Dirty Valves?

[CEO]

Well I was stripping the bike down to do some maintenance today. I took off the tank, airbox, and throttle bodies. I was about to pull the plugs to check and gap them... but I looked down my intake tracts and it seems the back of my valves are crudded up with a decent amount of deposit. I wasn't expecting a bike this new that is maintained as carefully as I maintain it to be all gunked up like this.

My questions are these:

1. Is this a concern?
2. Is there something I should do differently?
3. Can you run fuel injector cleaners and other such solvents in bikes, and would it help? (I've only done it with cars)
4. Any other salient points?

Thanks in advance. My camera is broken so all I have are camera phone pictures:

[stoinkythepig]

That's nothin', you shoulda seen the crud on mine after only 7500 miles. A tank full of Techron (get it at Wal Mart) fuel treatment cleaned them up nicely.

Run the lowest octane fuel you can safely run. The octane boosting additives cause valve deposits.

There is nothing there to be concerned about though.

[Wishbone]

Get Yamalube ring free. You use a small amount every few tanks and/or a larger amount in the last tank before an oil change. It will remove all deposits from all your vitals

[Jim]

Get Yamalube ring free. You use a small amount every few tanks and/or a larger amount in the last tank before an oil change. It will remove all deposits from all your vitals

is this a Yami thing or all sport bikes get this build up? I've never checked mine, but I got a feeling I should probably use a gas treatment on my GSX-R. does that Yamalube work for all bikes?

[Wishbone]

is this a Yami thing or all sport bikes get this build up? I've never checked mine, but I got a feeling I should probably use a gas treatment on my GSX-R. does that Yamalube work for all bikes?

No only Yamahas are effected by the laws of pysics. If you use Yamalube on a gixxer it will explode. Bellray on a Ducati and it will catch on fire. And Honda pro cleaner on Yamaha plastics and they will melt.

[The Snowman]

Hondas don't have any issues with deposits.

Seriously though, when Mark had the carbs off yesterday, I got a good lok at the valves and they looked really clean. I normally run the botom of the barrel 87 octane and run an occasional tank with techron.

[CMG241]

Run the lowest octane fuel you can safely run. The octane boosting additives cause valve deposits.

Huh????

[R7]

I would not ride that bike..in fact you should sell it asap. When can I come pick it up?

[CapeRoots]

Huh????

+1?

[TLRMan]

That's nothin', you shoulda seen the crud on mine after only 7500 miles. A tank full of Techron (get it at Wal Mart) fuel treatment cleaned them up nicely.

Run the lowest octane fuel you can safely run. The octane boosting additives cause valve deposits.

There is nothing there to be concerned about though.

He's right!
Higher octane fuels will bugger them up. There are auto manufacturers that tell you this, and it will void some warranties.
Sea foam works well too.

[BCT748]

He's right!
Higher octane fuels will bugger them up. There are auto manufacturers that tell you this, and it will void some warranties.
Sea foam works well too.

And lower octane fuels run the risk of detonation in higher compression motors that can cause severe damage, what's your point?

I'll take dirty valves over blowing my motor.

[TLRMan]

And lower octane fuels run the risk of detonation in higher compression motors that can cause severe damage, what's your point?

I'll take dirty valves over blowing my motor.

What are you a fracking wise guy???
We are talking about deposits....
and....do you know who you are talking too????
Young friggen know it alls....

[TLRMan]

who is this BCT748 idiot?
Just curious....

[Wishbone]

who is this BCT748 idiot?
Just curious....

A wicked smaat plumber.

Who apparently doesn't know you have been building motors since he has been shitting in his pants and whipping it on the wall.

And apparently likes wasting money, since using a higher octain than needed is like pissing up a rope.

[CMG241]

He's right!
Higher octane fuels will bugger them up. There are auto manufacturers that tell you this, and it will void some warranties.
Sea foam works well too.

would you see anything wrong with running a tank of Techron or Yama lube at a track day? any effect on performance? I just changed the oil so I'll probably put Yamalube off.

Thanks

[Billy]

Well I used to use both Technron, and Sea Foam. I "heard" that it fouls the spark plugs. Any truth to that?

[Kurlon]

And lower octane fuels run the risk of detonation in higher compression motors that can cause severe damage, what's your point?

I'll take dirty valves over blowing my motor.

All depends on the motor, and what you consider 'higher compression'. Modern head and piston design is MUCH better than what it used to be, so while in the past anything over 9:1 would demand high test to run without pinging, you can build a 12.5:1 motor that'll purr on 87 octane fuel now. So, if you want the best performance, run the lowest octane you can that doesn't ping, simple as that.

