What valve shims should I buy?

[Guest]

Have read BIKECLIFF's tutorial on valve adjustments but I don't know what valve shims to buy in preparation for this maintenance. Can someone point me in the right direction? What gaskets are essential to replace?

Also ... if I'm going in to do this anyway, how much further are the valve stem seals? Thinkin' I might have a slow leak.

[srg]

Valve cover gasket and breather gasket are the two that you need. They shouldn't be expensive.

You basically have to take the valve cover off and check your shims (one at a time; don't rotate the engine with an empty bucket!) to see what you have already. Then check the clearance, then order what you need.

I got my shims from Z1 enterprises. You can also get OEM shims, but they're a bit more expensive.

Not sure about the valve stems.

[Steve]

As mentioned, you need to check your clearances and see what shims you have (preferably in that order) before you will know what you need.

Depending on what bike you have (hint, hint), valve cover gaskets can be from $10-30.

If you want to change the valve stem seals, you will need to remove the head and cylinder block, then get an upper-engine rebuild gasket kit ($100+ for aftermarket, about $200 for OEM). You then need to remove the buckets, keepers, springs and valves so you can change the seals. I am in the middle of that process right now on another member's 650.

If you have not run the bike very much, you might be able to simply give it an "Italian tune-up" to stem some of the oil burning.

.

[tkent02]

Some bikes you don't need to remove the breather over at all, if it's not seeping there's no need to replace that gasket.

What kind of a slow leak are you thinking you may have?

[greg78gs750]

+1 on the italian tune up. get the valves set and run that thing. if the valves havent been done in a while, it will take you as long to scrape the old gasket as it will to ship the new shims, lol, so don't worry too much about getting it done RIGHT NOW, at least not the first time.

[gspower]

As mentioned, you need to check your clearances and see what shims you have (preferably in that order) before you will know what you need.

Depending on what bike you have (hint, hint), valve cover gaskets can be from $10-30.

If you want to change the valve stem seals, you will need to remove the head and cylinder block, then get an upper-engine rebuild gasket kit ($100+ for aftermarket, about $200 for OEM). You then need to remove the buckets, keepers, springs and valves so you can change the seals. I am in the middle of that process right now on another member's 650.

If you have not run the bike very much, you might be able to simply give it an "Italian tune-up" to stem some of the oil burning.

.

Steve to the rescue, once again. Thanks for all your help. The "Italian tune-up" has been pitched to me already. I haven't even finished rebuilding yet so I haven't had the time to try it. I will certainly ride it hard after I put the carbs back on.

[gspower]

Some bikes you don't need to remove the breather over at all, if it's not seeping there's no need to replace that gasket.

What kind of a slow leak are you thinking you may have?

I've got some smoke coming out of my left side exhaust after the bike heats up. Thinking it might be the valve seals.

[tkent02]

Valve stem seals would smoke right after start up, and again maybe after long decal closed throttle if you open the throttle quickly. Smoking after it warms up doesn't sound like valve stem seals.