Why are my valves making so much noise?

[ama009]

Well, I rebuilt my 200x engine, and installed new valves. The problem I am having is that while the engine is running, you can hear the valves tic tic tic tic really loud. When cleaning the head, I made sure the valve seats were very clean. Actually, I almost polished them. Before putting it back together, I made sure the valves sat nicely in there and I did not see a gap through the seats. I checked the top of the piston through the spark plug hole and did not see that the valves were hitting the piston. The motor is running great and not smoking. I tried higher octane fuel but still the same. What do you guys think? please help. Thanks

[cattle-dog]

get your manual and adjust them

[oscarmayer]

did you do a valve job when installing the new valves? if not take it appart and take the head to have a valve job done at a local bike shop. you have to have a valve job when installing new valves.
also are the rocker clearances correct? (valve adjustment). Also did you adjust the timing chain? next to the jug towards the rear is nut with a small 10mm bolt in the top or of the cap is still there a black rubber cap. remove the cap to find the bolt and nut. remove the small bolt, loosen the nut with a 14mm wrench (think it's 14mm) and take a small screwdriver or thick wire and puch down ont he insides of the chain tensioneer to ensure it is loosened up. start bike and let come up to temp and idle. while ideling, loosen the nut some more then slowly tighten it and smug it down. reinstall small bolt and that is the adjsutment for the timing chain.

in my sig is a link to factory service manuals. enjoy..

[ama009]

I haven't adjusted them, and no, I did not have a valve job done. I will try adjusting the valve clearance and see if that helps. I will try the timing chain tension as well. Thanks guys!

[bcredneck]

its the rocker clearance makeing the ticing you dont ever get the valve seats ground on a honda even polishing them can wreak them and it wont make them tic i had a valve job on my xr 80 motor before i got my book it ruined the head the hondas have a special curve that shops cant copy with normal tools the valves cant be ground ether

[ama009]

Well, that is good news! I am going to adjust them when I get home. I really only cleaned the valve seats becuase they were full of crud. I only got all that off and made sure it was clean.

[oscarmayer]

its the rocker clearance makeing the ticing you dont ever get the valve seats ground on a honda even polishing them can wreak them and it wont make them tic i had a valve job on my xr 80 motor before i got my book it ruined the head the hondas have a special curve that shops cant copy with normal tools the valves cant be ground ether

your absolutely incorrect. not sure where you heard that but it is DEAD wrong.....
replacing valves requires a minimum of "lapping" at least, but best bet is to have a valve job done. Read your manual before you make these statements. this is very BAD advice. I'm sorry, not trying to be a jerk, but I want our new guy to understand your info is inaccurate and holds no Merritt. Honda did NOT use special tools. it's a standard valve job.

Once the seats are work, it causes the valves to wear faster and causes lips on the valve itself where it seats, and the valve head becomes very thin at the ends. If a shop told you this, they were dumb. find a new shop. the reason the seat in the head would look strange is because it was so warned it would look weird. the manual even has info on how to re-cut the seats (one manual I had did not sure if they all do). But it's a normal valve job. nothing special.

Ama009, at a minimum you need to get some valve lapping compound and a valve lapper stick and lap them at least the valves will somewhat seat that way.

[ama009]

ok, so does that mean that the valves are not seating and that is why I am getting the noise? After installing the new valves, I put a flashlight on both sides and could not see any light going through. Where as, when I took it apart, you could see all kinds of daylight. I figured that this is why it was smoking so much before I took it apart. Now, she is not smoking, but the noise worries me. I that it was knocking. Also, I installed new valves, but not new springs. I installed the same old springs. COuld that be it? I made sure I put the valve springs according to the book. I really appreciate the help!

[Daniel 250es]

you need to stop and take your head and cylider to a mechanic to do the valves and check cylider. Then MAYBE you can install them.

[Thorpe]

rtfm

You really need to read your manual before just randomly wrenching on your engine... Your valves should be matched to your seats, and you most certainly need to have them adjusted after reassembly!

[ama009]

LOL. Nice!
I will read the freaking Manual.
I will read the freaking Manual.

[Bretmd94]

hmm, I have a Honda Manual for the 200x and was planning on adjusting my valves (i have a lot of top end noise as well)

The manual had crap for instructions on valve adjustments.

[WilliamJ]

Don't get too worried though, you probably haven't done any damage - unless you changed the valve timing and the noise is the valves touching the pistons......!

