Revised Valve Specs

I did a quick search but didn't see anything in the topics about this.

I got a call from my mechanic yesterday where he said that in September BMW issued revised valve settings for the F650/800 engines. According to him, all the engines he's seen so far will need adjustment as they will be too tight, under the new specs.

He said each shim is about $12, and it'll take a little more than an hour to do, while he's doing my 80,000 km checkup.

Haven't heard about this. I just had mine checked a month ago while getting the water pump replaced under warranty. Mine were in spec. Guess I better call & check it out.

Yeah, my local Dealer guy said the same thing. I'd just checked both bikes and they were tight in places but still within the old spec. I'm not prepared to adjust them now!

I have a "funny" relationship with my Dealer so I don't expect to get a copy of the bulletin. I mean, bought two bikes, a repair CD and never went back so I don't expect any favours. For the price of the CD though, updates should be free!

Hopefully someone here can do us the favour of getting more info. For some reason it seems the Canadian Dealers get their updates before the US.

I've heard rumor, but NO official confirmation that the check/adjustment interval was being extended, but nothing on the recommended clearances changing sheez......................

I was planning on doing mine next week, but think I will hold off until this shakes out..

There is one guy selling the DVD on eBay, I asked him a week or so back what the revision level was,
I have Rev #4 which is over a year old and does not cover the 2013 models ................. so ...
I have no value to add at this point

Are you stalking me or am I stalking you? I can't keep track.

Since we correct each other's sentences.......My DVD is revision 6 dated 12/2010 so it beats your 4 . Doesn't really matter. A lot of the revisions seem to be translation related. Like "The front brake is not adequately ventilated" ? Well it's right there out front, how much more air does it need? Translation: air in the brake system! It's a tough gig writing tech manuals so many errors or omissions are corrected for the newer editions, not changes so much. I suspect it'd be a while before you could buy a revised valve clearance edition.

I know for a fact they changed cause my buddy still works at the local Motorrad. I mentioned I just checked both my bikes so he said "have fun doing it again!" I have two ex that are right on the low limit but haven't changed in 20k kms so I left them again. No way I'm going back. If Dieselboy went 100K MILES on the old spec then that's good enough for me. Maybe next winter.

I'm sure I could go to my Dealer and get the bulletin but that's 45 min away and my bike is currently spread out in pieces getting steering bearings and a 40k inspection. I was hoping Joel would have chimed in by now.......

we could alternate this stalking thing? ...............

I still like how they call the shims "oil sinks" ....

Ok my rev #4 (dated 05/2009) is now confirmed obsolete, but even #6 does not have the "new" specs eh

I'll hold off on doing mine till I can get the new specs.
I'll be down to my dealer sometime between now and Christmas...
I'd still like to know which way the clearances tend to "drift" for a "normal" rider that neither spends all his time @ redline nor is ingesting tons of dirt.

It does piss me off to have paid $100+ for the DVD-manual and then not get any updates ...........
I was able to copy my DVD to a thumb-drive .... for some reason it took several hours to complete,
but having the drive in my top-case is a nice durable backup in case I need it on the road....

....or semi-spheres.....

I often have to read the manual a few times before I figure out what it means. Bet it makes perfect sense in the Father land.

Not going too far into this as there is a big arguement going on here somewhere. I was taught, and it has been my experience that valve clearances shrink with use. I always had to reshim for more clearance on the Beemers. The valve seats wear in and the stems stretch slightly causing the clearance to shrink. Seems to trump wear. I suppose if you hang out in the red line it may happen faster. My "normal" riding hasn't caused a change in 20k kms.

Oh, and it takes forever to copy the DVD because you have a copy in every language it's offerred in!

Doesn't that imply that they store a little oil so as to minimize wear on startup? If that's what they actually do, I could sleep better at night, knowing that.

Thanks Reaver...

(I don't want to make valve lash another oil thread either)

I'm used to working on "old school" cars where clearances "ALWAYS" increased ... leading me to bias my adjustments to the low side so that they could "grow through" the range.

What we have here is yet another opportunity to toss another tried-and-true technique into the dustbin when it comes to these hi-tech cycles...........................

Older car engines gained clearance due to all the wear in the poorly lubricated valve train. Lifters wore, pushrods wore, rocker arms wore at the tips and the pivot, even the valve stem tips wore. All those wear points added up to more wear than the little bit on the valve seats and faces and led to increased clearances. Modern OHC engines have fewer valve actuation components to wear, and have better lubrication with better lubricants. The valve seats and faces are the most significant contributor to changing clearances now, but even that is less than on the older stuff.

I am not going to run down and pay BMW to "fix" the valve specs. It only becomes an issue when there is none.

Think of the old spec as a back yard mechanics substitute for hotter camshafts. Valves open further and stay open longer.

So at this point if we don't know what the new spec for adjustment is, I guess just going to the loose side of the adjustment or a tiny bit looser than that would be the safest bet, right. Anybody got a good dealer relationship that might pry this info. out of them so we're not guessing?

Thinking I'll just wait another 12,000 miles. If it was important seems they would have to send out a notice or warranty an awful lot of bikes. Since mine was just done under warranty before it expired I guess if it goes BOOM they get to buy me a new one right?

So, they begin recommending 15/50 and then loosen up the valve specs. Anyone care to theorize on a connection there?

And, is there anything about looser valves that makes life easier on a cam chain? Less oscillation, etc. I know Joel at one point said the chains on these motors move quite a bit.

Anyone stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night?

damn good questions!

joelwiseass to the telephone.... joelwiseass to the telephone.....

ok ok ok I'm sorry cruel cruel joke... Joelwisman something right? :huh

edit... this guy!

http://www.advrider.com/forums/member.php?u=124618

Maybe someone can get hold of a PDF of the new specs or scan a copy of the bulletin?
Please and thank you.

Hmmm, maybe that is why even though my valves are in the current specs as I know them, my bike sounds like it has marbles in the top end when I first start it. Of course last week when at dealer to get fuel tank replaced, they said the sound was normal.How big of a thumb drive did it take to fit the dvd. Great idea. I was taking my dvd with me on long trips, but didn't like doing it because I was worried about trashing it.

According to my dealer the new specs are not part of any bulletin or recall, just the specs on the latest CD from BMW (I don't know the date of that CD).

Here's the new specs

Intake new .23-.33mm old was 18-26
exhaust new .30-.41mm old was .27-.35

My (actually my wife's) bike is 10/09 maunufacter date and according to the shop is subject to the new specs.

yeah... that was my fear as well ... it fits with ease on a 4Gb drive.

Just don't panic if it takes serveral HOURs to copy..............

Thanks for posting this!

Holy crap.... that's a damn big jump.....
The new specs. are almost outside of the original specs....
I guess they are worried about the bikes using up the lash and then burning valves.......

I guess I can plan for my bike to be apart a few days to order up new shims.............
and............ plan on pulling out the camshafts ... sheezzzzzzzzzzz