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**KEITH KRAUSE** · 11-03-2003, 04:24 PM

Originally posted by AOD

hmmn...i would be interested in taking you up on that in two weeks Joe. i'd have to get tires here by next weekend (so i could drop them off here at the girlfriends, and an valve cover gasket... i'm going to pull the side covers off and make sure those aren't leaking.

Ryan, what other things do i need if we were going to check the valve clearances? This is WAY uncharted waters for me...

possible for the 15/16th?

~Adam

Adam, just in case you did'nt know, if your valve clearances need adjusting, you need the special tool to remove the shims.
You may also need various sizes of shims.
Also, the motor needs to be stone cold when you take measurments.
Overnight is probably OK, but I actually wait 'til the next day (overkill?)

**AOD** · 11-03-2003, 04:29 PM

aren't the rockers or whatever is being measured made out of steel? steel's thermal expansion is VERY small, compared to that of aluminum. I dont know if i can let it sit ALL night...if i'm taking it to a friends to work on. we could put a fan on it and let it sit a few hours.

I may have to trailer the bike there in the end, which would work out okay for that.

Joe or Ryan, do you have the shim tool Keith was talking about? I believe the shimming is different from the 8 valves and 16 valves, right?

**mdole** · 11-03-2003, 04:42 PM

Originally posted by AOD

aren't the rockers or whatever is being measured made out of steel? steel's thermal expansion is VERY small, compared to that of aluminum. I dont know if i can let it sit ALL night...if i'm taking it to a friends to work on. we could put a fan on it and let it sit a few hours.

I may have to trailer the bike there in the end, which would work out okay for that.

Joe or Ryan, do you have the shim tool Keith was talking about? I believe the shimming is different from the 8 valves and 16 valves, right?

I'm not sure which bikes you are talking about but my 81 750 16 valve is screw and locknut adjusters.

Mike

**AOD** · 11-03-2003, 04:47 PM

talking about 8 valve motors here...

**KEITH KRAUSE** · 11-03-2003, 05:50 PM

Originally posted by AOD

aren't the rockers or whatever is being measured made out of steel? steel's thermal expansion is VERY small, compared to that of aluminum. I dont know if i can let it sit ALL night...if i'm taking it to a friends to work on. we could put a fan on it and let it sit a few hours.

I may have to trailer the bike there in the end, which would work out okay for that.

Joe or Ryan, do you have the shim tool Keith was talking about? I believe the shimming is different from the 8 valves and 16 valves, right?

Adam, my '79 8 valve 1000 has shims under buckets (needs the tool) I
don't believe your '79 550 is any different.
DO YOURSELF A FAVOR, don't check your valve clearances unless the motor is stone cold. A few hours in front of a fan is useless. The engine retains heat much longer than you may imagine and the bike MUST sit overnight to take accurate reads. The metals used in the valvetrain do expand, not like aluminum, but they retain their heat much longer than aluminum. So they take much longer to lose all heat.

**AOD** · 11-03-2003, 05:54 PM

i guess trailering the bike to my friends is the only option then. :?

i'm not even sure any of IL'ers have the tool...how much was it to get? what kind of shims do i need to purchase too?

i'll read through my Suzuki repair manual tonight about valve adjustments.

**KEITH KRAUSE** · 11-03-2003, 06:10 PM

The last I know of, the tool was about $30, in 1980. For Genuine Suzuki.
The shims come in various thicknesses. There are several. You can sometimes swap the existing shims around on the bike, if you're lucky.
Sometimes you find they are all within spec' and you don't need to change any of them. If you hear some "ticking or clicking" going on from the valve area, you may have to adjust with thicker shims. If your valves are too tight, you won't hear anything but you can burn up a valve.

**AOD** · 11-03-2003, 06:15 PM

i think my engine is loud because the exhaust gaskets need to be changed...

Joe, Ryan, have you guys done a valve adjustment before? 8O

~Adam

**Joe Nardy** · 11-03-2003, 06:55 PM

Adam,

I have done valve adjustment on screw type adjusters only. The procedure is similar for shim type adjustment. You position the cams at a specific place (Low part of the lobe) and measure the gap between the cam and the follower (screw type) or shim/bucket. If the gap needs to be adjusted you either adjust the screw or out in a thicker of thinner shim.

Also, I agree completely that the engine must be COLD. You're only looking at gaps of a couple thousandths of an inch so it doesn't take much to throw them off. You can leave the bike at my house overnight or even for a couple days if you need to.

Keith,

Are the 8 valve GS engines shim under bucket or shim over bucket? I thought they were shim over. If they're shim under you would have to remove the cams to get at the shims, wouldn't you?

Thanks,
Joe

**AOD** · 11-03-2003, 08:29 PM

i'm waiting to hear if Ryan has the tool for valves...if not i'll have to pick one up.

what kind of shims do i need exactly? i'll go to the Suzuki dealer and ask them...i just need to know what kind.

~Adam

**KEITH KRAUSE** · 11-03-2003, 08:38 PM

Joe, the 8 valve are shims OVER buckets as you said. I was typing faster than I was thinking, so you got me.
You know, this is quite an historic moment, my last mistake was back in the 70's. 8O

Adam, just to add info, there are 20 different size shims. They are in increments of .05 mm. Before doing the job, I would check with your dealer to see if they have them all in stock. If they don't, then it could take several days to get 'em in. This is a job you can't buy the parts for in advance. Only after you have it apart, will you know which one(s) you'll need.

**Joe Nardy** · 11-03-2003, 08:52 PM

Adam,

It's a good thing you're an engineering student because this requires MATH! You measure the gap for any given valve. If the gap is out of spec you remove the shim and check it's thickness. The thickness should be printed on the shim but sometimes it is hard to read or worn off. The most accurate method would be to use a micrometer to measure the shim. Using the measured gap, the shim thickness, and the desired gap, you calculate the shim thickness you need. As Keith said, sometimes you can swap shims around to get all the valves within spec. It might be a good idea to do yours, Ryan's, and maybe even Domino's at the same time to increase the odds of having the correct shims to get everyone's valves in spec.

Joe

**Anonymous** · 11-03-2003, 08:58 PM

Originally posted by Joe Nardy

It might be a good idea to do yours, Ryan's, and maybe even Domino's at the same time to increase the odds of having the correct shims to get everyone's valves in spec.

Joe

....I agree, but in order of the oldest/cleanest 550 to newer/less clean.....OK? Hahahaha....

**Joe Nardy** · 11-03-2003, 09:16 PM

Or maybe we'll go from noisiest to quietest! OOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

ZING!

**KEITH KRAUSE** · 11-03-2003, 10:05 PM

I don't know, putting you guys in a garage with all that beer...
I think the shims are gonna hit the fan!

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