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    #1

    should I or should I not.....

    After 2yrs of work on carbs, gas tank, brakes, electrical, starter & ignition related issues my 1100G is finally running great. In short I already got most things apart on this bike...except for the engine itself. My only complaint now is the low mpg. Even though I'm really no fast rider I only get a 25 to 30 mpg.
    One of the other posts mentioned valve adjustment as a probable cause of low mpg. Not to mention that these valves have not been checked yet as far as I know and I kind of understood badly adjusted valves could cause lot's of trouble in the long run. My problem : Since I haven't opened up an engine yet I 'm a little bit hesitating to do it myself (as I just mentioned, my bike is running great now and I want to keep it that way). So should I or should I not... Or should I just play it safe and spend some $$ to have it done in a shop ? :? :?
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    #2
    If it were me(and as far as bikes go I have had a crash course in maintanance as of late) I would say go for it!!!! You really have nothing to lose and If you get in a bind where you have disassembled everything well then you could always tak it to the mechanic and get a discount since you already took it apart!!!! anyways I say go fer it!!

    Comment

      #3
      Experiance is the best teacher...do it. It is not that hard.

      Hap

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        #4
        I was a little hesitant myself the first time- hey, what were we talking about? Anyway, a valve adjustment is the perfect way to break yourself into working on the engine itself. It's not that hard to do, and is one of those things that needs to be done fairly often, so you'll save money. Don't forget to torque down the head itself while your in there- that alone should be done every 3000 miles! Let us know if you need some guidance!
        Currently bikeless
        '81 GS 1100EX - "Peace, by superior fire power."
        '06 FZ1000 - "What we are dealing with here, is a COMPLETE lack of respect for the law."

        I ride, therefore I am.... constantly buying new tires.

        "Tell me what kind of an accident you are going to have, and I will tell you which helmet to wear." - Harry Hurt

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          #5
          DignoGS1100G, look at the last three or four projects you tackled on the bike. Were you succsessful ? If you answer yes than you have the skills and confidence to go ahead and do it. Like stated earlier, its not that hard and you will get the bike back much quicker. A bike in a shop this time of year can sit for way too long.

          Comment

            #6
            Yep, a good rule of thumb. Bikes are 100% logical. Diagnostic problems usually arise because people are not. :-) :-) :-) If everything else has turned out proper, then adjusting the valves isnt anything more than some patience and attention to detail.

            Earl


            [quote="skip["]DignoGS1100G, look at the last three or four projects you tackled on the bike. Were you succsessful ? If you answer yes than you have the skills and confidence to go ahead and do it. Like stated earlier, its not that hard and you will get the bike back much quicker. A bike in a shop this time of year can sit for way too long.[
            /quote]
            Komorebi-The light filtering through the trees.

            I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself than be crowded on a velvet cushion. H.D.T.

            Comment

              #7
              You'll need a valve cover gasket, a shim tool and access to shims/shim exchange before you begin. You may also want to replace the half-moons on the cam ends.

              Comment

                #8
                Learner

                My moto is why pay someone $40-$60 per hour to stuff it up when you can do it your-self,only kidding. I say go for it only one way to learn and at the end I bet you say that wasn't that hard.

                Comment

                  #9
                  Thanks for the gentle push guys ! I guess there's a first time for everything 8) 8) . Before opening up the bike I do have some questions. Don mentioned you need access to shims/shim exchange. Since you don't know upfront which sizes you need do you buy them in a kit or how does this work ? Or do you first measure the clearance on all valves and order the required tappet shims afterwards
                  Also, the manual mentions a Suzuki tappet depressor is needed to replace the shims. Do you really need this tool or can you do it with any other screwdriver type depressing tool

                  Digno

                  Comment

                    #10
                    Get the tool. It makes the whole process ridiculously easy (and safe). Some people say the tool is available cheap online (JC Whitney?) - I bought mine 20 years ago. You don't know what size shim you need until you pull them out. You CANNOT rotate the motor with any shims out or you will gouge up the cams and buckets. MC shops will usually exchange shims for a few dollars, but how many trips do you make if you can only have 1 or 2 out at a time?

                    Actually, since it is a GS we're talking about, there is a good chance that very few, if any, clearances will be out (my GS1000 needed 1 shim swap at 45,000 miles). You could get the gasket only and go in to check the clearances. If you need to change any, then you could get the tool, locate a shim source and be prepared to go in again to change it/them out. The biggest problem will be scraping gaskets the first time, so set aside time for that headache. The clearances are supposed to be measured with the engine cold (sitting overnight).

                    OR you could drive up here to Ft Wayne (about 100 miles), we could guest-imate the clearance compensation factor (about .001" for a hot motor), swap you out (I have the tool and shims), and substantially lighten your wallet for a quicker return trip. Matt Boruff can vouch for me (by the way Matt, where's the stator??! Oh never mind, I got another...).

                    Comment

                      #11
                      When I do mine, I go in and measure ALL of the clearances at once. As you measure each clearance, take the shim out and record its thickness. Write it all down by cylinder. PUT THE SHIM BACK. When you have done all the cylinders, the shims are still in place. You will know which clearances are out of tolerance, and if you can move shims between valves. Then you know which sizes you need to buy.
                      As an added bonus, if you keep track of this information, the next time you do this, you will have the shims already listed. Much less work.
                      The tool is indispensable, and available at JCWhitney.

                      Comment

                        #12
                        I already ordered the valve adjustment tool at JC Whitney. I still need to place an order now for the valve cover gasket and I 'll give it a try.

                        Comment

                          #13
                          Valve Shim Tool

                          I just checked JC WHitney...NO Suzuki valve shim tools listed...Did you buy the kawasaki tool, or did they stock the suzuki tool when you ordered?

                          By the way, does anyone know if the Kawasaki or the Honda Valve Shim Tool will work on a '78 GS1000?

                          Thanks

                          Comment

                            #14
                            Current JCW cat Just recieved today pn# agf060159y $27.99

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