450r Mainenance

[07trx400ex]

I have a 400ex right now, and am thinking of switching over to a 450r.

Would someone please give me any details of any additional maintenance required.

I already clean air filter after every ride and change oil every 5-10 hours.

I know the valves are ALOT harder to adjust and wanted some input on how often they need to be adjusted.

Basically, how long can you ride a 450r with just basic maintenance without anything going wrong?

[drchoicey]

three years so far!

[07trx400ex]

What did that include?

How many valve adjustments?

[reconranger]

All the 450 type engines (not just the Honda!) with little slipper pistons with fewer rings to reduce reciprocating weight, tolerate a lot of compression blow-by, plus they don't hold much oil to begin with. This means that the oil gets rapidly contaminated with fuel, which dilutes it out. You start out with a nice 10W40, and end up with a useless 0W20.

In this article, pay particular attention to the section "The Changing Lubrication Environment": http://www.belray.com/scripts/futurearts.dll?CollectBinaryData?loc=belray&coid=55180&moid=20156&fauuid=b6c30da5-6537-41d7-b921-64a4cf6d0144

So, they need frequent oil changes on the engine side.....my cuttoff is 10 hours. It doesn't hold quite a quart of oil, and the oil changes are very simple...so this really isn't any big deal. Starting with a high quality synthetic oil will help as well! Fortunately, the transmission oil is seperate (only quad that does this...God bless Honda!), so your oil doesn't have to do double duty like all the other machines out there.

As for valve adjustments, I do them more frequently than the owner's manual recommends. Other than that, it isn't any different than any other 4-stroke.

I have lots of freinds with over 200 hours on their 450's, and nobody even close to needing a rebuild.

[RideRaceLive93]

lets put it this way..... i have a 05 r and have never adjusted the valves and im gunna learn how to do it soon becouse im gunna start an ovehaul on my engine.And its starts up first kick EVERY TIME!!!

[trail11591]

yeah same here i have an 05 never really done much just clean the air filter and change the oil and it always starts right up well i should find out this winter how everything it doin when i tear it down i'm not positive wat the owner before me did tho

[reconranger]

The majority of quad/dirt bike owner's are absolutely oblivious about valve adjustments, and they use poor quality oil and don't change it often enough.....this is precisely why I never ever buy used!!!

[07trx400ex]

THANK YOU reconranger!!!

GREAT INFO.

[reconranger]

Maintenance is sometimes refered to as PREVENTATIVE MAINTENENCE, and for good reason. The idea is to have your machine in such good shape that you will never have a problem out on the trail.

Some of you may like to brag about never adjusting you valves, but for me sucking a valve out in the desert 50 miles from my truck could end up being a life threataning experience. When just a little extra time in the garage can prevent a problem....seems like it is well worth it!