Honda VFR800 VTEC Valve Clearance Inspection, Part 3 - Reassembling The Bike And First Start!

Hello everyone and welcome back to the channel! Here we have the much requested video detailing the valve clearance inspection on the 6th Gen Honda VFR 800 VTEC.
This is a mammoth task and one that costs an absolute fortune at a Honda main dealer or even at an independent.
This is the third and last part of the task, which I have neatly broken down into three separate episodes, the first and second parts can be found by following the links at the end of this video.
As promised, below are the links to all of the gaskets that will be needed to complete this job. I will not add part numbers of any VTEC lifters or shims as the part number is determined by the thickness and would therefore be entirely pointless!
Bear in mind that the combined cost of all of the gaskets below, which are all genuine Honda items is £231.41!!
Valve cover gasket Front - Part Number - 12391MCW000 - Qty 1 (Item 7 at the link below) www.fowlersparts.co.uk/parts/...
Valve cover gasket rear - Part Number - 12395MCW000 - Qty 1 (Item 9 at the link below) www.fowlersparts.co.uk/parts/...
Valve cover, spark plug well gaskets - Part Number - 12394MBG000 - Qty 4 (Item 8 at the link below) www.fowlersparts.co.uk/parts/...
Washer and O-ring, Kit A - Part Number - 06114MCWJ00 - Qty 1 www.fowlersparts.co.uk/parts/...
Gasket, Dowel, Valve cover - Part Number - 12396MBG000 - Qty 4 (Item 7 at the link below) www.fowlersparts.co.uk/parts/...
Rubber Mounting - Part Number - 90543MV9670 - Qty 8 (Item 13 at the link below) www.fowlersparts.co.uk/parts/...
O-Ring, Timing Cover - Part Number - 91301ML7003 - Qty 1 (Item 8 at the link below) www.fowlersparts.co.uk/parts/...
Molybdenum Disulphide Grease (Black Molly) www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Black-Moll...
Hi-Temp Silicone Gasket Maker www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2x-HIGH-TE...
All links to products are affiliate links for which I will receive a small commission on any purchase made, at no additional cost to you.
I hope that you enjoyed this video.
Don't forget to like subscribe and comment for future content from Kev's Shed!
If you wish to offer support to my channel and enable me to continue to bring you quality content then please check out my Patreon page at the following link - www.patreon.com/user?u=67741595 - Thank you.
Join me on the socials at the following links
Kev's Shed on Facebook - / 561477094498994
Kev's Shed on Instagram - / kevins_shed
Kev's Shed on Twitter - / catakev79

[@stuipooey1]

Fantastic video series Kev, VTEC owners around the world will use these videos for years to come and we owe you for the work you have put in. My bike is due its first valve inspection and although the local Honda dealer told me that they have never had to adjust clearances at 16K and to wait until around 24K, I am going to do it anyway. I would have no issue moving VTEC buckets around as long as they measure in spec but I understand why you chose not to. Just bought a skylift to make thinks a little easier especially moving the bike around. Thanks again.

[@KevsShed]

You're welcome bud, glad you like the videos! 👌🤓

[@shanemchenery1162]

Legend! Wouldn't have been able to complete my VFR800s valve inspection without this great video series. Cheers mate

[@speedie1111]

Have to say what a fantastic set of videos. Appreciate the time and effort put in. Outstanding attention to detail! Many thanks 👍

[@KevsShed]

Thanks dude 👍🏻

[@smellbag]

Awesome job Kev.

[@harrykramer7479]

Very good job! So much work on the vtec valves! I don't have vtec myself because I own an older VFR, but I was curious about so I watched your vids. Thanks for making all the vids.

[@guzziryder6566]

Love the VFR videos

[@piranhaa2]

These videos are giving me the confidence to do these myself! I just did wheel bearings and spark plugs, and I may look at checking valve clearances over the winter :)

[@chrismurphy4724]

Just watched the series and must congratulate you on a very thorough job. What a PITA though. Fortunately I am still thousands of miles away from my valve clearance check, however, when it does need to be done at least I have a great reference.... cheers Kev lad

[@Chris-bv4yh]

Excellent set of video's Kev, thanks for taking the trouble to take on the task - no mean feat!

