Valve adjust quote...am I being raped?

[greenmonster]

...stopped by GBM today, picked up oil/filter. Decided to get a quote to adjust valves on my 97 ZX900R Ninja. Answer made my eyes water. OUCH!! Rachael (service manager) said it would be 350-400 bucks! She said it would take 2 hrs just to get off the cover, and the cams needed to be removed as part of the adjustment procedure. She was asking the mech for all this info, and I overheard a bit of his answer, and I THOUGHT I heard him add that the job would take like 4hrs or so, start to finish.

Part 2: Im going to PA this June, and want to get a bunch of stuff done to the bike. They include:

engine tune up
valve adjust
new front/rear sprockets and chain
change fork oil
possibly change the brake fluid, etc.
new skins...Dunlops or Pilot Sports

Bike has 16K original miles. (I know, I know, but thats what happens when you have kids, house, etc. to take up your riding time!) Its in great condition. The 350-400 bucks cost is a big wallet dent, then adding on the rest of my list, we're talking HUGE bucks!! So....Id be willing to pay one of you guys (Degsy, Rye, etc.?) to perform some if not all of the above....and of course Id be chipping in on the work too. Id make it worth your while money-wise. I just hope it can be done for less than the grand or so Im looking at with dealer costs. So...what do you think? Id be doing all this around mid to late May. Any takers? Thanks in advance!!-Mark

[Rye]

Hey Mark! Long time no chat. 1st off, just to get you up to speed on the valvetrain, the head on your 9r is a shim over bucket /rocker design. You do not need to remove your cams! The '98 went to a simpler shim under bucket design and you do need to remove the cams. First, before you even decide to send it to the dopes @ GBM pick up a metric feeler gauge (can be had for $20...the longer the blade the better...and get yourself a Haynes manual) and check them yourself. I can give you some instruction for this check. Pull the tank and airbox off and then take the valve cover off (15 minute excercise...not an hour). When you do, take a look at the under side of the valve cover and make sure the cam chain guide/slider is still intact and supple plastic...if not there are probably little pieces sitting down in the oil sump pickup screen...which is also simple to clean but I'll hold off on that explanation for now.. Inspect around the head for oil leaks. The valve cover gasket is totally reusable but it wouldn't be a bad idea to replace it while your unbottoned. Take a look at the head, looking for debris, scoring or pitting on the cam lobes and the teeth on the cam sprockets, chain etc. You will notice a grey colored magnesium cover on the right side of the motor, forward of the clutch cover. This houses the ignition rotor. You will see a large nut with a allen head bolt inside the nut. Set up a socket to the larger nut (do not turn the small one as this is how the ignition rotor attached...just leave it alone). You are now ready to turn the motor over. Go clockwise and watch everything up top turn. Oh yeah, remove the plugs or else it'll be a bitch to turn...that's step 1 actually. Get a paper and pen and draw a diagram of the 16 valves you'll be checking. Turn the motor over until the cam lob roatates off the rocker and there is visible space between the two. You can now slide your feeler gauge under the rocker and above the shim. If you can't slide the feeler under the rocker do not force it. You should feel a little resistance but should still be able to slide the feeler freely. When you get to this point take note of the feeler size and that will be the clearance for that valve. Write the number down to that associated valve. Do this for all valves. Compare the results to the spec's listed for the intake and exhaust valves in your manual. If you've whaled the snot out of it for 16k miles, then I'd say at a minimum the exhaust sides are out, but chances are you'll be out on the intake side. BTW, the motor should be warm when performing this check! I will help with just about anything, other than going in to someone else's motor. Sorry. The mechanic should be able to get that done in under 3 hours, taking his time. He's full of shit saying your valves are gonna be a half day work for him. I don't know who Rachel is but she's not well informed. When your in the motor, slide the rocker arm to the side...you'll see just how easy it will be for him to acccess and swap shims!

The tune-up is tit. Pull the airbox apart and replace with a well oiled stock filter. Load up new plugs (CR9EK) for that bike. Your wires should be fine.

Good to do chain/sprockets at the same time. There are some aftermarket setups available. I prefer DID chains. Another easy swap.

Fork oil...I use Pete @ GMD for all my suspension work. If your interested, and since the 9r springs are sprung for a 160lb rider, you can have my Hyperpro Progressive springs for $20. I bought them new and they were in my 9r forks for 2 months before I had Pete create some custom ZX7 forks with the 9r lowers (the 9r forks stuck too far out of my triples...ugly). They are for 9r model years 94-97 and are literally brand new. I bought Racetech springs for the zx7 forks and kick myself that I did not go with progressive springs again. they are great for street riding. No BS. Pete will give you a NESR discount for the work and can drop these springs in no problem for you as he's gonna have the caps off anyway.

Brake/ clutch fluid is also a simple procedure.

You can get everything done to the bike for WELL under the grand you were expecting. The simple maintenance items should be done right @ home!

Check your PM's.....Ryan

[Cue Ball]

Originally posted by greenmonster
...stopped by GBM today, picked up oil/filter. Decided to get a quote to adjust valves on my 97 ZX900R Ninja. Answer made my eyes water. OUCH!! Rachael (service manager) said it would be 350-400 bucks! She said it would take 2 hrs just to get off the cover, and the cams needed to be removed as part of the adjustment procedure. She was asking the mech for all this info, and I overheard a bit of his answer, and I THOUGHT I heard him add that the job would take like 4hrs or so, start to finish.

Part 2: Im going to PA this June, and want to get a bunch of stuff done to the bike. They include:

engine tune up
valve adjust
new front/rear sprockets and chain
change fork oil
possibly change the brake fluid, etc.
new skins...Dunlops or Pilot Sports

Bike has 16K original miles. (I know, I know, but thats what happens when you have kids, house, etc. to take up your riding time!) Its in great condition. The 350-400 bucks cost is a big wallet dent, then adding on the rest of my list, we're talking HUGE bucks!! So....Id be willing to pay one of you guys (Degsy, Rye, etc.?) to perform some if not all of the above....and of course Id be chipping in on the work too. Id make it worth your while money-wise. I just hope it can be done for less than the grand or so Im looking at with dealer costs. So...what do you think? Id be doing all this around mid to late May. Any takers? Thanks in advance!!-Mark

Had them done on my 2002 Busa for $117.00, might be out of your area, but call Motor MEdic @ 401-354-5700, ask for Mike, tell him Big Ed sent you.

[ZX-12R]

Originally posted by Cue Ball
Had them done on my 2002 Busa for $117.00, might be out of your area, but call Motor MEdic @ 401-354-5700, ask for Mike, tell him Big Ed sent you.

Was that checked and adjusted or just checked?

[zachary6]

Cost me a couple of hundred to have my valves checked at GBM this year, did not need to adjust them.
Anyone know where I can get a rear shock replaced near Arlington? Have a blown original so I need a place that can order a new shoch and install it.

[GMAN226]

Talk to Peter at GMD Computrack. He sponsors the suspension forum and gives us a discount. Check it out..

http://www.nestreetriders.com/forum/...?s=&forumid=24

Later
G-man