Valve shim clearances, help me check my math?

[Guest]

Hey all. I'd like to check my math before I send Ray a donation and ask for a bunch of shims I may/may not need...

I have been playing "musical shims" if you will to get as close as I can with what I have already. I have #1&3 taken care of, and #2 in and #4 ex pretty close. For the rest I don't have the shims I need to spec them. Used a 2.30 shim and feeler to get a ballpark on what I think I might need...here's where I would like some second opinions on my results. Oh, I have a metric feeler on the way, but I'm doing the best I can with what I have for now (in. feeler, only goes down to 0.002in/0.051mm.)

#1 In 2.70 gap 0.002/0.051mm--OK
#1 Ex 2.30 gap 0.015/0.381--think I need either 2.60x or 2.65

#2 In 2.80 gap 0.003/0.076mm--OK, want to try a 2.80x to tighten it up
#2 Ex 2.30 gap 0.016/0.406mm--think I need wither 2.65 or 2.65x

#3 In 2.80 gap 0.002/0.051mm--OK
#3 Ex 2.30 gap 0.017/0.432mm--think I need a 2.65x or 2.70

#4 In 2.30 gap 0.014/0.356mm--think I need a 2.60 or a 2.60x
#4 Ex 2.75 gap 0.0025/0.064mm--OK, want to try a 2.75x to tighten it up

Am I doing okay so far? Thanks for the help.

[almarconi]

Steve, a forum member, has a spreadsheet to help with the math. Send him an e-mail and request it.

I just got done adjusting an 8 valve engine on my KZ and the service manual includes a shim table. Basically if you know the gap (which you measure) the size of the existing shim(which you measure or read from the shim) the table will tell you what size shim to use to get the required clearance( what you want to know).

Here is a link to a table

http://www.klr650.marknet.us/Shim_Tables.pdf

This one is for a KLR but the values should be the similar. When you see the table it will make sense.

[BassCliff]

Hi,

There's no need to "tighten it up" in the places you've indicated. When I'm swapping shims I always get the clearances as close to maximum as practical.

Here's what I would try otherwise...

#1 EX = 2.60
#2 EX = 2.65
#3 EX = 2.65
#4 EX = 2.60

This should get your exhaust clearances between .06mm and .08mm.

It's really hard to find the coveted "X" sizes. But get yourself a digital caliper because even the "even" sizes are sometimes a little off.

And maybe it's just me, but I find it so much easier to use a metric feeler gauge set when taking measurements.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[psyguy]

And maybe it's just me, but I find it so much easier to use a metric feeler gauge set when taking measurements.

nope, not just you, cliff... most people on both sides of the ditch from you use metric gauges

[Steve]

Steve, a forum member, has a spreadsheet to help with the math. Send him an e-mail and request it.

He did.

I sent him a copy on 7/14.

wkmpt, if you are having problems with the spreadsheet, please let me know.

I am hitting the road today, so won't be able to answer anything on the board until this evening.

.

[wkmpt]

He did.

I sent him a copy on 7/14.

wkmpt, if you are having problems with the spreadsheet, please let me know.

I am hitting the road today, so won't be able to answer anything on the board until this evening.

.

No problems with the spreadsheet, necessarily. It won't calculate shim size based on the 1/1000 measurement for some reason, I just converted in. measurements to mm and went from there.

Other than that it's all good.

[wkmpt]

Hi,

There's no need to "tighten it up" in the places you've indicated. When I'm swapping shims I always get the clearances as close to maximum as practical.

Here's what I would try otherwise...

#1 EX = 2.60
#2 EX = 2.65
#3 EX = 2.65
#4 EX = 2.60

This should get your exhaust clearances between .06mm and .08mm.

It's really hard to find the coveted "X" sizes. But get yourself a digital caliper because even the "even" sizes are sometimes a little off.

And maybe it's just me, but I find it so much easier to use a metric feeler gauge set when taking measurements.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

Awsome. Glad to hear I was about where I needed to be.

Thanks for the input, Cliff!

[Steve]

No problems with the spreadsheet, necessarily. It won't calculate shim size based on the 1/1000 measurement for some reason, I just converted in. measurements to mm and went from there.

Other than that it's all good.

It works just fine with the inch measurements. Did you enter them correctly? Send me a copy of your entries in the spreadsheet and I will see why it's not working for you.