Checking Valve Clearances: Near Disaster?

[slyone]

wow Thanks, hadn't read cliffs valve adj.procedures..piece a cake! where can I get one of those handy tappet tools cheap?? Then I just read the zip tie deal..interesting too! Thanks

[themess]

...
I want to talk about the cause of all this. What could cause every valve to be so far outside of clearance? The most alarming possibility is that the PO took the head off a much older and worn engine and replaced the head of my 14,000 mi engine with it.....

The other possibility is that the high temperature of ethanol-laced gasoline burnt the valves and knocked them out of their seats. Something like that anyway, my understanding is limited here but I don't think these engines were designed for ethanol gas.....

I could be wrong, but I think that the natural tendency is for shim-to-cam clearance to tighten with more miles.

Our engines run fine with 10% ethanol. They were designed to do so.

When I first checked clearance on my 850, I think that all were tight. The engine had < 12,000 miles, and it was probably the first time the valve shim clearance had been checked. For most of the valves, I could not get any feeler gauge in. So I bought a Kawaski shim that was about 0.015" thinner than my thinnest shim. (The number is a guess, as I really don't remember.) Kawaskai shims are roughly a mm smaller diameter than Suzuki shims, so there is no mistaking it for a Suzuki shim.

Two other resources: Steve (?) has a spreadsheet to assist calculating the proper thickness for replacement shims. I think that it can also help you record the history of shim clearances. Often it is possible to move shims from one valve to another, so that only a few shims must be purchased, even if all valves are tight.

Also, there is (used to be?) a shim exchange club/program.

A plastic canister, used to hold rolls of 35 mm film, is the right size to store your shims.

Finally, a big lesson ("meta" lesson) is that using a manual and searching GSR forums before starting can prevent many problems. It takes more time before starting, but usually the job will be done faster, and it will stay done.

[Steve]

I could be wrong, but I think that the natural tendency is for shim-to-cam clearance to tighten with more miles.

No, Tom, this time, you are RIGHT.

Our engines run fine with 10% ethanol. They were designed to do so.

Not sure they were designed with ethanol in mind, but they do tolerate 10% reasonably well.

When I first checked clearance on my 850, I think that all were tight. The engine had < 12,000 miles, and it was probably the first time the valve shim clearance had been checked. For most of the valves, I could not get any feeler gauge in. So I bought a Kawaski shim that was about 0.015" thinner than my thinnest shim. (The number is a guess, as I really don't remember.) Kawaskai shims are roughly a mm smaller diameter than Suzuki shims, so there is no mistaking it for a Suzuki shim.

It is quite typical for any "new" engine in your stable to be tight on clearances, regardless of miles on it.
Since the minimum clearance is right at the size of the thinnest feelers in most sets, it is also typical that you can not insert a feeler.

I would not recommend getting a Kawasaki shim. Yes, they do what Tom says, but they are only 0.5mm smaller in diameter and would be rather easy to mistake for a Suzuki shim. It would be far better to just get a thin Suzuki shim.

Two other resources: Steve (?) has a spreadsheet to assist calculating the proper thickness for replacement shims. I think that it can also help you record the history of shim clearances.

Yes, that's me, check my signature.

Tom should know what my spreadsheet does, I sent him a copy in May, 2009, then updated versions in February and April of 2010.

Often it is possible to move shims from one valve to another, so that only a few shims must be purchased, even if all valves are tight.

Very true, but you need to inventory your shims to know what you have in there. That is one advantage of my spreadsheet.

Also, there is (used to be?) a shim exchange club/program.

As far as I know, it's still running. Look up user Ghostgs1 (do an advanced search for user name), look at his signature, it has information there.

A plastic canister, used to hold rolls of 35 mm film, is the right size to store your shims.

Of course, that assumes that you have access to some 35mm film cans.
You can stop by the photo processing center at most pharmacies or Wal-Mart, they are usually happy to give them to you.

If you plan on building your own stash of shims and might overflow a film can, a small compartmented tray works well. I think mine was designed to be a tackle box.


One last word of caution: DO NOT ROTATE THE CRANK UNLESS ALL OF YOUR SHIMS ARE IN PLACE.

Otherwise, you will be starting your own thread like this one.

.

[ekabil]

Will I need to change out the gas if its been sitting for a month? The tank has been full this whole time.

And if I do, how do I dispose of gasoline properly?

[hampshirehog]

It'll be fine after a month.

[Big T]

Will I need to change out the gas if its been sitting for a month? The tank has been full this whole time.

And if I do, how do I dispose of gasoline properly?

No

Put in your car, it won't care about fuel quality