Valve Adjustments

[BassCliff]

Hi,

Nice work! Yes, .07mm is a good place to be.

You might want to look into the GS Valve Shim Club and see if you can swap your larger shims for some smaller ones. This is a service provided by Mr. Ghostgs1 and could save you from spending $5.28 each for shims (from z1enterprises.com). It's up to you. I don't mind buying shims so that I can have them on hand ahead of time.

Keep up the good work and keep us informed.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[jwebfournow]

This is getting to be fun!! Wow a shim club. How do I join! I have 1 shim that says it is a 2.55 but in all actuality it is a 2.53 after measuring with calipars a dozen times to be sure, for that one I need a 2.48mm, then I need 2 2.50mm, all the other shims I have as measured by calipars are right on the stated shim specs. Looks like from the shim supply there are no 2.48's so I guess I'll have to settle for 3 2.50's

[BassCliff]

This is getting to be fun!! Wow a shim club. How do I join!

Hi,

Click the GS Shim Club link in my previous post and send a Private Message to Ghostgs1.

Yeah, sometimes the size that's marked is not exact. Usually those marked with an "x" (i.e. 2.55x) are a little bigger than what is labeled. Those odd sizes are handy for really dialing in your clearances.

Sure, you could go with a 2.50mm (instead of a 2.48mm) and have a .05mm gap instead of a .07mm gap. But I would put in a 2.45mm shim and see if that gave me a .09mm or .10mm gap. If so, I'd run it that way. It would be a while before you would have to change that shim again. (But check it every 4000 miles anyway.)

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[apogeecustom]

I just thought I would add my two cents to the shim tool since I just did my valves and started out with the tool slipping all over the place, as seen in the noted video and also as decribed by others.

If you set yourself up to have the crankshaft easily rotatable, by removing the signal generator cover and having a 19mm socket ready, you can easily depress the valve you are working on with the cam lobe, slip the tool into position and rotate the crank until the bucket meets your tool. I had zero slips doing it this way and it was very quick. The tool is actually designed to press up tight against certain ridges on the shaft so its not even like you need to have a feel for placement, just press up tight until it cant slide anymore and close the valve.

[mike10]

Are shims the only adjustment?

There's no other adjustments other than shims right? I'm trying to work up the nerve to check the valves on my 2005 GS500. I bought it new and had the shop do it the first 2 times. It looks to me like the valve cover has never been off. It has a little more than 15,000 miles on. I have a clymer manual for it. Anything I need to watch out for? Thanks

[BassCliff]

There's no other adjustments other than shims right? I'm trying to work up the nerve to check the valves on my 2005 GS500. I bought it new and had the shop do it the first 2 times. It looks to me like the valve cover has never been off. It has a little more than 15,000 miles on. I have a clymer manual for it. Anything I need to watch out for? Thanks

Hi,

This should just about cover it...

Valve Adjustment Video

It's a video about adjusting the valves in a GS500. The principle applies to all shim-under-bucket GS motors. Check out the valve adjustment guide on my website too.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[jwebfournow]

I'm back, so finally snail mail delivers the shims that GHOSTGS1 sent me, took about 15 days to get to me from Colorado to Ca. I start changin shims around and still gonna have to get a couple more from shim club, apparently my guestimate of .03mm, since my feeler gauge only goes down to .04mm was wrong. had to drop down a couple of sizes on two valves instead of 1 size. Hopefully this time snail mail will be like a rabbit instead. I was just about to order some shims from Z1 this afternoon.

[mike10]

Mr. BassCliff

Thank You, for the Valve adjustment info.

[DPage]

+1 on the zip-tie method of shim extraction. Last weekend I used a ten cent zip-tie tool after fumbling around with with $25 dedicated tool for about 2 hours. Mr. Matchless, you are a genius, the zip-tie method is so easy and foolproof a 5 year old could do it.

Also, I am definitely joining the Shim Club. I was in a hurry to get on the road, so went to the dealership and paid $12 per shim, what a rip. At least I'll be able to ride tomorrow.

[Steve]

... went to the dealership and paid $12 per shim, what a rip.

Unfortunately, that is rather typical. I have seen $11-15 at dealers, and sometimes you are actually dipping into their stash of used shims and exchanging yours.

Z1 is far better at $5.28 and I have found a couple of the other suppliers that have them for three dollars and some change.

.

[sscott]

I preferr talk like "guestimate", "slappy" and my all time favorite, SWAG.