My Valve Adjustment Story So Far: Could Use Some Advice?

[Colonel Nikolai]

First timer doing my own valve adjustment and shim replacement. Here are my measurements:





I started out with Mustang's excellent Shim tool, but I soon stopped since I don't feel like I'm using it correctly. I feel like I'm using too much force to get the edge of the bucket down. It's it supposed to be hard? Are the springs that stiff? I had the edge pop off a couple of times (makes a loud *pop*). Am I damaging the valve / valve-seat when I do this? It seems a little scary to me using this tool since the legs are not pointing the same angle as the valve: seems the valve is pointing 7-8 degrees away from the direction of the shim tool leg, making the leg push against the shim itself.



Any advice would be appreciated!

[Mustang]

you are not supposed to screw the leg down on the buckets but rather use the cam to hold the buckets down and then set the tool to just touch the buckets then rotate the engine backwards letting the cam lobes come off the shims and the tool now holds the bucket down . This is the way the tool works .to remove rotate the engine so the cam lobes push the bucket down away from the tool finger and then remove the finger from the tool plate .


any questions feel free to call

[Colonel Nikolai]

Wow, my eyes skipped over step 2 (where this is clearly expressed) in the instructions and went right to 3.

Thanks Mustang.

[Mustang]

you are welcome and as far as the valve snapping shut on you ..........I wouldn't do it repeatedly , but I'd be lyin' if I said ,"it's never happened to me ".  :oops:

[Colonel Nikolai]

Awesome, thanks again, man.

What do you think of my measurements? (did I just say what I thought I just said?) ... erm, with regard to the intakes: they are almost all sitting at the bottom of the scale.

[Mustang]

I would leave the intakes alone as they are all still in spec albeit on the low side for a couple of them

would shim those two exhausts though that are at .135 mm
use the chart to get the correct size replacement shim

[Colonel Nikolai]

What about the exhaust at .203? Leaver?

Can I find the charts for the shims in my Haynes Manual? I was going to remove the shim, measure it and look for a replacement size that works for me ... somewhere ... starting with the parts interchange thread.

Thanks Mustang.

[Mustang]

the exhaust at .203 is fine

there is a chart in the valve tool directions

anything that uses 25mm diameter shims
honda 750's come to mind as well as a bunch of kawasakis and even some toyota cars use 25 mm diameter shims

[Colonel Nikolai]

the exhaust at .203 is fine

there is a chart in the valve tool directions

anything that uses 25mm diameter shims
honda 750's come to mind as well as a bunch of kawasakis and even some toyota cars use 25 mm diameter shims

Cool, thanks!

[Birdy68]

I'm about to start this task. I'm currently exchanging the Air Box Filter, and have the carbs' and coils removed.

My question to the wise ones is:

- Should I continue with the coils and carbs' removed to get the valve cover removed?
or
- can I reinstall the carbs, coils and air filter before starting the shim job?

(I suppose with the carbs' still removed you wont have the cables hanging over!?)

Status so far:


Cheers.

[Colonel Nikolai]

You do not need to have the carbs / airbox removed to do the valve adjustment. You should remove the right side coil (#3), though, as the cover comes off easier when that coil is out of the way.

As you can see, I even forgot to remove the spark plugs before I got the valve cover off. Not recommended.

[Colonel Nikolai]

Having a bit of trouble with the #3 exaust shim. Got #1 just fine. It's a 2.75 so I will order a 2.7. I put it back because I don't know if it's good for the spring to leave it compressed that long. So I moved onto the other shim on #3.

But #3 is in a place I just can't see from either side of the bike. It's the inside exhaust valve shim. Is there some secret skill on this one? I'm considering removing the radiator to get at it.[/img]

[Mustang]

patience and practice  :D

[Colonel Nikolai]

I was afraid you were going to say that. :roll:

To my defense I didn't have a dental pick or a magnet to the get the #1 off. I used a bent nail. Tonight I bought a couple of dental picks and an assortment of flat magnets. We'll see how it goes.

[Colonel Nikolai]

I tried getting it out with a dental pick. The pick was too thin and just bent like crazy so I went with a sharpened, bent finishing nail. This and a magnet did the trick. Also rotating the bucket to where the dimple was on the inside of the head, where I could get at it, was the last hurdle.

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