[@KevsShed]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@Devrim69]

Good work

[@malcolmmathers2690]

its quite the epic valve check adjust process i gotta say im used to serviceing my own bikes bmw s re/s but this is another level and quite expensive for gaskets ect even if all is in spec

[@davecornett4056]

excellent as usual

[@KevsShed]

Thank you! Cheers! 👍🤓

[@rvfrick2355]

Fantastic instructional video with excellent video, pace, explanation and detail. My one comment is when you were handling the small shim starting at 6:15 and 7:15 fiddling with the VTEC lifter above the open engine. It was watching a high-wire act hoping nothing would accidentally fall into the open engine. Whew! Cheap insurance to drape a shop rag over open areas lest I fumble a part and make a huge mess for myself. Thanks again!

[@KevsShed]

It’s a fair shout 👌🏻😎

[@FlavellaLAmour]

From my partner - at Teds Shed Australia, thankyou for an excellent Video just wanted to know how difficult it was because Im considering buying a second hand VFR series 6.First time in your shed Will check out more of your videos cheers Ted.

[@FlameHazeist]

Ouch! That is a lot of money just on gaskets! 😢 Thank you so much for the very in-depth how-to videos though! ❤️

[@KevsShed]

Cheers buddy 👍🏻

[@markboldy4925]

Brilliant Kev, thanks for doing this - but it’s a bit scary.

[@KevsShed]

I guess it would depend upon your confidence and ability, but I believe that this is within the capabilities of most! 👍🤓

[@p9917j]

Just finished (didn’t get any notification for part 2 but did for p3 so was confused for awhile haha). Thanks so much to both of you for taking this considerable time to film and share. I thought the spare large o ring from the kit might be the crank cover o ring...? Probably not though. Could you separate comment the cam cover torque setting (so it doesn’t get lost in this sub thread) You gave us the inner shells and cover at 12nm but I didn’t hear the last cover torque number. I’ll definitely be drawing out the different stages on card to store the bolts/seals and hardware in position. I don’t trust my memory while waiting for new buckets and obviously loads of photos. I’ll also be making my own cct key as I twisted one so easily when fitting the new ones in. Once again, thanks so much for sharing 🙏

[@KevsShed]

The large o-ring on the crank cover is much thicker than the one in the kit, the cam cover bolts were 10nm so not too tight at all!

[@andyrawlings5369]

pain in the bum job kev time taking as i said in the other clips i am a hgv mechanic but needs to be done !! gear driven ones are easy .

[@5891jonathan]

The VTEC valve check/adjustment is ridiculous. I will just have it done because I don’t want to do it. It’s easy on my BMW, my Ducati, and my Husqvarna. This has a lot of rigamarole involved. Kev’s videos convinced me not to do it myself because life’s too short.

[@KevsShed]

Haha, it certainly is! I am one of those kind of people that enjoys spending time pulling things apart! Therefore, I really enjoyed this job! 😁

[@jonhookey6647]

Fantastic series of videos. No wonder dealers charge so much.

[@KevsShed]

Thanks for watching!

[@adambeardsall]

I like your green tool box next to the white board🤔😂

[@KevsShed]

😂

[@paulscott1100]

Thanks Kev it's a job I'm thinking of doing. Not looking forward to the added expense my bike 60k on it and I'm pretty sure the valves have never been done.

[@wirenut3020]

Hey Kevin, great job! You are a great mechanic. If you leave those pins in the VTEC valves, it’ll run on 16 valves all the time! Just like the older gear driven VFR’s. I’m joking, but what a concept!

[@KevsShed]

😂😂😂

[@terrymurphy2850]

Can this actually be done & what would be the biggest mishaps etc ?

[@KevsShed]

@@terrymurphy2850 Can what actually be done?

[@saiifalii8840]

@@KevsShed leaving the pins on the vtec valves to run them on all 16 full time is possible? 🙄

[@johnroberts1585]

Thanks and well done very professional idea trust you more than a dealer any day ,mine is an new bike so I don't need to do the job just curious, beyond me anyway. Thanks .john

[@KevsShed]

Thanks man! 👌🏻😎

[@petecurran3995]

Awesomely done there, Kev, no mean feat by any stretch to document that little lot. 👌🏻 Have my DL1000 to see to in the near future - a doddle in comparison!

[@angeloaugustus1016]

Sorry to be off topic but does someone know a trick to log back into an instagram account?? I was stupid lost the login password. I appreciate any help you can give me!

[@frederickjamal1808]

@Angelo Augustus Instablaster :)

[@angeloaugustus1016]

@Frederick Jamal Thanks so much for your reply. I got to the site on google and im waiting for the hacking stuff atm. Looks like it's gonna take a while so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.

[@angeloaugustus1016]

@Frederick Jamal it worked and I now got access to my account again. Im so happy! Thanks so much, you really help me out !

