Valve adjustment - major screw up?

[Steve]

Not to hi-jack the thread or anything, but how does one get one of these mythical, magical valve job spread sheets?

Well, the first thing to do is to read the last part of my sig.

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[The Voice of Reason]

So let me get this straight

OK, I'm new to this. I opened up my new-to-me GS750B yesterday to check the valves and they are all tight. All eight. I closed it back up and it seems to run fine, but I'm going to have to do something about it.
If I'm following the thread here, I'll have to open it up again, rotate the crankshaft into position, and then I can pull the first two exhaust shims (cylinders 1 and 2) and see what they are. Then I put them back so I can rotate the crankshaft forward and do it again (since I don't have any other shims to install), then repeat those steps for the intake valves on 1 and 2, re-installing so I can rotate forward to do the exhausts for 3 and 4, then one more time for the 3 and 4 intakes.
Then I can order the shims I need and wait (or go to my local Suzuki dealer, if they have the right sizes), then go through it all again. It's repetitive, but by the end of the process I should be getting pretty good at it, right?
Now, my question is this: On some of the valves, I could not slide a .001 blade in between the camshaft and the bucket. Can I just consider that a .000 for purposes of calculating the replacement shim, or should I go for a slightly undersized shim for a little extra leeway?

[gs road racer]

A question for your question..did the buckets rotate freely? If they rotate you're very close to 0.00 Either way you're going to do some damage soon without adjustment. Most original head (ie not had a valve job ) will be in the 2.60 to 2.85 so go buy a few and get started.A lot of time you'll be reusing shims in another bucket, see if the dealer will exchange shims (some will). Steve's sheet will help you as well.Hope that helps!

[The Voice of Reason]

gs road racer:

That helps a lot. Yes, the buckets rotated freely. I'll pick up a few assorted shims, probably on the thin side, and open 'er up.

It's sitting quietly until I finish this job; I'm not looking to make it any worse than it is!

Thanks!

[GSJim69]

Since it is sitting until it is done. I suggest popping each shim out and record the sizes. Since you said that all clearances are too small but all buckets turn freely, plan on going one size smaller on each valve.
Take the sizes installed and play musical shims on paper going one size smaller on each valve. Then buy the ones that you couldn't cover with ones that you have.
I just re-shimmed my valves after a valve job and covered all of my valves except two with the ones that I had. It wasn't too bad.
Good luck.

[hikermikem]

The only thing I'm kinda worried about now is that there's this low whirring sound I hear now, that picks up when I rev the motor. I'm wondering if it has anything to do with the trimming I gave to that camshaft lobe?

These 8-valve engines make a fair bit of noise from the top end - it's normal, & not the trimmed lobe. I doubt that trimming did any harm, except to your ego .

Enjoy your bike...