Valve Shim change

[adamgagne]

My bike is a '83 GS850

I am in the process of adjusting valve clearances and 6 of my valve clearances are less than .025mm (that's my smallest feeler) Clymer says .03 - .08mm for the tolerance.

So my question is this: how do I know how much smaller to go with the new shims. Should I just assume that the clearances are .000 and go .08mm smaller with the new shims?

Also, Im having a little trouble getting the shims out without the tool. I'm trying the careful screwdriver method. Any tips?

 

[POULSEN]

Shims usually comes with 0.05mm gap to next size. So it doesn't matter if you read 0.00 or 0.025mm. With next size you will have between 0.050 and 0.075mm - all within the specified range.

After shifting the shim, you take a new masurement - and then you will now what the gap was before (+0.05mm)

My tool tip would be to buy the correct tool. The money you save by doing the stuff yourself, easily pays for the rigth tools. :smile:

Stig

 

[rustybronco]

I tried it with a screw driver one time fogetaboudit...

 

[West]

Clean off the top of the shim to remove as much oil as possible. Hot glue a toothpick or dowel to the top of the shim or tappet. Let cool. Lift & work off.

The hot glue will snap clean off the metal when fully cool. Or you could warm it up & wipe the hot glue off, if you are working with a thin shim & don't want to bend it.

A kid's play dart, the old kind with the suction cup on it, or a suction cup from some other source.

I've used the hot glue trick before, the other is just a thought.

 

[adamgagne]

I got them all out with a couple screwdrivers and a pair of tweezers, now for the calculating....

 

[GS1000S]

My bike is a '83 GS850

I am in the process of adjusting valve clearances and 6 of my valve clearances are less than .025mm (that's my smallest feeler) Clymer says .03 - .08mm for the tolerance.

I'm not telling you how to do the job but typically with my 850 I only have to adjust 1 or no valves on an inspection. They hold their adjustment remarkably well after initial break-in. Are you sure you have your camshafts in the proper position for checking the adjustments? If not you will get erroneous readings which will lead to misadjusted valves. 6 out of 8 valve out of adjustment is very atypical for any GS engine.

GS1000S

 

[adamgagne]

Yeah,
So it turns out that my two smallest feller gauges were stuck together, causing bad measurements.
I ordered the proper tool for pulling the shims and am hoping to remeasure and adjust them today. Oops.
Also word of advice to newbies adjusting the shims. Don't turn the Cam with shims out of tappets, the cam lobes will hit the edge of the tappet and scrape the edge of the lobe, causing slight damage and metal scaving mess.

So, now I have a ton of shims. and and the tools to adjust valves for the nest 10 years.
Now if I could only find out why the #3 cyl wont run at idle.