[BCT748]

TLRMan- I know what I am talking about and I am sure that since you have built motors before you have seen what can happen when you run a low octane fuel in a high compression motor. I've seen snapped connecting rods and shattered pistons because people throwing lower octane fuels in high compression motors. I've built motors that have called for premium when they were stock with just a 10:1 ratio and needed 101 when I was done with them. My bike has an 11.5:1 ratio and it calls for premium. My truck only has 9.4:1 so it gets 87. Everything I have either owned that was stock or I built up with a 10:1 or higher gets premium, and lower than that and it gets low octane.

All depends on the motor, and what you consider 'higher compression'. Modern head and piston design is MUCH better than what it used to be, so while in the past anything over 9:1 would demand high test to run without pinging, you can build a 12.5:1 motor that'll purr on 87 octane fuel now. So, if you want the best performance, run the lowest octane you can that doesn't ping, simple as that.

That's true for older motors. Newer ones will retard the timing if it starts to knock.

[BCT748]

A wicked smaat plumber.

Who apparently doesn't know you have been building motors since he has been shitting in his pants and whipping it on the wall.

And apparently likes wasting money, since using a higher octain than needed is like pissing up a rope.

Wicked pissa kid.

So he has been building motors since yesterday?

Using a higher octane than NEEDED is like pissing up a rope, but using lower than NEEDED is worse (shitting up a rope?)

[Kurlon]

That's true for older motors. Newer ones will retard the timing if it starts to knock.

I still haven't come across many knock sensors on motorcycles yet... : )

That said, I stand by my assertion that newer motors are designed to do more on lower octane. You can't go by the old 10:1 == high test rule any more, it's not that simple.

For example, I've got one motor with 300+ PSI of dynamic compression, I dunno how much more 'cause I haven't found a compression tester that reads high enough. Static compression is around 13.5 to 14:1, gotta recheck since I went to thinner gaskets. It runs all day long, whipped and abused on 89 octane. It's air cooled to boot. Ignition is running 3 deg advanced from factory.

Flatter valve angles, better understandings of combustion chamber shapes, piston dome shapes, and their interactions together are resulting in much more detonation preventing setups. (A good example is the Honda V4 series in the mid 80s, a big part of the design effort for the heads was coming up with something that would allow higher compression while being able to run on 87 octane.)

For the most part, unless you're running a BUILT motor in your bike, it'll likely be quite happy with midgrade or even low test. It's easy enough to drop from Premium to mid grade and see if it gives warning pings. If it doesn't, when the tank is half empty, fill it with low test and see what it does. No pings, feed it straight low test, etc.

[BCT748]

I was talking about cars when it comes to it retarding the timing itself.

I'll see if I can find the thread that came up recently about octane.

Edit-http://www.nestreetriders.com/forum/general-bike-related/35889-fuel-used.htmlhttp://www.nestreetriders.com/forum/...fuel-used.html

[TLRMan]

TLRMan- I know what I am talking about and I am sure that since you have built motors before you have seen what can happen when you run a low octane fuel in a high compression motor. I've seen snapped connecting rods and shattered pistons because people throwing lower octane fuels in high compression motors. I've built motors that have called for premium when they were stock with just a 10:1 ratio and needed 101 when I was done with them. My bike has an 11.5:1 ratio and it calls for premium. My truck only has 9.4:1 so it gets 87. Everything I have either owned that was stock or I built up with a 10:1 or higher gets premium, and lower than that and it gets low octane.



That's true for older motors. Newer ones will retard the timing if it starts to knock.

He he he...I was setting national records before you were born...I even built one of the worlds smallest reciprocating engines for MIT.
How many cylinder heads did you machine from solid billet, or fabricate pistons?
I've forgotten more than you'll ever know young whippersnapper.
BTW My TLR swings almost 13:1 for a comp ratio and I can safely run 89 octane in it...Hmmm ever scan a cylinder head with a laser, make changes and remachine them? You better go back to school, with me teaching the class!

Oh....Don't take anything seriously, I just love bashing Ducati owning know it alls.

[Kurlon]

Crap, I wanna start a conv about that world's smallest reciprocating engine, but I'm a Ducati owner, which likely means I'm a know it all and it'll only end in bashing. Crap.

[butcher bergs]

FWIW;

2003 Yamaha FZ1- 12.5:1 compression-- 87 safe



Just my .02

[TLRMan]

Crap, I wanna start a conv about that world's smallest reciprocating engine, but I'm a Ducati owner, which likely means I'm a know it all and it'll only end in bashing. Crap.

But you don't have the attitude of trying to shove crap down people throats...
You will survive in my realm.

BTW. The piston was .094" in diameter.