feeler gauges for tappet valve adjustment

[davidduarte]

I will be adjusting the valves on my 450 soon, and wondered if anyone has a recommendation for a set of metric feeler gauges.

[Larry D]

I can't remember where I bought mine, but, they are the same style shown here. 45 degree bend and you can just buy the one that you need.

http://www.motionpro.com/motorcycle/tools/category/tappet_feeler_gauges/

[Baatfam]

I can't remember where I bought mine, but, they are the same style shown here. 45 degree bend and you can just buy the one that you need.

http://www.motionpro.com/motorcycle/...feeler_gauges/

Z1 sells those...that's what I use.

[apopleptic]

FWIW. When I was looking on Z1 I couldn't find the .03mm one.
Also I would reccomend getting a full set because it's better to know the actual clearance rather than just 'it's within spec'
Actually no one outside of Hong Kong seemed to have the .03mm
I ended up getting the set on Ebay, but I found they had one at Auto Zone that went down to .04mm for cheap.
I figure if .03mm is the minimum, then .04 is a good enough 'feel' to want to make an adjustment. I hear it's better to be on the .08mm end of the spec anyways.
Remember that .015 inches =.04mm and that .020 inches = .05mm so you really will get a more accurate reading with metric feelers.

I would recommend looking into joining the GS Shim Club to get your new shims if you need them, there is a link to the topic in my signature.
Also you should think about getting a copy of the Valve Adjustment Spreadsheet that our member Steve Has put together. It will make life easier in the long run.
Don't forget the walk through that is on BassCliff's site. The Zip Tie addendum was really great. The whole process with the removal of the cover should only take like an hour.

[charbot]

I just used a standard set- goes from .0015"-.035" - has metric printed on on there too


seems like a better deal than buying individual ones just for valves. You can use 'em for lots of stuff. also I had no problem checking my valves with this straight-bladed set.

[cowboyup3371]

Get any metric set you can find and afford

[TheCafeKid]

Tappet adjusters or shims? (never done one of those little guys)

If they're tappet adjusters, buy just the one of the largest side of the scale. Adjust to that, leave it alone. No need for a range of em.

[apopleptic]

Tappet adjusters or shims? (never done one of those little guys)

If they're tappet adjusters, buy just the one of the largest side of the scale. Adjust to that, leave it alone. No need for a range of em.

I don't get what you are talking about here.
The OP asked about feeler gauges

[TheCafeKid]

I don't get what you are talking about here.
The OP asked about feeler gauges

2v heads use shims, 4v heads use tappet adjusters. No shims.
If the head in his bike is a 4v head, with tappet adjusters, buy just the single feeler gauge that's the largest of his useable clearances (again, I've not worked on a 450, so I dunno what the clearances are supposed to be) and adjust the tappet adjusters to that clearance and then leave them alone.
Fiddling with those adjusters can lead to stripped nuts, or threads.
Screwing around trying to make them perfect can be bad news.

Everyone says the shims are a pain in the butt. I think the 4v heads are a bigger pain. Shims, you just pop the next size in..they only wear on direction. Tighter.
The adjusters can back off, or wear tight. PITA.

[apopleptic]

2v heads use shims, 4v heads use tappet adjusters. No shims.

Ahh, OK I gotcha.
The 450 is a twin with shims. Super easy.

[Baatfam]

FWIW. When I was looking on Z1 I couldn't find the .03mm one.
Also I would reccomend getting a full set because it's better to know the actual clearance rather than just 'it's within spec'
Actually no one outside of Hong Kong seemed to have the .03mm

Z1 has the .002", .003", .004", .005", .006" and .008"...that's all you need.
And the prebent, two ended ones, are way easier to use than a full set.

[Steve]

Z1 has the .002", .003", .004", .005", .006" and .008"...that's all you need.

In that set, only two or three of them are really useful.

Measured in INCHES, the clearance is supposed to be .001" TO .003", but you can go to .004" with no problems.

.

[Baatfam]

In that set, only two or three of them are really useful.

Measured in INCHES, the clearance is supposed to be .001" TO .003", but you can go to .004" with no problems.

.

On the 16 valves it is .003"-.005"...

[apopleptic]

On the 16 valves it is .003"-.005"...

Yes, but the OP asked about his 1980 GS450E, not something completely different. I'm sure the info you suggest is helpful to someone. But I somehow don't feel it will be in this instance. The 1980 GS 450 is spec-ed from .03mm to .08mm. That means the smallest one at Z1 will be the only one that can be used and will basically tell you only if it is wider than spec, which is the opposite way than they generally wear.

I wish people would either read the original post, or stop chiming in with unrelated info to confuse people who ask for something.

[davidduarte]

the GS400/425/450/500, at least in the US, were all 2 valve engines. The only 4 valve GS twins we got here were the GS250T and GS300L (AFAIK).