question

[bornTofly]

crf 250

Hi, I have a CRF 250r. I was told by a friend that the valves "have to be replaced" because of the problems it has starting. I just got the bike this year so i dont know much about it. Where would i go to get the valves redone? How much does this cost? I think i will have to get the piston rings replaced too?

 

[sharky243]

Any shop that works on dirt bikes should be able to help you out. They're not that hard to do if you are mechanically inclined enough. The Honda thumpers do seem to go through valves quite often.

 

[bornTofly]

Iam not good with bikes/engines. I can change the oil and clean the spark plug though. :)
About how much money will it cost to get this type of maintenance done. I called the Honda shop and they wanted $300 plus. Could i get it done for any cheaper than that?

 

[bornTofly]

Hi, I have a CRF 250r. I was told by a friend that the valves "have to be replaced" because of the problems it has starting. I just got the bike this year so i dont know much about it. Where would i go to get the valves redone? How much does this cost? I think i will have to get the piston rings replaced too?

 

[_JOE_]

Well, it all depends on how much work is needed. Take it to a reputable shop and they'll tell you how much it will cost. No one on the internet can tell you.

 

[IndyMX]

Like Joe said, you won't know until you have it looked at.

But any expectation of having head/valve work done for less than $300 is unrealistic.

Parts alone would likely be more than that. And anyone who says they can do a complete valve job for less than that is not someone I'd trust with my bike.

 

[bornTofly]

Thanks for the info guys.

 

[blind1587]

If you have an 07 crf250, the valves most liklely do not need to be replaced. What you need is a valve adjustment. I had the same problem starting my bike, and once I adjusted the valve clearances, it runs fine.

If you do the work on your bike yourself, hotcams makes a nice valve shim kit that you will need to adk=just the clearance. If you have any questions, let me know.

 

[Ol'89r]

. Where would i go to get the valves redone? ?

Where do you live? It would help us to direct you to someone who can do your valves.

 

[bwood]

Look in your owner's manual or get a service manual. Valve adjustments/checks are part of the regular maintenace. Hard starting is one side effect of tight valves. It is a simple proceedure to just check them. If you don't feel comfortable making adjustment or don't have the tools/equip, then take it to someone you trust. I can adjust my 250R in about 1 1/2hrs start to finish. If you do end up replacing valves, chances are that just the intakes need it as they are titanium and are prone to stretching. The exhausts are stainless from the factory and generally only have to be adjusted about once for every five times on the intakes. I would check the valves before thinking the worse. Other things other than worn valves can cause starting issues:

Jetting problems
Poor airfilter maintenance
Auto decompression mechanism failure (part of the cam)
Hot start plunger in the carb stuck
Spark plug (I don't recommend cleaning as there is not much plug there to clean to begin with) I run mine for about 6-12 months before replacing or even pulling. If you have cleaned yours you might pick up a new one (try Oreilly Auto Parts if there is one in your area, they are usually much cheaper then the Honda dealer, I would imagine that your bike uses the same plug as mine, R0409B-8. It is about $40 at the dealer and about $30 at Oreillys). Check you plug gap also, it should be 0.024-0.028 in (0.06-0.7 mm).

 

[bornTofly]

Where do you live? It would help us to direct you to someone who can do your valves.

Out side of Philadelphia PA, to be exact Media, Pa.