conflicting info, Valve adjust '80 gs450

[Guest]

doing a valve adjustment on my 1980 gs450, making sure i've got everything figured out.

Using my clymers manual, to check valve clearance, it calls for rotating engine till the cam lobe is PERPENDICULAR to the head surface (aka pointing almost straight up)... the valve adjust instructions on this site (granted for a 4-cyl) and in the haynes manual tell me to check with the cam lobe parallel to the head surface. I also have 2 different sets of clearances given as "ok"..
Clymers says .03 - .08mm... haynes says .08 - .13mm

when I check my clearances with lobes pointed UP (clymers), i can barely fit my .038mm feeler in... but when i rotate around to the haynes "parallel", I can get a .13mm feeler in..

I would LOVE to get some sort of clarification from folks that know more than me

Thanks!

-Nate

[Nessism]

I suggest you purchase a proper factory Suzuki service manual so you can avoid guessing if the aftermarket manuals are right or wrong.

[pete]

I'll see if I can have a look at my factory reprint but not sure when I'll get time, but I would generally go with what the Clymer says over the Haynes, I have both and have been led astray a couple of times by the Haynes.

[howling60]

I'll see if I can have a look at my factory reprint but not sure when I'll get time, but I would generally go with what the Clymer says over the Haynes, I have both and have been led astray a couple of times by the Haynes.

Pete,

that would be awesome if you could. I usually trust the clymer over just about anything else, but would love some verification. Bike isn't noisy @ all, nothing appears to be wearing oddly, but I want to make sure while it's apart.

-Nate

[pete]

Actually I just ducked in the garage then as I had a spare minute... they're both right.

Factory manual says either cam lobe facing directly up perpendicular to cylinder head gasket surface, or parallel to the cylinder head gasket surface.

If doing them parallelel, then the exhaust cam lobes need to point to the front of the engine, and inlet to the rear of the engine if that makes sense.

[howling60]

Actually I just ducked in the garage then as I had a spare minute... they're both right.

Factory manual says either cam lobe facing directly up perpendicular to cylinder head gasket surface, or parallel to the cylinder head gasket surface.

If doing them parallelel, then the exhaust cam lobes need to point to the front of the engine, and inlet to the rear of the engine if that makes sense.

That's great... gotta love it

did it happen to mention clearances for either/both?

Thanks a million!

-Nate

[Steve]

... did it happen to mention clearances for either/both?

Not sure about the 450, as it's sometimes a bit different, but for the 4-cylinder bikes, if there are two valves per cylinder and the adjustment is made by replacing shims, the clearance is .03 to .08 mm.

If there are four valves per cylinder and adjustment is made with threaded adjusters, the clearance is .08 to .13 mm (I think).

.

[BassCliff]

Hi,

I found this on some guy's website:

Kerry Burton of GStwin.com has put together a very informative video chronicling the process of valve adjustment on his GS500. The procedure will be the same for all GS twins. The principle is the same for all 2-valve GS motors.

CLICK HERE to go to the Google video.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[pete]

Your '80 should be the same as my '82... 2 valves per cylinder, 0.03mm to 0.08mm as Steve said.

BassCliff, are those links on your site somewhere? If they are, then I must really be blind as I've never seen them... but either way thanks for posting them up

[pete]

Oh, and if you haven't done it already, do what Steve's signature says to do and send him an email for his valve adjustment spreadsheet, it will make things a lot easier for you once you've done the first lot of adjustments

[howling60]

Oh, and if you haven't done it already, do what Steve's signature says to do and send him an email for his valve adjustment spreadsheet, it will make things a lot easier for you once you've done the first lot of adjustments

I actually DO have a copy of that somewhere... i'm thinking it will be easier to get it again

Thank you ALL for your help/clarification. That's why I LOVE this site...

ps, I will most likely be asking similar questions soon... only about an '82 1100E I really need to watch my spending habits :P

-Nate

[BassCliff]

Hi,

BassCliff, are those links on your site somewhere? If they are, then I must really be blind as I've never seen them... but either way thanks for posting them up

They're in the Engine Odds and Ends section.



Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[pete]

Hi,



They're in the Engine Odds and Ends section.



Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

Cheers BassCliff, no idea how I didn't see it in there