The advice is right about taking it to someone who really knows this stuff, it's easy to wreck your engine if you make a wrong move, and when you are new to it you need someone to help and advise.

Old valve springs should be fine. They only make a noise if they go sloppy or break. If you need to push very hard on the top of the valve to get it to open then the springs are probably okay.

Not sure why the smoke has all gone unless it was the valve guide oil seals and you replaced them.

A good way to tell if your valves are sealing is to do a compression test.

If you are tempted to lap/grind the seats don't use really coarse grinding paste. It puts big tramlines in the seat and ruins the gas flow. Well cut seats need hardly any lapping. You check them with engineers blue.

[ATCrider42]

I know this thread is mostly about valves.......but on a 200x the spark advancer can make a tick noise similar to poor valve clearance. check the springs on the spark advancer; it's behind the pulse generator which is behind the CDI cover. Not suggesting that this is your problem. It's just worth checking out and can save you some $ if it turns out that one of your springs is broken off on your spark advancer. This can also cause pre-dentination so i've been told by the mechanic workin on my head.

[EarlyBronocGuy]

I know this thread is mostly about valves.......but on a 200x the spark advancer can make a tick noise similar to poor valve clearance. check the springs on the spark advancer; it's behind the pulse generator which is behind the CDI cover. Not suggesting that this is your problem. It's just worth checking out and can save you some $ if it turns out that one of your springs is broken off on your spark advancer. This can also cause pre-dentination so i've been told by the mechanic workin on my head.

Yep, and don't forget to check the gap between the ignition rotor and the pulse generator - it's a very small gap and it's possible to to get the generator too close to the rotor, it'll "click" loudly every time it comes around and touches the generator.

[ama009]

Thanks to all for the advice! This is awesome support!

[oscarmayer]

your welcome sir! and get the head to a machine shop and have a valve job done! ;)
"read the manual" LOL that cracks me up!!!!

[oscarmayer]

I know this thread is mostly about valves.......but on a 200x the spark advancer can make a tick noise similar to poor valve clearance. check the springs on the spark advancer; it's behind the pulse generator which is behind the CDI cover. Not suggesting that this is your problem. It's just worth checking out and can save you some $ if it turns out that one of your springs is broken off on your spark advancer. This can also cause pre-dentination so i've been told by the mechanic workin on my head.

great advice, i did not even think about it after reading he never did a valve job.

[oscarmayer]

I know this thread is mostly about valves.......but on a 200x the spark advancer can make a tick noise similar to poor valve clearance. check the springs on the spark advancer; it's behind the pulse generator which is behind the CDI cover. Not suggesting that this is your problem. It's just worth checking out and can save you some $ if it turns out that one of your springs is broken off on your spark advancer. This can also cause pre-dentination so i've been told by the mechanic workin on my head.

Great idea as well! i did not evne think about that once i saw the vlave seats had never been touched after installing new valves. Beers to you sir!

[ATCrider42]

I had this problem on my 200x. I went through a lot and then read a thread on this website that talked about someone who had completely rebuilt their engine and still had this ticking noise. They eventually figured out it was the spark advancer. Then I realized I had the same kind of noise, turned out it was the spark advancer. You can still buy one brand new from Honda on serveral sites. Mine cost about $80.

[ATCrider42]

AMA09! Let us know what you get figured out!

[Bretmd94]

I had this problem on my 200x. I went through a lot and then read a thread on this website that talked about someone who had completely rebuilt their engine and still had this ticking noise. They eventually figured out it was the spark advancer. Then I realized I had the same kind of noise, turned out it was the spark advancer. You can still buy one brand new from Honda on serveral sites. Mine cost about $80.

spark advancer??? :confused:

[bcredneck]

the valve seats can be totaly shot and the wont tic the ticing is almost always the roker agustment and sorry my xr 75-100 book says not to grind the seats with the normal tool it has to be done at a honda dealer there is a curve and normal seat cutters are flat the valves cant be done at all the valve face has a coating that cant be removed

[Dirtcrasher]

It wouldn't RUN if there were gaps in the valve to the seat, so they must be straight!

Just set the valve lash at .003/cold and at TDC on the compression stroke. All in the book...........

No, they say not to grind the valve which is even arguable.

The manual SHOWS you how to 3 angle cut the valve seats!