81 gs1100 valve adjust question.

[Guest]

Hello, I have valve cover off and ready to check valve clearance. Camshaft is to set to proper position. Where the bottom of adjustment screw meets the valve retainer the gap is not exactly parallel, there is a angle in the gap. Do I slide the feeler gauge in just halfway to measure or all the way thru. They all look the this way.

[Agemax]

slide the blade in all the way through, so you are measuring the gap at its smallest position.

[alhntr]

slide the blade in all the way through, so you are measuring the gap at its smallest position.

Ah Soo, Thank you so much. I'm probably the first to ask that question. This is my first valve adjust on any motor. Kinda fun though......get some satisfaction yeah baby.

[Agemax]

they sit at a slight angle to the valve at rest so when the cam rotates and pushes on the adjusters, which then pivot on a shaft, the adjuster itself is then actually pressing on the top of the valve square on. maximum contact at full lift on the valve. it helps prevent the adjuster and the top of the valve wearing unevenly

[hikermikem]

It's a bit tricky the first time to adjust all the gaps to the same dimension. There are separate lock nuts for each adjuster - each intake & exhaust set (per cylinder) uses a "yoke arm" that's depressed by the cam lobe to open the valves. After setting the gap on one side of the yoke, it sometimes changes again after the adjacent sides adjusted.

Good idea to double-check the gaps on each yoke pair to make sure they read where you think you left them. I set mine all at .005" (high end), as the gaps tighten as valves wear...

Also, don't be afraid to tighten those lock nuts VERY FIRMLY. You don't want one coming loose and rattling around the camshaft.

Good luck - pretty easy work, pay attention to detail.