Valve clearance GS550 '78

[Nessism]

OEM Suzuki gaskets are best.

Regarding the shims, only 1E & 2E need to be touched. Either that engine is low mileage or someone cut the valves and shortened the stems.

If you can't see anything under #2E when you pull off the exhaust the next step is to pull the cams and remove the 2E bucket to see what's going on there. Key thing to look for is to make sure the valve stem sticks up above the keepers. If someone cut the valve stems too much the keepers may be sticking up too far.

[Big T]

Your readings are a bit odd. Bikes typically come with 2.75-2.85 shims new, and proper clearances. To have such thick shims and large clearances makes no sense.

You seem to have one aspect backwards. The valve clearances get smaller with miles, and thinner (not thicker) shims are needed.

As for the exhaust, just yank the tubes out of the cylinder head. There's a crush gasket in there, and it can stick everything together.

[11csive]

OEM Suzuki is the best.

Regarding the shims, only 1E & 2E need to be touched. Either that engine is low mileage or someone cut the valves and shortened the stems.

If you can't see anything under #2E when you pull off the exhaust the next step is to pull the cams and remove the 2E bucket to see what's going on there. Key thing to look for is to make sure the valve stem sticks up above the keepers. If someone cut the valve stems too much the keepers may be sticking up too far.

I wouldn't place my money on the low mileage guess Shortened valve stems seems more likely, especially the high readings + big shims. So you'd only touch e1 + e2 and let the other tighten up by themselves?

I'l get back to working on the bike this weekend (lot of work the next couple of days) and when I do, I'll check what's going on with the valves!

Thank you!

[11csive]

Your readings are a bit odd. Bikes typically come with 2.75-2.85 shims new, and proper clearances. To have such thick shims and large clearances makes no sense.

You seem to have one aspect backwards. The valve clearances get smaller with miles, and thinner (not thicker) shims are needed.

As for the exhaust, just yank the tubes out of the cylinder head. There's a crush gasket in there, and it can stick everything together.

Well I'm quite confused myself. But as Nessism pointed out, some PO might have shortened the valve stems? I don't know, seems like a good guess.

I'm not quite sure what you mean with "I got one aspect backwards"?

I'll try to put some force on the tubes and get them out.

[Nessism]

With mileage the valves sink into the head. When this happens the required shims get thinner and thinner.

If the engine requires cutting the valve faces and seats this exacerbates the situation even more. To correct this it's necessary to trim some material off the end of the valve. That's what I think happened to your head. The only other option I can think of is if someone replaced the head with one that was literally new, which is unlikely.

[dantodd]

I'm not quite sure what you mean with "I got one aspect backwards"?

I'll try to put some force on the tubes and get them out.

The valve clearance tend to be reduced over time as the seat and valve wear allowing the valve to retreat further into the seat. The valve goes further up and the top of the stem gets closer to the cam lobe.

As for the exhaust, be sure to remove all the mounting brackets on the whole exhaust system so they aren't hanging up your attempts to remove the headers from the exhaust ports.

[11csive]

The valve clearance tend to be reduced over time as the seat and valve wear allowing the valve to retreat further into the seat. The valve goes further up and the top of the stem gets closer to the cam lobe.

As for the exhaust, be sure to remove all the mounting brackets on the whole exhaust system so they aren't hanging up your attempts to remove the headers from the exhaust ports.

Yeah I'm aware of that, thought you meant that I misunderstood something, or did something wrong

I did remove all the brackets, still didn't move. But no worries, I didn't put any time into it, last thing I did that day.

[Brendan W]

Have you measured the thickness of the shims ?
People have been known to grind them down rather than get thinner ones.
Generally they make a mess of it.

[11csive]

Have you measured the thickness of the shims ?
People have been known to grind them down rather than get thinner ones.
Generally they make a mess of it.

That's actually a very good idea. I wouldn't be surprised if someone in the past needed thinner shims and then just decided to grind them down. I'll pull the shims out and put my micrometer screw on it.

Thank you

[11csive]

A quick update, just to let you know I'm still working on it. And also I'm looking for some advise.

I've been struggling with the exhaust all weekend. As in ALL weekend

So, it's some aftermarket 4 to 1 exhaust there's sitting on it at the moment. Thing is, the pipes are stuck in the engine head. Really really stuck.

I've tried all sorts of things. Lubricating spray, heat, freeze spray. Putting a piece of wood in between the pipes and the frame rocking it back and forth (gently). Also moved the muffler up and down to try and loosen it up a little bit.

Also came up with this (I thought I was awfully smart, but it didn't work either )

I put in the two bolts first, turned them all the way in. Then I placed the plate next to the bolts aaand then put a bracket around the pipe. That way I could unscrew the bolts, which made them apply pressure to the pipe. Didn't work either.

I ended up cutting the pipes (had to change the exhaust system anyway, it's very rusty underneath) to be able to work with them one by one, and turn them around individually. I managed to get one of them out by turning it 90 degrees, putting another steel tube into it, applying some pressure to make sure i didn't just bent the exhaust pipe, and then brute forced it out with a hammer. (I wasn't happy with the solution either, but it really ended up seeming to me like the only option)

Looked like this when I finally got it out.


No gasket or anything on the pipes, nor inside the head, which worried me a little bit. Shouldn't there be an exhaust gasket inside the head? Which also would have made sure that the pipes wouldn't be able to get stuck this much?

Any ideas on this? I'm running short. To cut the pipes were my "last thing to go for" and that didn't even do it. Also had a pipe wrench on them after I cut them, didn't help either. Heeeeeelp

[Nessism]

Well, you got one off. Only three to go!

Not sure what to suggest other than keep going...

[tkent02]

The gasket sits on a little ledge up in there. It's hard to see but it should be in there. Might want to use a stud and a nut to push the others off, it would be a shame to screw up the threads in there.

[11csive]

Well, you got one off. Only three to go!

Not sure what to suggest other than keep going...

Haha no magic tricks? :P

I will, I'm just worried about damaging the head. Don't know if I have to worry that much? I mean, I used a 3.5lb hammer to get that first one off. I didn't feel all comfortable doing so

The gasket sits on a little ledge up in there. It's hard to see but it should be in there. Might want to use a stud and a nut to push the others off, it would be a shame to screw up the threads in there.

Ok, might have missed it then. That's actually a rather good idea, I was kinda worried about the threads in the head. It didn't work though, so I'm not sure if it'll do any difference, but at least I'll be able to force it quite a bit, without worrying about damaging the threads.

Thank you for the quick respons.

[11csive]

Had some time to work on the bike again today. These exhaust pipes are not getting off. I'm running out of ideas. Any advice on this what so ever?

After getting frustrated about not being able to get out the pipes, I decided to measure the shims with my micrometer screw. All 8 of them are on point. So nothing wrong with the sizes written on them

Mostly looking for a clever idea for those exhaust pipes though, anyone?

[Nessism]

I'd cut off the pipes but leave several inches sticking out of the port. Then drill through the sides of the pipe and attach a bolt & nut. The idea being to throw a cable or chain around the bolt and then use a slide hammer to pull the pipe out of the head.