Help Valve clearence?

[cruz del sur]

Hi Marine36. I will be doing my valves soon, and was wondering where you are getting your shims from? (other than the dealer of course:0)

[Nessism]

Z1 Enterprises is the defacto standard place to get shims. Of course, there is the Valve Shim Club here at GSR Search out Ghost and drop him a PM for details.

Sometimes it takes a few revolutions of the engine to get the shim to sit down all the way. Also, sometimes you can get strange measurements so don't be afraid to go down one more shim size and measure to verify...hopefully you have a few extras laying around.

Good luck.

[Marine36]

Drove an hour today to get the shims I thought I needed from a dealer ($5.25) a piece. Said he would trade but to far away.

[BassCliff]

Hi,

The first time I performed a valve check on my bike, five of the eight valves were under spec. I had to go down two sizes on a couple of them.

Be sure to oil the shims good before you insert them then spin the motor a few times to get them settled in properly before you measure again.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[cruz del sur]

Thank you all for your advise.Got to say, without you folks I really don't know what I would do (other than freak out, waste the wohle day reaserching and do the job several times

YOU ROCK!!!!

[cruz del sur]

I have to admit: I loved the plastic tie method!!! I took them all out today to check for their thikness. My exhaust 1 &2 were 2.60. 3&4 were 2.55
The intakes 1,2,&4 were 2.70. #3 however did not have a number and was all scratched up in the back (I took a good look at the lobe, and it was fine)

What would be the best way to contact Mr. Ghost, should I PM him or add a comment in the shim club thread???

Thanks

[gearman]

I remember reading somewhere that the cam to shim clearance actually increases at normal operating temperature. This makes sense due to the head material expanding at a greater rate than the ferrous components.

[Steve]

... #3 however did not have a number and was all scratched up in the back (I took a good look at the lobe, and it was fine)

This is one reason you need a digital caliper.

What would be the best way to contact Mr. Ghost, should I PM him or add a comment in the shim club thread???

Not trying to take anything away from Ghost's shim club, but I would like to suggest that you build a small inventory of shims that you can keep on hand. Most of your shims are close to the same size, so as you replace your thinner ones, the ones that come out will be replacing the larger ones. It would be nice to already have some shims on hand to do that.

.

[cruz del sur]

You are right Steve. I was thinking about that today, and decided to go seek some. Actually I will go ask the shop that sold me the bike, and since they decided to down-grade their shop ( only work on european bikes) and now he might have some left over. If not I will go to the dealer and get some.

By the way, the speradsheet that you sent me is way cool. Thank you so much!

Nico

[Steve]

Call the dealer first to see how much they will charge for shims. Usually about $10-12 for new shims.
They are available from Z1 for about $5.25.

.

[cruz del sur]

Even better. I go straight to their system http://www.championcycle.com/fiche_section_detail.asp

9.31 each. But they have to be ordered. Takes a week, and I don't know if I can wait that long (bike won't run without the carbs right???)

[chef1366]

One of the local guys traded mine free of charge. Check this out first.

[Steve]

Even better. I go straight to their system http://www.championcycle.com/fiche_section_detail.asp

9.31 each. But they have to be ordered. Takes a week, and I don't know if I can wait that long (bike won't run without the carbs right???)

Right, bike won't run without carbs.

Here is a link to the shims at Z1. $5.28, and they might take less than a week, and you won't have to travel to the dealer.

.

[cruz del sur]

Hi Chef. Where did you come from??? (read the post last night and didn't see you posted too ) What I will probably do is order a couple so I can start switching them arround and then I will try to trade some.

This is the thing: I was working out of my garage fixing cars, and a couple of months ago the city inspector came and shut me down. Fortunatly I was cleaing a truck I got and was preping to sale. I guess a neighbour must have complained. He told me that if he saw me again, I would be fined $500 and they would arrest me. (I could have risked the fine, but there is no way in hell that I will spend time in jail ) I have been looking for a job, but nothing yet, so things are very tight. So far I have been doing a little here and there as long as it doesn't cost too much.

Anyways, thank you all for your input

Nico

[mike-s]

There are bulk shim kits you can buy that have a manner of shim sizes, and the cost per shim is only half to a third of buying them individually. If you are planning on sticking to bikes that have one particular diameter shim in general (not necessarily the one marquee) perhaps that is worth consideration as well. ?

p,.s. i take it that these bikes are a shim-over-bucket design?