Valve adjustment results are in!

[turkeyroll60]

OK I just finished my valve clearance measurements on my 82 gs450. The right exhaust measured a clearance of .15mm with a 2.50mm shim installed. The left exhaust was too tight to fit a .03mm feeler gauge into with a 2.70 shim installed. The left intake clearance was a tight .03mm with a 2.65mm shim installed. When I say tight I mean I had a little struggle to get the gauge to slide thru. It bowed up a couple of times but by wiggling it from side to side it fit. The right intake clearance was too tight to fit a .03mm feeler gauge into and the shim installed had no identifying numbers for me to see what was there and I had no micrometer to figure it out at the time. I used Steve's valve spreadsheet to figure out what shims I needed and it recommended a 2.60mm shim for the right exhaust, a 2.65 shim for the left exhaust, a 2.60mm shim for the left intake and no recommended shim for the right intake due to me not being able to input a value. I ordered four 2.60mm shims from Z1 and am hoping that the right intake will work. If not them back to waiting for more shims in the mail. I figure I will check the cam timing and start a carb rebuild while I have the bike apart. I will keep the forum posted. Thanks for listening.

[Steve]

Could have bought TWO 2.60 shims. Put one where the 2.65 is, move the 2.65 to where the 2.70 is. Put the other 2.60 where the 2.50 is, put the 2.50 in where the unmarked shim is and measure the clearance. Put those numbers in the spreadsheet and go for round two.

Or, you can spend the $10 at Harbor Freight for a set of calipers. With shipping, they would cost about as much as your other two shims.

.

[turkeyroll60]

Thanks Steve. I didn't even think of trying to put a marked shim in the unknown shims spot since I was using the zip tie method. I read a post here where some guy broke a piece of the zip tie off and it fell into the cylinder! I didn't want to deal with that so I got the measurements with as little zip tying as possible. It is a process and I am learning. The biggest accomplishment is that I didn't mess anything up beyond repair or cost myself anymore money than the twenty some bucks I spent for the shims. I will get better at it. A trip to Harbor Freight may be in order today as well. Your valve spreadsheet is awesome. Thank you for yours and everyones selfless contributions to newbies like me.

[Steve]

Thanks Steve. I didn't even think of trying to put a marked shim in the unknown shims spot since I was using the zip tie method.

Just make sure you do that AFTER you get your new shims. You don't want to rotate the engine unless ALL shims are in place, you can damage the cam lobe.

Even if you put one of your 2.60s in there for a place holder, you need something in every shim position.
Some guys have been known to use US Dollar coins, as they are about the right thickness and softer than the cam, so they won't damage anything.

I read a post here where some guy broke a piece of the zip tie off and it fell into the cylinder! I didn't want to deal with that so I got the measurements with as little zip tying as possible.

Not sure which post you read, but if it involved TheCafeKid, I was there, too. In all the valve adjustments I have done, that has only happened ONCE, and it was with one of the first ones. We have learned since then how to do it better, and that is what we recommend now.

The "better" method is to have the zip-tie folded over and put the folded-over end under the edge of the valve. In the rare chance that the zip-tie does get cut, it will only go though one side of the fold, and nothing will come of. I have found that the same zip-tie is good for about half a dozen valve adjustments (if you can keep track of the same zip-tie that long).

Your valve spreadsheet is awesome. Thank you for yours and everyones selfless contributions to newbies like me.

Thanks, that's why we are here.

.

[pete]

I gotta say I actually enjoy doing valve adjustments... it's a nice simple process that one cable tie and one computer with Steve's spreadsheet makes very quick and easy

Oh, and having a 450 with only 4 valves makes it even quicker too

[7981GS]

You don't want to rotate the engine unless ALL shims are in place, you can damage the cam lobe.

How does it do that?
I would think that it might damage the lip of the bucket but not the hardened cam lobe.


Daniel

[pete]

How does it do that?
I would think that it might damage the lip of the bucket but not the hardened cam lobe.


Daniel

Actually someone did post a photo once of a nicely scored cam lobe from doing just that

[Steve]

How does it do that?
I would think that it might damage the lip of the bucket but not the hardened cam lobe.

Just because it is hardened does not mean it can't be damaged.

Yes, it is hardened so that pressure over a large area will not affect it, but try dragging the edge of the lobe over the edge of the bucket lip and see which one flakes off.

.

[turkeyroll60]

Which will flake off first, the lobe or the bucket? I dont wanna try this but am interested.

[chuck hahn]

Some of the edge casting slag will chip off the lobe but generally the faces of the lobes dont get scared up.

[Steve]

True, the faces will still lift (depress) the buckets, but just where did those chips go?



.

[turkeyroll60]

oof.....I dont need that in the engine. I am getting impatient waiting for my new shims to come in. I wanna go for a ride soon and test it out. Then once I get that out of my system I am going to rebuild the carbs. I got the kit from Cycleorings.com and am waitng on some float bowl gaskets as well. After the carbs are built I will replace the shift shaft oil gasket and the clutch cable. From there I wanna ride it and eventual do a complete tear down to repaint and restore everything. I think the 450 will make a cool looking cafe bike......