Likelihood of valve clearance being off at 6.5k miles

[blaudp79]

Hi Everyone,

My People GT 200i has reached 10.000 km (6.5k miles). I should check the valve clearance according to the service manual.
Has anyone had them out of spec at 6.5k miles?

I thought I won't bother checking it if others found them to be within spec....

Thanks.

[agilebda]

Highly unlikely but still very likely. Have you serviced on a regular? Is there excessive white smoke or lack of power?
Backfiring? If non of the above I wouldn't worry too much.

[Stig / Major Tom]

Hard starting, loss of performance,  and valve noise are signs of valves needing attention.
Some scoots never get valves checked (Honda Forza 300, Burgman 400, etc.), but maybe smaller scooter engines are not so durable?
Perhaps be preparing for a valve check in the not so distant future....gathering tools and instructions, or finding a good mechanic?
Doesn't seem critical just now though, but many of us wouldn't let it go much beyond the schedule suggested by Kymco.
How's that for waffling?
Stig
This is sorta like asking if you really need a yearly dentist visit.

[blaudp79]

Highly unlikely but still very likely. Have you serviced on a regular? Is there excessive white smoke or lack of power?
Backfiring? If non of the above I wouldn't worry too much.

I've followed the service schedule. No white smoke and no lack of power. I can hear some vibration that sounds similar to ticking, but more when it is warm and not really when it is cold. It should be the other way around if it is from the valve. I think something got loose and vibrates. I'm loosing a lot of bolts due to vibration. I'm wondering whether it is mine only or all these scooters run rough... 

[blaudp79]

Hard starting, loss of performance,  and valve noise are signs of valves needing attention.
Some scoots never get valves checked (Honda Forza 300, Burgman 400, etc.), but maybe smaller scooter engines are not so durable?
Perhaps be preparing for a valve check in the not so distant future....gathering tools and instructions, or finding a good mechanic?
Doesn't seem critical just now though, but many of us wouldn't let it go much beyond the schedule suggested by Kymco.
How's that for waffling?
Stig
This is sorta like asking if you really need a yearly dentist visit.

Time and money are gold. If others find them to be OK at this mileage, I wouldn't bother even checking it. At the end of the day all these are coming off of the same production line so valve condition should be similar if service schedule is followed.

[CROSSBOLT]

Murphy's Law.....
That's why we check.....to prevent Murphy.

[Tromper]

Is the valve check that bad on the 300?
Other than having to drop the body plastic it was pretty easy on the s200, & on my four valve SYM it's not that tough either.

[CROSSBOLT]

It is not that bad on the GTi300.

[Trucker jay]

Just take off seat pull out pet carrier Unsnap plastic cover under the seat nose.  Cold engine remove timing gear cover and set it to timing marks.  That's basically it not hard to do at all.

[Tromper]

Thanks,
Basically the same as the SYM, not even as bad as the S200, which was pretty easy.
My 650 on the other hand...ugh..and if you actually have to set it..even more ugh.

Just take off seat pull out pet carrier Unsnap plastic cover under the seat nose.  Cold engine remove timing gear cover and set it to timing marks.  That's basically it not hard to do at all.

[blaudp79]

I decided to do it, so here are my findings:

All four valve clearance gaps were spot on (0.1 mm).
I've also found out the source of ticking. First, here is the video with the sound of the engine:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/152xdTKOGUl3UOOHNcah8rVpZMZ1Vdybg/view?usp=sharing

What I've found out is that there is a pin embedded into the intake valve cam. It is a small pin that I can move horizontally with a small screwdriver. At a certain position of the cam the cam follower of the intake lifter will sink into the groove of that embedded pin and as a result the cam follower will make that sound as the spring forces it to nest in that groove.
This is the pin embedded in the cam:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ovp-qGrmlwsnvk-tzt7L8YpOtIHSb4pU/view?usp=sharing

Here is the video showing when it makes the sound (twice - beginning/end of video):

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kwukhnr1--Y_ym3d3gWxWrpRXVGpFscY/view?usp=sharing

Anyone else experiencing this?

[CROSSBOLT]

The valve noise sounds nominal for correct lash in the video. That horizontal pin is a mystery to me.

[blaudp79]

It is strange. Why would they put a pin like that there... Maybe that is how it picks up the position of the valves. The pin vibrates at a certain frequency and the sensor picks it up. It is one of the earliest models (2011) and it is the smaller engine (200i).

[Stig / Major Tom]

Don't see anything in the parts pic.



Stig

[roxyflash]

Is that the bolt for the cam gear ?Hard to see it good from internet but by the way it looks it only comes around in a single revaluation from cam gear.I would turn it to where you can see it then check the cam gear bolt see if it lines up if so back it out see if it the pin or  not