valve shim buckets

[brutaldm]

1982 gs650gl
33k miles

bit of a long story but I'll cut to the chase and explain what's going on after.


I have the engine out of the bike with the valve cover off. Camshafts, tensioner and camshaft journal caps are out of the engine. One of the valve shim buckets came out of the hole it was installed to. (Cylinder #3 EX bucket to be exact.)

How do I get the valve shim bucket back into the hole?

The other 7 buckets are in place and freely spin. I tried putting the bucket onto the top of the valve assembly and tapping it with a rubber mallet. It didn't go in, but I didn't hit it really hard. This is my last impediment before I can do a valve adjustment and reinstall the carbs and get this bike running again.

I've already rebuilt/dipped carbs, redid wiring on bike, installed o-rings on intake boots, resealed airbox. This is my 1st bike and it's a winter fix-er-upper.

[Nessism]

The bucket should slide into the bore in the head and drop down under it's own weight unless you have tons of oil on it. Hitting with a hammer is BAD, real BAD. Shame on you. Most likely the bucket was cocked sideways and your hammering on it might have bent it. Pull that thing back out, clean out all the oil and grit that may be on it, and try sliding it back in. If it doesn't go back in very easily once you have the bucket properly aligned, the bucket is bent or the bore in the head has some burrs. I have a pile of good buckets so drop me a PM if you bent yours with that mallet escapade.

[hikermikem]

I suppose you could always remove an adjacent bucket & see if it goes into the hole you're having trouble with; likewise, you can also try the "suspect" bucket in that other hole. Then you'll know what the problem is, either a bent becket or messed up hole...

good luck

[Redman]

1982 gs650gl
33k miles
...
..... One of the valve shim buckets came out of the hole it was installed to. (Cylinder #3 EX bucket to be exact.)

How do I get the valve shim bucket back into the hole?

The other 7 buckets are in place and freely spin. I tried putting the bucket onto the top of the valve assembly and tapping it with a rubber mallet. It didn't go in, but I didn't hit it really hard. ...
...
....

I have only had buckets out a couple times, but can make some comments.

- how to get back in hole, is like others have said; clean off most of the oil (but not all) from hole and bucket, clean off any grit (that should not have gotten there in first place), inspect to see/feel that there isnt any burr or ding along edge (that may have occured from damge while it was out), hold in place, and make very small adjustments in alignment with the hole, do not jamm or hit or force it at all. If it doesnt go there is a problem.

- the buckets have a very small difference in diamater from the "hole", so would not take much for it not to fit back. Have to hold it straight in line for it to fit. Any little dirt of grit will be enough to cause problems with it fitting. Or any deformation will be a problem, like from dropping it or it getting banged up against something while it was out, and now I suspect from trying to tap it in with a hammer.
- You say that only one came out and needs to be put back. Did you have more than one of them out before? I always keept them in order so that went back in same place they came out of. I dont know if maybe they are custom fit or not, but I always wanted to get them back in same hole they came from.
- Also keep in mind that these need to move freely (like you said the others do) because they do operate at engine rpm divided by 4, so at 6000 rpm that is 25 times per second, and is closed a lot more time that it is open, and needs to follow the profile of the cam.

I like the idea of try swapping with another one, maybe it did come from another hole. Maybe see if one other one seems looser than others. But also am concerned about using the one you have tapped on, so dont loose track of which one that is, and maybe get a replacement for it.

.

[Steve]

-... they do operate at engine rpm divided by 4, so at 6000 rpm that is 25 times per second, ...

When did this happen?

All of my valves operate at engine rpm divided by TWO.

I'll bet that yours do, too.

.

[doctorgonzo]

When did this happen?

All of my valves operate at engine rpm divided by TWO.

I'll bet that yours do, too.

.

Yep, every other time they just get a no fuel/air mix free ride.

I have literally a bag full of these buckets as well, so we've got you covered for sure.

[brutaldm]

The bucket should slide into the bore in the head and drop down under it's own weight unless you have tons of oil on it. Hitting with a hammer is BAD, real BAD. Shame on you.

I removed the old bucket this morning. Lo and behold, it was still straight. Tapping it with the rubber mallet did not bend it at all, thankfully. Cleaned the oil off the bucket, spun it around the valve opening. After like 15 seconds of this, the bucket caught something and fell right into the hole. Rotates freely in both directions. thanks for the help!

[Redman]

When did this happen?

All of my valves operate at engine rpm divided by TWO.

I'll bet that yours do, too.

.

Okay, maybe so. I will investigate further.
I know the spark plug "fires" twice as often than it needs to, just because one coil operates plugs for two cyclinders. But each valve has its own cam. I will look into the specifics of the mechanics.

But in general, the valve buckets do need to move quite freely, so they can follow the cam.

<<Later Note: Doah! an other mental malfunction.
Yes, divide rpm by 2 not 4.
Yes, each valve operates once per the 4 strokes (intake, compression, power, exhuast) of the piston, but those four strokes of the piston are 2 revolutions of the crank. Okay, valve operates once per each two revs of crank.
But I still think that valve operates once per 4 strokes which is why cam turns once per two revs of crank (intake valve open only for intake with some overlap, and exhaust valve only for exhaust with some overlap).

But - either way. THe point is that the valve bucket has to move very freely.

.