and plugs regularly. the valse don't clatter and the engine runs fine so should i get the valves adjusted ??it has 700+ hours on it.i have always been one to go with the saying if it ain't broke don't mess with it.

Loose tappets don't really cause much of a problem other than noise.
However, tight tappets can cause issues where they don't fully close.
Does no harm to check them.
Be careful with rocker cover bolts,
remember doing this on a motorcycle of similar usage 20 years ago and one of the rocker bolts sheared straight off when trying to loosen,
leading to using tapered stud extractors.
This reinforces your last statement...
" if it ain't broke don't mess with it"
Good luck!

 

[TOMMYHPX4X4]

i think i'm gonna just leave it alone.the engine runs fine. now i have to do some work to the front end for sure i tore a cv boot running through the bruch hauling the stuff for the huricane and my bushing is worn on my a-arm on the drivers side so i'll just fix those two problems and leave it at that.

 

[Milo]

Most of the time the clearance will lessen with use. Eventually to the point where the (usually exhaust) valve doesn't close completely. This causes it to not be able to dissipate heat effectively making matters even worse. The first sign is that "quiet running valve train". Then a slight loss of power. Then it gets a little hard to start. With the hours you have I'd have the valves set.

 

[TOMMYHPX4X4]

i supose i could get them looked at in the near future..

 

[shot_gun]

JD recommends every 200 hours for your machine. Milo is right on with his assesment. Adjusting the valves is easy. Here is a copy from the tech manual.

1. Park machine safely. See "Park Machine Safely" in the Safety section.




MX31551

2. Remove spark plug (A).

3. Remove valve cover (B).




MX31552

4. Find cylinder TDC (Top Dead Center) of compression stroke:

Turn crankshaft counterclockwise until intake valve (C) opens.

Put a long, small diameter, wooden dowel into spark plug hole and rest it on top of the piston.

Continue to turn crankshaft counterclockwise until dowel is at highest point. The piston is at TDC of compression stroke.

When piston is at TDC, both intake and exhaust valve rocker arms will be loose.

If either or both rocker arms are tight, the piston is on the exhaust stroke and the crankshaft must be turned counterclockwise another revolution (360 degrees).

5. Use a flat feeler gauge to check that valve clearance is 0.25 mm (0.010 in.).

6. To adjust valve clearance, loosen lock nut (D) and turn adjusting screw (F) to correct clearance.

7. Hold adjusting screw stationary while tightening lock nut to 9 Nm (79 lb-in.).

8. Recheck valve clearance, readjust if necessary.

9. Repeat procedure for other valve.

10. Repeat procedure for other cylinder.

11. Install spark plugs and spark plug leads.

12. Install and tighten valve covers to 6 Nm (53 lb-in.).

 

[TOMMYHPX4X4]

sounds like something i might be able to do myself. thing is i work my hpx every afternoon and i can't afford to have it down one day. so it has to be a quick job. i have a rhino and a buddy lets me use his 10' trailer but i realy don't like pulling or hauling anything with that sucker. sometimes like today we had probably 300lbs in iron and 9big golf cart batteries and 2 car batteris and one riding mower battery . and i think about 30' of aluminum gutter. now thats alot of weight to have in the back them batteries weigh about 65lbs sometimes more a piece and we had 9 plus 2 car batteries at 45lbs a piece he mower battery that thing is about 10lbs. i say we had about 900lbs today and thats about average. i got some young kids helpin me load that stuff and i give them a few bucks or we haul something home for them that they find . but they help me alot.it started out as a hobby but now it's a quest to see what i can find and recyle. they cut the gate open for me to let me drive right up to the stuff now so i don't even have to use the dollie anymore . we just ride right around back go right through the gate and ride right up to the stuff with the gator and walla it's there 1' away.but the gator works hard so i need to take care of it..