help - stuck valve tappet on gs550

[zach_denver]

I'm adjusting the valves (suzuki method) on my gs550L and I remember one of the shims was particularly difficult to remove (I bought the pro-motion tool).

I finally got my replacement shims today (from Z1) and it appears the 2nd Exhaust tappet-bucket is stuck (it measured < .025mm before and now it is measuring .6mm and the tappet can be pushed up and down with a screwdriver).

I tried turning it, pushing down over-and-over w/ the shim tool and cranking the engine (w/and w/o spark plugs w/ a 2.85 shim in place), greasing it, spraying it w/WD40, but it doesn't want to spring back up.

I don't have a garage and am working on it in the city, so I'm hoping not to have to do anything too extreme (e.g. removing the head).

Any tricks to this? Would hitting it with a blowtorch maybe help?

[Nessism]

Sounds like something is keeping the valve from closing. Hopefully it's not bent. Did you do any other work on the bike other than the valve adjust?

[zach_denver]

I didn't do anything other than the valve adjustment.

I hope it's not a bent valve -- I've put so much into this bike. I actually just got it to idle for a second (ohh - I hope it's a non-interference engine...) the 2nd cylinder (stuck tappet) was not firing.

[zach_denver]

I think I answered my own question -- I guess I have a 'parts bike' now.

[Nessism]

I think I answered my own question -- I guess I have a 'parts bike' now.

Don't give up that easy! Worse things worse you have to pull the head and replace a valve. Been there done that.

Seems strange though that you would be having this problem just from adjusting the valves. Something must have happened.

[first timer]

pull the cam, then pull the bucket, see what you see

[brveagle]

pull the cam, then pull the bucket, see what you see

Yep, but whatever you do, don't run this engine. I wouldn't even turn it over. You don't want this valve to make piston contact.

[first timer]

if you are going to turn it over, take out all plugs and only turn the motor over by hand using a wrench.

[zach_denver]

'81 gs550L Front-End on an '83 gs650L

I didn't do any other work on it, but it sat outside for a couple of months while I was sorting things out. I'm guessing the tappet got stuck and then I probably bent the valve by turning the crank. As I had mentioned, I had (foolishly) ran the engine while the tappet was stuck.

I tried tapping on the tappet with an allen bit, putting various coins beneath the shim and to see if I could get it to 'pop-up' and various other things, but I'm pretty sure this valve is down for the count, at this point.

I also appreciate the advice, and if I had a garage I'd pull the cams and maybe even think about putting a new head on (you can get them for $50 off ebay) but I get home late and this is too much work to do on a city street.

I'm going to see if I can fit the entire front end of this bike (an '81 gs550L) on my '83 gs650L without modifications (I'll start a new thread) otherwise, it has lots of great parts, or would make a nice project for someone.

[chef1366]

A bent valve isn't the end of your bike. I do all my work in my driveway. I have a bit of mods. Pulling the head is as hard as swapping front ends in my opinion.
my driveway valve job