10 hours labor for a valve check?

My local Honda dealer quoted me 10 hours labor for a valve check for a 04' VFR 800 ABS. Roughly $700 if in spec. Do these #'s sound right? I called another dealer down the road and they quoted within $50. I'm almost @32k. It's due, I'm sure. I bought it with 20k on last August. Just kinda shocked by the $$$$$$$.

 

valve adjust tech article

You may want to check the tech and how to sections here.
I saw a guide with full pictorial step by step to adjust valves on a late model.
Interceptor.
If you are mechanically inclined, you might be able to do it yourself.
Jamie Daugherty is a good one to ask here about VFR maintenance.

 

The biggest issue on the VTEC engine is that all four cams have to be removed and reinstalled twice to check the clearances on the VTEC valves.

If you want to do it yourself, you will need some special spacers/shims that engage the VTEC lifter sliding pins (4 if you do one bank at a time, 8 if you would rather do both banks), and you will need to fabricate your own tool to remove the cam chain tension in order to remove/reinstall the cams (Honda does not sell the tool...).

So compared to a non-VTEC engine, it is time consuming.

 

Sounds about right for what I've read. Non-vtec engine is about $300 including replacing shims if needed, fwiw.

 

SHAME on Honda for making something that ridiulously complex for so little gain.....except to the dealers' bottom line.

 

money

I must defend a mechanic and a shop on this. It is a bitch and they are out to make money. It is what it costs to do the work and keep the lights on .Long and the short of it.They are not going to retire off of this.

 

$749 is what I was quoted for my 32k but in my case, none of the valves needed adjustment so they cut the bill basically in half...

PS: Yes, this is the same shop I've been going nuclear about over the PC3 and battery...

 

I love the bike, but I just can't see seven bills for a check up. I'll probably ride mine till I know it needs work, or blows up.

Mac

 

Thanks for the info fellas. Sounds like I'm getting quoted around the going rate, which was my question to start with. I'll probably take it in and have them do it. At the rate I ride if I have them done every 32K that ends up being every other year. The cost of ownership of this bike is a bit pricey. Glad I bought it cheap. My Wife's BMW F800 ST is starting to look real good as my next bike.

 

I dont think I know a dealer that I would trust to do my valves...I feel like half of them probably just bring the bike in the back for 10 hours and then roll it back out.

When a valve check comes for me I am hoping to hook up with one of the experts on here and have that person help me. I will of course provide the beer(I dont drink so you get extra).

 

Yep, that's about right. I got mine done for a bit less but that was because they had never done one before so they had the bike for quite a long time while they trained all their wrenches on it, they had to buy a tool and dvd also, big PITA. Long story short , they said ALL valves were within .0001 spec. so it accomplished NADA except for piece of mind. Now that I have the new RWB he said to just ride it til I hear the valves start to click and THEN get them adjusted. When I asked what it would sound like exactly his answer was "you'll know".:crazy:

 

yes... you'll know

he's not crazy, and your bike will act funky.
it'll act like it's shy on gas or getting too much.
sometimes if you ride it longer than you should without adjusting them... they'll mushroom.

Yes I used to ride a gixxer

 

I never worry about the ones I hear. I worry about the ones I DON'T hear. A little loose is not terribly worrisome. A little tight, especially on an exhaust valve, can be really bad, as in a burned valve or worse...

 

My Theroy - You can find used VTEC motors on ebay for $800 all the time. If you look a little harder you can find them with low miles. I plan on riding mine until I can tell somethings wrong. At that time I'll either tear the motor down myself and buy/borrow/fab the tools to do the valve job or I'll buy a low mileage used motor and drop it in. With the amount of parts you have to take off to check/adjust the valves you can just about pull the motor.

Action

 

gettin off cheap, a 4valve ducati is $900 for the same affair.

 

I dont think I know a dealer that I would trust to do my valves...I feel like half of them probably just bring the bike in the back for 10 hours and then roll it back out.

When a valve check comes for me I am hoping to hook up with one of the experts on here and have that person help me. I will of course provide the beer(I dont drink so you get extra).

 

Not to hijack this or anything... but...

I notice kind of a funny sound when the other valves kick in and it almost strains for a second... is that bad or normal? It's been like this ever since I've had it... after the initial strain everything seems normal...

 

I've decided not to check my valves at all.....This is an experiment, I'm gonna ride 'er 'till she dies and I'll post up the mileage for y'all!!!
So far I'm up to 45,000km / 28,000mi and she's running smoooth as buttah!!!

I like Actions idea of just buying a complete lower mileage engine for the cost of valve check.....I think that's my plan now!!!

 

I was just quoted $450 for labor for the 16k service by Weymouth Honda in Massachusetts. This is just outside of Boston. My last bike was a Ducati and I loved it. But the valve adjustment frequency and cost caused me to jump ship. $450 labor every 16k seems fairly reasonable.