Grand Vista Maintenance

[MJO1]

I have recently become an owner of a 2008 Grand Vista.  So far, I am please with the overall bike, but I am somewhat disheartened by the all too frequent, maintenance schedule.  Specifically the valve ajustment intervals.  The maintenance shedule in the owners manual states that the valves should be "adjusted" at 300km (approx. 200 miles), 3,000km (1,900 miles), 7,000km (approx 4,550 miles) and then every 4,000km (approx 2,600 miles) there after.  This seems to me to be way too frequent and am disappointed that such intensive maintenance is required on this bike.  So much for the ranting, now some questions.

1.  What is your experience regarding adjustment of the valves?  Is this frequent adjustment necessary?
2.  What type of valves adjustment does the scooter have?  (Shim or screw/locknut)
3.  If you have done a valve adjustment, how hard is the job?
4.  The owners manual is pathetic in supplying meaningful maintenance instructions.  Is there an online source for the Grand Vista's shop manual that provides good instructions for performing maintenance?

Thanks for providing the newbie with assistance.
Sincerely,
MJO1

[MJO1]

OK, if I was a little more patient and searched the posts in the forum, I could have found the answers to my questions.  Special thanks to "Chubbyrockstar" for suppling his link to the Grand Vista Shop manual. 

http://www.mediafire.com/?bynydyt5zqh

For those of you who read the inital post and wondered about the questions, here are some of the things I learned. 

1.  According to the shop manual, the first valve adjustment is not required until 2,000km (approx 1,300 miles) then again at 4,000 km (about 2,600miles) and then every 4,000km (every 2,600miles)
2.  The valves are adjusted with screw and locknut.  Good news as this method is fairly easy to perform

[zombie]

Thanks for doing the research. Welcome aboard Bro! There is a ton of info here. It's just not too easy to sort thru unless you have a boat load of time.

[wordslinger]

...welcome to the forum!!

..i've found that valve adjustment on these 4-strokes is a necessary evil...

..some ppl don't do it, but if they did, they'd see a marked improvement in the engine's performance...

..i keep mine adjusted religiously, along with frequent oil changes, and i have over 42,000 km on my 08 A50 that i rode off the showroom floor...


..preventive maintenance is the key to longevity..

peace

[norcal1]

Getting the service manual is well worth it.

[Buck40]

My brother-in-law just helped me adjust the valves on my Grand Vista.   It was easier than I thought it would be.  The intake valve didn't need adjusting which was nice and the exhaust valve wasn't too difficult.  I was overdue for the valve adjustment but didn't know what to do.  The shop manual gave the gap but I didn't have any idea where the gap was that I was supposed to adjust until I was shown.  From there it was fairly easy.

All the power is back in the low end acceleration and between 40 and 60 mph and the scooter runs great.  I also put in a new spark plug in while I was at it.

Next time I can do it myself.  I just need to buy a couple of tools if I want to do it at my house.

[salsphotography]

Is the valve cover under the seat? . I can't seem to figure it oout ont the pic  thats on the sevice manaul. Thanks guys

[Buck40]

I removed the seat and the storage compartment as one piece then the black plastic cover in front of the engine right behind where my feet rest when I am riding.  The cylinder head cover was on the front of the engine.  That's all I had to take off to get to the valves.  It seems like a lot of the pictures in the service manual are close up which isn't very helpful to someone like me who doesn't really know engines well.  Proceed at your own risk.

[salsphotography]

Ok, thanks

[mrbios]

OK, if I was a little more patient and searched the posts in the forum, I could have found the answers to my questions.  Special thanks to "Chubbyrockstar" for suppling his link to the Grand Vista Shop manual. 

<snip> ...

I purchased my GV250 2 years ago (Sept 2011) with 2600 mi on it now I have 10K on it and I have never adjusted the valves or done anything except change the oil about ever 2K and put new tires on it.  I have been wanting to adjust the valves and change the antifreeze.  Thanks "Chubbyrockstar" and MJO1 for the repost!!!

Update: 08-28-2013
I adjusted the valves twice as I set them too loose the first time and ended up with a ticking noise.  Now everything is quite and set at the correct clearence.  I went 0.10mm / 0.004" on the intake and about 0.12mm on the exhaust.  The idle decreased after doing the valves to less than 2000 rpms at idle.  I would suggest 5K miles should work fine but I might check them at 3,500. 

A lot of the other maintenance is excessive.  Coolant does not need to be changed every year.  I just changed it today at 10,400 mi and it is original from 2005!