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Valve clearance stability Q? Anyone grind a shim?

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    Valve clearance stability Q? Anyone grind a shim?

    My 1st valve adjustment and I am thinking of sanding down a shim.

    Do they really need checking every 4K?
    (my vfr has not needed adjustment post 600 mile check)


    I do not mind the adjusting but the running around for new shims is a real pain.

    If the clearances do change almost every valve check interval, my new to me 83 850 and I are not going to get along too well.

    #2
    Valve clearances do get tighter with each subsequent check, but usually you can swap shims between other cylinders & only end up having to a get a couple "new" shims at each check.

    I would not sand them down - the clearances are quite small & I doubt you could sand them that accurately.

    Best bet is to buy a some smaller sized sizes up front, after you inventory what you have now & then figure out which sizes you will need next.

    Z1 sells them for about $5 each...
    '85 GS550L - SOLD
    '85 GS550E - SOLD
    '82 GS650GL - SOLD
    '81 GS750L - SOLD
    '82 GS850GL - trusty steed
    '80 GS1100L - son's project bike
    '82 GS1100G - SOLD
    '81 GS1100E - Big Red (daily rider)

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      #3
      Originally posted by andmoon View Post
      My 1st valve adjustment and I am thinking of sanding down a shim.

      Do they really need checking every 4K?
      (my vfr has not needed adjustment post 600 mile check)


      I do not mind the adjusting but the running around for new shims is a real pain.

      If the clearances do change almost every valve check interval, my new to me 83 850 and I are not going to get along too well.
      They do get tighter with age...But that doesnt mean that EVERY 4k they're all going to need changed. You may only need to change a couple this time, and maybe next time or the time after that, change a couple you didnt change the first time...etc.

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        #4
        You can try to sand it all you want, but you will be lucky to even scratch the surface. The shims are very hard. Join the GSR shim club.

        Comment


          #5
          It's possible to sand down a shim using wet dry sandpaper but you will be there a while. If you go this route I recommend using a micrometer to measure the shim in various locations to make sure it's flat. Ordering up an intelegent stock from Z1 is far easier and/or look up Ray and join the Shim Club.
          Ed

          To measure is to know.

          Mikuni O-ring Kits For Sale...https://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...ts#post1703182

          Top Newbie Mistakes thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=171846

          Carb rebuild tutorial...https://gsarchive.bwringer.com/mtsac...d_Tutorial.pdf

          KZ750E Rebuild Thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...0-Resurrection

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            #6
            Originally posted by andmoon View Post
            If the clearances do change almost every valve check interval, my new to me 83 850 and I are not going to get along too well.
            Then perhaps you should shop for a bike with hydraulic followers, like the Nighthawk in my sig. Your only other choices are screw adjustment and shim, and neither is 'set and forget'.

            Actually, obtaining and manipulating shims is the easy part. Plenty of people, including me, prefer the shim / bucket arrangement over the screw adjusters that you'd find on a bike like the Bandit in my sig. What I dislike about the GS-style engines is wrestling with the cam cover and cleaning the gasket surface. Other than that, valve adjustment is a piece of cake.

            It's very common for new owners to spend much more time & energy reading up on the procedure than actually doing it. After the first time, it's really just an acceptable nuisance. With a replaceable gasket (which I've never tried, so I can't comment), even that part of the job is history.

            After the first time you do it:

            1) You'll be familiar with how easy it is, and
            2) Your clearances will be more stable, so you'll have to swap or change just a few shims.

            Relax! The water's fine.
            and God said, "Let there be air compressors!"
            __________________________________________________ ______________________
            2009 Suzuki DL650 V-Strom, 2004 HondaPotamus sigpic Git'cha O-ring Kits Here!

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by jjmaag View Post
              You can try to sand it all you want, but you will be lucky to even scratch the surface. The shims are very hard. Join the GSR shim club.
              Quoting Paul Harvey, "And now for the rest of the story."

              The GSR shim club was started by a guy who had access to a machine that could grind down the thickness of a shim.

              It appears to be doing well, but I do not know the details on how the club works. Because of the number of bikes in my garage and the proximity of other GSR members with several bikes (TheCafeKid, N1Elkyfan, Dogma, Buckeyemike and others), I have chosen to maintain my own stock of shims. New shims are available from Z1 for $5.28 each.

              That being said, yes, the clearances do change with use. However, they are more likely to change in the first few thousand miles, then will take a 'set' and not change much for quite a while. We got my wife's '82 850L several years ago with about 41,000 miles on it. I had to change several shims due to lack of maintenance by previous owners (no surprise there), but in the last 20,000 or so miles, I think I have only had to change 3 shims.

              It helps if you have a means to track your clearances and shims at each adjustment, and, oh my, I just happen to have such a tracking tool available.
              Just look at the last part of my sig for info.

              .
              sigpic
              mine: 2000 Honda GoldWing GL1500SE and 1980 GS850G'K' "Junior"
              hers: 1982 GS850GL - "Angel" and 1969 Suzuki T250 Scrambler
              #1 son: 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale 1300 and 1982 GS650GL "Rat Bagger"
              #2 son: 1980 GS1000G
              Family Portrait
              Siblings and Spouses
              Mom's first ride
              Want a copy of my valve adjust spreadsheet for your 2-valve per cylinder engine? Send me an e-mail request (not a PM)
              (Click on my username in the upper-left corner for e-mail info.)

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