Valve shim tool not working. my ignorance or problem tool?

[Anonymous]

Well, I started my first valve adjustment on my gs550 since my compression was really low and one of my pipes was turning blue. Looks like at least four of my valves were below allowable clearance (below .03?) and one seemed to have no clearance at all (the one running to the blued pipe). So I bought a motion pro suzuki tool from bike bandit which stated that it works on a gs550 here http://bikebandit.com/partsbandit/pr..._id~792281.asp

The problem is the part that pushes down the 'seat?' around the shim was also covering part of the shim itself so i couldn't pull it out. I tried this on mutiple valves being very careful to push the tool all the way to the edge but it just seems like the part of the tool that makes contact with the seat was to darn wide. So I ground down the edges (hopefully not a huge mistake) and was able to pull one shim out but had to force it back in because the tool was still covering a small portion of the shim seat. Am I really confused or do you all think I got an incorrect/defective tool? Any advice or workarounds would be great cause I want to get back riding asap.

:roll:

[SqDancerLynn1]

It's a little tricky at first till you get the hang of it. Have to just get the edge

[Anonymous]

rool

You will notice there is a raised ridge in the center of the tool and a edge on each side along the raised ridge. the ridge is a guide that goes along side the shim bucket, and the shouldered edge is what catchs the lip of the bucket and depresses it

[Anonymous]

ahhh. I was under the impression that it was the ridge that pushed down the shim bucket. that makes sense. My clymer manual doesn't really go into the use of the tool at all. So I assume I should have the lobe pointed away from the shim bucket when removing the shim right?

[feelergaugephil]

Tool

I have the actual Suzuki shim tool...... I believe it works on all the GS's. If you can't work it out with the tool you have, get back with me and I will let you borrow it. Phil

[Anonymous]

tool

you are right johnbot

[Anonymous]

thanks everyone for the great info. However, could you tell me if this clymer manual image is incorrect since it specifically shows the ridge of the shim tool as the part that pushes the shim bucket down. So is it the ridge or the side of the tool that should be pushing it down? And thanks feelerguage... i may have to take you up on that unless someone from around pasadena or downtown la has the same shim tool? I'll let you know and will send you some beer etc. Here is the pic

[Anonymous]

shim

You can do it that way, but the way I told you will work better I use the motion pro tool, if you have a thick shim using the center will make it very hard to get the shim out, by laying it up agaisnt the ridge as a guide against the bucket you have full acesss to the shim and you can compress the bucket enough to have it stay in place hands free, I bet when your using the tool center that it is poping off the lip of the bucket, the very small tapper on the end of the bucket is only about 1/3 the width of the available edge on the tool, if you use the center of the tool be sure you have the center ridge clear of the shim,

[SqDancerLynn1]

I'm in pomona! Not too far away If you get stuck

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the tip Gee-s-is. Hey SqDancerLynn1, that's pretty close! If I go crazy this weekend on my second attempt maybe I can borrow your tool or buy you some beer, food etc to show me how to do this? hehe You probably know wayyyy more about the gs than I do....
8)