2022 Honda CRF250F Valve Adjustment Procedure - Page 1

Disclosure: While the author has attempted to provide correct and complete information, sometimes errors or omissions may occur. By using this document and following the procedures and advice below, the user assumes all risk and responsibility for injury or damage to their motorcycle. The author has been servicing motorcycles for many years (not as a profession) and is mostly self-taught (no formal training in motorcycle servicing). It is recommended that you consult the owner’s manual and/or service manual for your motorcycle.

Read all of the instructions before beginning. It may be helpful to take photos of the bike prior to removing or repositioning parts to aid you later. The following is based on the author’s observations and experience performing a valve clearance inspection on the 2022 CRF250F and on information contained in the official 2019-2022 Honda CRF250F service manual (part no. 61K9903). The valves clearances on the author's CRF250F have not required adjustment yet, so there are no photos of the rocker arms and shims being removed, but the author has experience adjusting the valve clearances on other motorcycles like the Honda CBR250RA and the Suzuki V-Strom 650 which both use shims, as well as other motorcycles that use screw-type valve adjusters.

The service manual skips over a few points that would be helpful to know in advance. The service manual also jumps around quite a bit, requiring you to flip back and forth between multiple sections. This guide attempts to fill in some gaps, help clarify some points, consolidate the information in one location, and offer some suggestions to make the valve clearance inspection and adjustment procedure a little easier.

By performing the valve clearance inspection and possibly valve clearance adjustments yourself, you can save a significant amount of money, learn more about your bike and gain the satisfaction of maintaining your bike yourself. There is nothing technically challenging about the procedure, especially since the camshafts do not need to be removed in order to replace valve shims. Use the correct tools for the job, and take your time.

Note: with about 10 hours of riding time on the author's 2022 CRF250F, all valve clearances were within specification.

Parts and supplies you may need

• valve shims (size to be determined after measurement of valve clearances and original shims)
• a new valve cover seal/gasket if the existing one is hard, deteriorated or damaged
• possibly high temperature resistant black silicone sealant (Three bond 5211, SS KE45, or equivalent) suitable for engine valve covers (it should say on the product label) available from auto supply stores or a dealer
• new valve cover bolt seals if the existing ones are hard, deteriorated or damaged
• new O-rings for the crankshaft hole cap and timing hole cap if the existing ones are hard, deteriorated or damaged
• motorcycle engine oil that you currently use for your bike
• molybdenum grease (if replacing shims)
• possibly a couple of small, clean plastic bags and twist ties or zip ties (if completely removing the fuel tank)
• shop towels, rags
• pen and paper
• a camera

Tools you need or may find helpful

• an accurate torque wrench (5 - 27 N.m range)
• 8, 10, 12 and 17 mm sockets
• 3- or 6-inch extension
• ratchet
• flex-bar or T-handle
• 6 mm and 10 mm hex (Allen) bits
• 12 mm wrench
• feeler gauges to measure valve clearances
• micrometer to measure shim thickness
• telescoping magnet for removing shims
• flat bladed tweezers for placing new shims
• rubber mallet for loosening the valve cover

Service Interval

Valve Clearances (per 2019-2022 Honda CRF250F service manual)

Valve Clearances (per 2022 CRF250F owner’s manual)