Gs850 valve shim

[hadaveha]

I'm working on adjusting my valves on my new to me 1978 Gs850, I have checked them a couple times and I practically have no clearance on any of my valves, the smallest blade I have on my Gage's is .026mm. And I can't get that to slide through. So my question is being that I have no clearance should I buy shims 2 sizes down instead of one

[Steve]

First of all, where did you find a '78 850? They were not released until the '79 model year.

OK, you might have one of the early ones that was ASSEMBLED in '78, but it's still a '79 bike.

Concerning valve clearance: you can't order anything until you know what you have. Inventory your shims. Remove ONE shim, record its size and location, put it back. Remove the next shim, record its size and location, put it back. Repeat until all are recorded AND PUT BACK. DO NOT ROTATE THE ENGINE UNLESS ALL SHIMS ARE IN PLACE.

Now that you know what you have, take the thinnest one out, put a quarter in its place, move the thinnest one to the other locations that had shims thicker than that. If you can now measure clearance, you might have extra, but it's easy to determine how MUCH extra and order the correct shim. If you are lucky, you might only have to guess on a couple of shims.

Now for two things that will help you considerably:
1. Take advantage of the offer in my sig. The spreadsheet will help you with your shim inventory and the math necessary to determine what shim you need. It also has a page that is a handy service log.
2. Take advantage of the GSR Shim Club. Click the link, you will be taken to a thread that will give you some more information on how 'the Club' works. One of the best parts of that is that you can order some extra shims in varying sizes where you might have to guess at what you need, just send the extras back, along with the ones you removed from your engine.

3. Do you have a factory service manual? Go to our library (also known as "BassCliff's website") and get one.

4. Follow the procedure for valve adjustment CAREFULLY, it's easy to mis-read it, but the factory manual does it best. And, as good as the manual is, there is a tutorial in the library that shows the procedure with better pictures than the manual.

5. Be sure to ask questions if you don't understand something fully.

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[hadaveha]

ok I finally had a chance to get all the shims out and catalogue them I have pretty much no clearance and my shims are I'm calling the side with the gear shift number 1 #1 ex.265 intake .275 #2 ex.265 intake .260 #3 ex .260 intake .255 #4 ex.265 intake .265 and I know I'm way to new to be giving advice but when you put the shim back in place and you reach over the bike to turn the engine over, and your face is kind of down close to the cams you might want to have your mouth closed when the shim spits the oil out of the buckett

[AMK]

I know I'm way to new to be giving advice but when you put the shim back in place and you reach over the bike to turn the engine over, and your face is kind of down close to the cams you might want to have your mouth closed when the shim spits the oil out of the buckett

I love those little lessons.

[steve murdoch]

Dave, that has to go in the top 10 Newbie mistakes thread.
Outstanding!

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?171846-Top-10-Newbie-Mistakes&highlight=newbie

[hadaveha]

i learned a heck of a lesson i know that lol

[Wingsconsin]

..Yummy....I walk around the bike to turn the engine..but I have been splattered...

The biggest thing I had to learn (the hard way after doing 3 shim measurement processes) was to be sure the lobs are in the correct position.

Even if you think they are in the correct position - double check it or get a false reading ...

If you do it wrong -- (like I did) you get to do it again..and again..and again...

[hadaveha]

Well the lessons keep coming basically my bike was running great before I decided to check the valves, So I adjusted the valves replaced 6 shims, got everything button back up and no she won't run unless I have the choke on seems to be idling really low. Should they s happen after a valve adjustment

[Steve]

Some "choke" is normal, when the engine is cold.

Idling low? Turn the idle adjuster screw in. After the bike is warmed up, of course.

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