Shim shrapnel

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  • railtrumpet
    • Feb 2026

    #1

    Shim shrapnel

    Hi all. My first post but I've already gleaned an encyclopedias worth of knowledge here.

    Anyway, I was tuning my 450 on the center stand and accidentally over revved her to about 10,500. Red line is 9500 for a reason... Post apocalyptic inventory is 1 bent intake valve, 1 shattered shim, and 2 damaged cams. I feel lucky after seeing pics of others explosions.

    The only problem is I can't find all the shrapnel.
    2016-09-03 12.04.56.jpg

    I've removed the head, cylinders, pan, and oil filter and probed as much as possible with my magnetic wand. Should I remove the side covers? It seems to me that those are pretty separate from the main crank area and unlikely that heavy metal chunks would float to another chamber. I don't like the idea but I'm thinking I should just put in a magnetic drain plug and let it and the filter do the job. I'm just leery of doing more damage with those pieces still in there.

    What do you all think? Let it be or dig further? All options and opinions welcome.
  • thebusdweller

    #2
    I would never leave debris in an engine, nothing good can come from it, Tom

    Comment

    • TeamDar
      Forum Sage
      Past Site Supporter
      • Nov 2008
      • 1137
      • St. Louis, MO

      #3
      Looks like another non-OEM shim failure.

      Comment

      • Agemax
        Forum Guru
        • Apr 2008
        • 8371
        • plymouth uk

        #4
        keep searching and probing with the magnet, remove covers if necessary. try slowly rotating engine while probing with magnet. i would not start it up until you have found all the pieces.
        1978 GS1085.

        Just remember, an opinion without 3.14 is just an onion!

        Comment

        • Steve
          GS Whisperer
          • Jun 2005
          • 35925
          • southwest oHIo

          #5
          I had a similar situation with my Kawasaki. It was due to a slipped "special tool" and not a case of over-revving, though.

          After probing the oil pools around the shim buckets, I found enough pieces that I was comfortable continuing with the valve adjustment process.





          When anybody tries to tell me how easy it is to use the Suzuki "special tool" to remove the shims, I show these pictures and say "no, thanks" and continue using my zip-tie to hold the valve open.

          .
          sigpic
          mine: 2000 Honda GoldWing GL1500SE and 1980 GS850G'K' "Junior"
          hers: 1982 GS850GL - "Angel" and 1969 Suzuki T250 Scrambler
          #1 son: 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale 1300 and 1982 GS650GL "Rat Bagger"
          #2 son: 1980 GS1000G
          Family Portrait
          Siblings and Spouses
          Mom's first ride
          Want a copy of my valve adjust spreadsheet for your 2-valve per cylinder engine? Send me an e-mail request (not a PM)
          (Click on my username in the upper-left corner for e-mail info.)

          Comment

          • railtrumpet

            #6
            Non OEM indeed. That shim was purchased from Z1 in 2013; probably from the bad batch. Another lesson learned.

            The zip-tie method is elegant and the method I prefer. Why would one need a tool when a little ingenuity works just as well or better.

            More probing found a locator pin but that's it. I was hoping for a tip or trick or special place that all the little pieces end up.

            So, onward and inward, side cover removal coming up. Or maybe I'll have my linebacker nephew pick it up and shake it like a bottle of ketchup.

            Comment

            • Oldman99

              #7
              Found the bottom half of the engine case on ebay, so you could have a better idea of where your looking. I used this same picture not 3 days ago when I dropped one of the washers(copper) from the head nuts down the cam chain hole. Good luck!

              s-l500.jpg

              Comment

              • GregT
                Forum Sage
                • Jul 2009
                • 3541
                • New Zealand

                #8
                Pull the alternator cover - and i'd probably pull the rotor too as any magnetic shrapnel could finish up inside.
                Pull the clutch and primary cover - and the clutch. I've found rubbish in behind the clutch before...

                Comment

                • Agemax
                  Forum Guru
                  • Apr 2008
                  • 8371
                  • plymouth uk

                  #9
                  I would like to know how you "accidentally" revved it to 10.5k while "tuning" it on the stand?
                  1978 GS1085.

                  Just remember, an opinion without 3.14 is just an onion!

                  Comment

                  • tatu
                    Forum Sage
                    Past Site Supporter
                    • Jun 2010
                    • 3175
                    • UK

                    #10
                    Middle 'C'?
                    sigpic

                    Don't say can't, as anything is possible with time and effort, but, if you don't have time things get tougher and require more effort.

                    Comment

                    • Guest

                      #11
                      Originally posted by tatu
                      Middle 'C'?
                      But you have to B sharp to catch it in time.

                      Comment

                      • tatu
                        Forum Sage
                        Past Site Supporter
                        • Jun 2010
                        • 3175
                        • UK

                        #12
                        Originally posted by John Park
                        But you have to B sharp to catch it in time.
                        Now its A flat
                        sigpic

                        Don't say can't, as anything is possible with time and effort, but, if you don't have time things get tougher and require more effort.

                        Comment

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