[@frederickjamal1808]

@Angelo Augustus glad I could help :)

[@jasonjason7277]

another excellent video to the collection, thank you Kev. a how to on servicing a rear shock absorber would be interesting if you are looking for ideas. also what has happened to the zx9 that you purchased?

[@KevsShed]

Workshop is 98% complete, then the ZX9R project begins bud! 👍

[@Adameftube]

Perfect timing. I'm looking at doing this very soon. New (to me) VFR that has 36k miles on it and no service history on paper.

[@KevsShed]

Good luck, hopefully it won’t require adjustment and will save you money! 👌🏻

[@Charlie-lz2uz]

Great video Kev. Did you not fancy ditching the PAIR system and fitting block off plates?

[@KevsShed]

Yes 👍🏻

[@MrAeos]

Hi...Kev I've just finished watching the 3 part valve clearance videos. "Imagine ,oil pressure pushing on a little spring" to activate the VTec , but how does it insure it does so at the correct spot on the valve stem ? Each cylinder is in a different position but the oil pressure needed when comes up at the rev point surely would be uniform across the valves. Some "bite" onto a valve stem and some close up and block the valve stem ...or rather ,,how does it avoid this ? (I don't know ) But my thought during Part 2 was , why not replace all the VTec Pushers to standard and have all valves open throughout the rev range ? I'm under the impression the VTec makes it pass emissions targets. Would it give a significant performance boost ? Would fuel economy drop significantly ? It's made me a little hesitant to get that version VFR in the near future as the cost for the job would be out of my reach. But having your instruction , rather them ,(local trusted mechanic) , than me. Thanks for the insight. Yours sincerely, Alex (Suffolk,UK)

[@andyrawlings5369]

kev if i was you those live wires from the rectifier run them in conduct to prevent any shorts !

[@KevsShed]

I get your concern but those cables are sheathed in silicone and the chance of a short is slim to none!

[@milesfinch]

To keep the VTEC alive, now may be the time to start purchasing donor bikes for engine spares. Have a look at the parts' suppliers' and see how much is on back order and now UNAVAILABLE. Remember they don't make this engine any more so if the parts don't exist, they probably never will!

[@KevsShed]

Very true! Honda are better than some manufacturers though! If I recall correctly, and I may well be wrong on this, but I’m sure I read somewhere quite some time ago that vehicle manufacturers are legally obliged to support their vehicles with a spares program for 15 years after the last of that model has rolled off the production line! It could have been an EU directive, who knows! 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@chrisparaskevaidis784]

My VFR800X Crossrunner 2016.. Got 55k km and i never did a valve clearance.. Should i be afraid? I mean will the engine give me symptoms that it need clearance?? Thanks!

[@Mercy1976]

Hi Kevin, the bike stand you use, can you link me up on the web on that item

[@przemowroblewski]

A hell of a job that is... Have You noticed any difference after the valve clearance? Are You planning to do the throttles since so many valves needed adjustment? Btw great vids with loads of detailed info.

[@KevsShed]

The bike doesn’t feel any different to ride! There is a starter valve sync video coming very soon 👌🏻😎

[@przemowroblewski]

@@KevsShed Awesome, can't wait. One more question - based on what You saw was it the first clearance job ?

[@KevsShed]

@@przemowroblewski If i had to guess, I would say that it is the first time that the cam covers have ever been off the bike, in my opinion!

[@alexmorgan3435]

Great series of videos for this job. Would you also change the oil and filter once you are satisfied the top end has bedded in again and there are no oil leaks? I don't reckon a dealer would spend the amount of time needed even for £800-900 to do this job properly. And there is no way of checking without dismantling the bike to check the work that might or might not have been done. So it's either a case of do it yourself to be sure if you have the technical ability and experience or find a bike mechanic you can trust to do it properly. Thank you so much for making this series. A+++.

[@KevsShed]

Personally I won’t bother to change the oil and filter, but I can understand why some would want too. Black molly is completely soluble within hit engine oil so no concerns there 👍🏻

[@etienne8397]

If you could do a video of how to remove the gas tank without making a huge mess that would be great

[@KevsShed]

The easiest way I found was to pull the fuel return line off, but be ready with a length of hose that goes into a fuel can. As soon as you pull off the return line, whack the readied hose in it's place and hey presto! You will lose a small amount though, that is inevitable! 👍🤓

[@christosganidis]

Hello there. Two sundays ago i bought a 2009 vfr and since it's my first big bike, i'm scared of tipping it over. Do you have any suggestions on frame sliders? T-rex makes a pair that do not need cutting the fairings. Do you have any other suggestions? Also i watched a video from FortNine that suggests using gear oil to lube the chain. Are you doing the same?

