Help for the mentally challenged with valves

[John Mellencamp]

Well on my GS 450l I finally got the clearance checked and shims out and back in . My manual calls for a gap of 0.03-0.08 . Well on my feeler guage the smallest it has is 0.038 and this dosn`t fit so I`m guessing all of them have about 0.02 clearance . The shims currently in there are
left exhaust 2.67
Right Exhaust 2.65
Left intake 2.50x
right intake 2.60

What would you suggest thanks

[almarconi]

Are you using metric feeler gauges?

A gauge that is .038 is a rather odd size, is this the number printed on the gauge?

In order to figure out what size shim you need, you either need a chart (which is usually printed in the manual or e-mail Steve and get a copy of the spreadsheet) so you can figure out what size shim to install.

[nufnuf]

shims

If you have no or minimal clearance everywhere
swap your biggest shim for a size smaller than your smallest
then swap them all around

2.45 shim in left inlet
2.5x to right inlet
2.6 to right exhaust
2.65 to left exhaust


if you still dont have clearance , give it up and buy a car
Too much clearance will give you a noisy top end (within reason)
too little clearance you may destroy your engine

[nufnuf]

where do watermelons go on their holidays ?


John Cougars melon camp

[BassCliff]

Hi,

Yes, it looks like you have to go down one whole size on every shim. I find it easier to use a metric feeler gauge.

You should end up with something close to this:

left exhaust 2.60
Right Exhaust 2.60
Left intake 2.45
right intake 2.55


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[John Mellencamp]

Thanks for the answers makes kinda sense now . If I change my left intake to my right intake and then check this hopefully will be spot on . Unfortunatley all the other shims are too big too swap around . One question can I use a wrench and turn the motor without a shim in there to swap them around ?

[John Mellencamp]

I ended up using the 2.50x shim in the other valves and came up with
right intake 2.48 difference 0.12
left exhaust 2.57 difference 0.10
right exhaust 2.53 difference 0.12
left intake 2.40 difference 0.10

[almarconi]

right intake 2.48 difference 0.12
left exhaust 2.57 difference 0.10
right exhaust 2.53 difference 0.12

Are you using some type of super accurate shim? I have never seen shims that
are accurate to .01. I checked z1 enterprise and they only sell shims that are in .05 increments.

[Suzuki_Don]

Whatever you do don't turn the engine with the shims removed. Engine damage will be the result.

[John Mellencamp]

almarconi have you seen the shim club

1.65=1 2.00=2 2.05=1 2.10=2 2.15=6 2.16=0 2.17=0 2.18=1 2.19=0 = 13
2.20=5 2.21=0 2.22=0 2.23=1 2.24=0 2.25=5 2.26=0 2.27=2 2.28=0 2.29=0 = 13
2.30=15 2.31=0 2.32=3 2.33=0 2.34=3 2.35=13 2.36=0 2.37=4 2.38=3 2.39=0 = 41
2.40=20 2.41=1 2.42=3 2.43=4 2.44=3 2.45=9 2.46=1 2.47=3 2.48=2 2.49=1 = 47
2.50=21 2.51=2 2.52=09 2.53=10 2.54=3 2.55=25 2.56=4 2.57=17 2.58=5 2.59=14= 109
2.60=58 2.61=14 2.62=16 2.63=9 2.64=22 2.65=45 2.66=23 2.67=13 2.68=6 2.69=13= 217
2.70=45 2.71=6 2.72=7 2.73=14 2.74=33 2.75=51 2.76=5 2.77=12 2.78=13 2.79= 7 = 193
2.80=14 2.81=7 2.82=2 2.83=8 2.84=15 2.85=30 2.86=2 2.87=3 2.88=2 2.89=5 = 88
2.90=16 2.93=1 2.94=3 2.95=9 3.00=15 3.05=5 3.10=10 = 59

[Steve]

Well on my GS 450l I finally got the clearance checked and shims out and back in . My manual calls for a gap of 0.03-0.08 . Well on my feeler guage the smallest it has is 0.038 and this dosn`t fit so I`m guessing all of them have about 0.02 clearance . The shims currently in there are
left exhaust 2.67
Right Exhaust 2.65
Left intake 2.50x
right intake 2.60

What would you suggest thanks

I suggest that you don't GUESS. Can you rotate the buckets? If so, there is still some clearance, so one size thinner should be fine.
You might be able to swap some shims around to minimize how many you need to purchase.

Are you using metric feeler gauges?

A gauge that is .038 is a rather odd size, is this the number printed on the gauge?

In order to figure out what size shim you need, you either need a chart (which is usually printed in the manual or e-mail Steve and get a copy of the spreadsheet) so you can figure out what size shim to install.

Al, that 0.038 is a metric equivalent of 0.0015". Rather common on INCH feelers that also have meteric equivalents printed on them.

Yep, John, send me an e-mail for the spreadsheet. Details are in my sig.

where do watermelons go on their holidays ?


John Cougars melon camp

Are you using some type of super accurate shim? I have never seen shims that
are accurate to .01. I checked z1 enterprise and they only sell shims that are in .05 increments.

Z1 only sells shims in .05mm increments, but some Suzuki shims are the "X" shims which are usually about half way between.
Look at one of his later posts, evidently the "shim club" measures them exactly.

Whatever you do don't turn the engine with the shims removed. Engine damage will be the result.

Agreed.

.

[pete]

I'm jumping on board for this thread. I probably can't add anything but I want to see how you go so I know what to expect when I get to this bit on my rebuild.

I can however add that Steve's spreadsheet is a work of art

[almarconi]

Look at one of his later posts, evidently the "shim club" measures them exactly.

Either that or they have been ground to those measurements. I looked around and could not find commercially available shims in those increments.

Some of the shims that I receive are being polished down to more usable sizes and come out with a finish very similar to the K&L shims.

I guess that's where the club gets the odd size shims.

[John Mellencamp]

I eneded up using the 2.50x shim and just counting it as 2.50 even and putting it in the other valves to check the clearance . I`m now shim less in all the valves hopefully turning it very slowly with a wrench didn`t do any harm

[cowboyup3371]

How did you test all of the valves if you didn't have any shims in it to begin with? I'm confused by this last statement. You might want to get with the Shim Club and get some more on the way soon.