Any help greatly appreciated.
I have a 1986 (old I know) Honda TRX350 4x4. Well actually it is my sons first ATV. We just bought it from a friend of mine, who told me he had just replaced the valves a couple months ago. Bike runs great, plug is OK but it burns a little oil on start up, and also while riding as I have toped up the oil before the last three trips.

Could this be caused by not replacing the gasket after changing the valves or is it more likely caused by piston rings? I'm just trying to get an idea before I talk to my freind who just sold me the bike. $$$$

Any help would be great, Thanks guys.

 

Did he say why the valves were replaced? If they were really worn, it could be the guides or the valve end seals were also badly worn, if the seals are not replaced, oil will seep by and be burned, and if the guides are worn, there is too much clearance between the guide and the valve, and it will burn and use oil pretty bad. Find out exactly what was going on when the valves were replaced, that should tell you more, bad part is you may need to pull the head to fix it.

 

Thanks 95wolv, he said that this year is famous for the valve clips coming off and dropping one valve. He didn't say if the valves where badly worn.

 

BobLobla here is a down and dirty test you can do to see if the valves are the problem or the rings.
Warm the quad up and take it for a ride. Have someone follow you. Find a real long hill and get your quad going at a pretty good RPM. Shut the throttle down and let the quad coast down the hill at an idle. When at the bottom of the hill open the throttle up. If the guy in back of you sees a puff of smoke you have valve problems more than likely.
Take the quad for a ride and hold the throttle at a constant speed. If the guy in back of you sees smoke rolling out the exhaust all the time, you more than likely have ring problems.
Also if you get a puff of smoke when you first start it up that will indicate valve problems.

 

Thanks Doctorturbo I will give it a try. I will also post thje results, thanks guys.