[@KevsShed]

I actually don’t have a recommendation for frame sliders on the VFR as I’m not using any myself! Sorry about that! On the subject of gear oil in the chain, this is a highly contentious subject that has both agreement and disagreement from ALM sides! Gear oil is in fact perfect for bike chains, in fact I am pretty certain that the factory manual will specify it, that said it will probably also mention any other commercially available chain lube/wax too! It’s up to you really! Although I will say that if you go for the gear oil option, it’s cheap and a bottle will last you for ever!

[@johnwild2331]

Great video as always Kev 👍🏻, Noticed my 2003 VFR 800 has developed a rattle, starts around 5500rpm and is worse when VTEC is engaged, Could this be to do with clearances or CCTs? Thanks John

[@KevsShed]

Cheers bud! A rattle is usually associated with the CCTs, can you really hear an engine rattle once the VTEC has kicked in? I doubt I could on mine!

[@johnwild2331]

@@KevsShed yeh around that area can definitely hear quite a loud rattling sound which is worring, think I'll change both CCTs 1st as the bike has done 28k miles and at least there changed then (fingers crossed rattle goes) if not then I'll have delve deeper, Cheers for the reply as always Kev 👍🏻

[@ribbster123]

and this ladies and gentlemen is why i charge £550 -600 for the 16k service .

[@terrymurphy2850]

Same for the 32000?

[@ribbster123]

@@terrymurphy2850 basically the same service

[@goingwildagain]

Hi kev, interesting videos, Would you know on a pre v Tec bike 1999 do the valves need doing ? at 30 k ish. I don't have any running issues just for information. Cheers Ade

[@KevsShed]

Give me a second and I will check the manual for you 👍🤓

[@KevsShed]

I have just looked in the manual and the Valve Clearance Inspection is every 16k miles also, the beauty of that is no VTEC to worry about so no having to pull camshafts out!

[@goingwildagain]

Ok thank you I don't know if they have ever been done, bike runs sweet. Maybe something I need to get sorted in my future maintenance schedule.

[@gnoub51]

Kev, have a question. Have you replaced the clutch on your VFR?

[@KevsShed]

I haven't replaced the clutch on this bike, no. It doesn't require any replacement yet! 👍🤓

[@patrickwalsh6873]

Is there any way we can donate to your channel ? This kind of awesomeness should not go unrewarded !

[@KevsShed]

Thanks bud, just your subscription and you watching my content is all the rewards that I need! 👍🤓

[@wirenut3020]

If I come to England my good sir. I’m taking you out for a few pints!

[@KevsShed]

@@wirenut3020 You are on! ;)

[@trygveklem4913]

How long time would you estimate it would take to do this job. Without making the video at the same time, ofcourse. Thanks for a great resource. I have 135k on the clock, no way of knowing if the clearances were ever done. Have the gasket kits, and now I should have the confidence! Thanks.

[@5891jonathan]

I believe the shop time for just the check is 5.5 hours. I think it’s an additional 2 hours if adjustment is necessary. Insane!

[@KevsShed]

Good answer, I actually didn’t realise that there was an official book time, I reckon I could have it done in 1 day, start to finish including any adjustment but obviously nobody holds stock of lifters or shims in their own shed/garage so that adds time!

[@HardCorps88]

It looks like you have done this before??

[@CrIMeFiBeR]

where did you order the VTEC buckets, here in the netherlands they can't be bought anywhere i know of

[@KevsShed]

Hi buddy, in the UK, Fowlers is a great resource for OEM parts, that is where I ordered them from, I didn't list the lifters or shims in the video description as the part numbers are specific to the thickness and it didn't seem worthwhile.

[@keithf.d8345]

Hi may I know if the gasket o ring kit A comes for the front and rear cylinder block ? Because i need to do a cam chain replacement soon.. thanks.

[@KevsShed]

Kit A contains items for both front and rear cylinders buddy 👍🏻

[@keithf.d8345]

Thanks so much.. its a great help..

[@terrymurphy2850]

Can the pins be left in to run on all 16 valves all the time or was that guy joking ?

[@KevsShed]

He was joking! 😂

[@terrymurphy2850]

@@KevsShed y can tell ime a top mechanic then eh...

[@aidancushenan3510]

is that an aftermarket reg rec you running?

[@KevsShed]

It's one of my Shindengen kits mate.

[@aidancushenan3510]

@@KevsShed you on Facebook lad ?

[@KevsShed]

@@aidancushenan3510 yes bud, links to the Kev’s Shed FB group are in my video descriptions chap 👌🏻