Valve Adjustment

Guys and gals, we have heard of a couple of instances in which customers ran way past the mileage for the first RX3 required valve inspection, and we need to point out that you can’t do that.

The first recommended RX3 valve inspection is at 500 miles, and we’re recommending that you check your valves every 2500 miles after that.  We may recommend a longer interval than 2500 miles for the subsequent inspections at some point in the future, but for now, we want you to follow the recommended maintenance schedule.

Look, it goes like this:   New engines usually see the largest shift in valve gap in the first few hundred miles.   When valves wear, the gap always gets smaller.    If the gap goes below the minimum allowed, you may experience hard starting, stalling when coming to a stop, uneven idling, and other symptoms.  If you let the valve gap get too small, you’ll burn a valve.  If the gap gets too small, the valve won’t seat securely and it will overheat.   When that happens, the valve’s heat has no place to go but up into the valve stem.   When the valve stem overheats, the valve will stick in the valve guide, the piston will hit the valve, and your engine is toast.   There’s no rocket science here.   Ignore your valve inspection and adjustment, and ultimately you’ll burn a valve.  If you follow the recommended maintenance plan, that won’t happen.  If you don’t, you may have a serious problem.

We recently read an Internet forum post by a guy who didn’t check his valves until the 3000-mile mark, and then he feigned surprise when he discovered that the gap was below the minimum allowed.  Folks, that’s what happens when you don’t adjust your valves, and that’s why we recommend that first inspection at 500 miles.  Follow the recommended maintenance schedule and you’ll be fine.