Valve clearances and dare one leave iut of tolerance

[ukjules]

(Discussion) 1980 gs550e (standard everything )
(I put discussion at top as if someone
says go read this url and do some work
oneself I'd go nuts)

Anyone who knows of me would know i
bought new engine (refurbed by a obsessive engineer).
The refurb after running in seems to be as
he said so I'm on a winner.

500 miles done , head tightened and checking
the valve clearances .
spec is with 29.5mm shims 0.03-0.08

All valves are back in spec bar 2.
One inlet at 0.09 and
one ex at 1.0.

I ran it and runs fine as you prob expect.

What's think .... do I try and forget two valves
are not in spec or do I have to bite the bullet
and do not the nicest task again .......

I am thinking to block it from my mind
as it wont do any harm will it
at those stats ?

[Sandy]

I'd leave them as is. Better loose tnan tight and they will close up with use and come into spec in a while anyway.

[ukjules]

The relief you have given me ......
I had for my sanity have someone else say that.

[zed1015]

As already mentioned.
A little more clearance won't do any harm.
Better slack than tight as they only get tighter with wear.

[tom203]

I'd leave them as is. Better loose tnan tight and they will close up with use and come into spec in a while anyway.

Me too...always seems one clearance is at or above top

[ukjules]

I noticed when looking for shims (I no longer need )
wemoto was a good place and price for them in uk.

I tell you I'm itching to go on one mad crazy long
ride this summer. Europe again for sure as soon
as the global pandemic subsides . have to be uk tour.

I wish I lived in canada or usa. how can I get my
bike over there to burn about for a season?
in fact forget the question it will always be too expensive.

[Gorminrider]

Buy a bike over here. (You'll need an international driver's licence) Or look harder for transport options. There must be a container with a little space for your bike....Shipping type companies might be a start?DHL?

[bwringer]

Yes, clearances on 8V engines up to .10mm are proven to work just fine. I've done this many times rather than leave a valve near the bottom at .04 or .05.

After you monkey with assorted GSs for a while, you also accumulate a selection of the factory "X" shims in the in-between sizes. "Waste not want not" is Suzuki's motto, so they often installed shims at the factory that were a little fatter than the marked size. These can be very handy for setting clearances just so, but aren't mandatory, and you can't really buy them unless you buy a batch of used shims or find them in a junked cylinder head, or if you're the first to change a shim.

Basically, they are marked with a normal base size, but with an added "X" that means they measure .02 - .03 larger than the marking. So, for example, a 2.70X will measure 2.72 or 2.73.

I found several similar "in-between" shims in my Yamaha when I set valve clearances for the first time, except these were marked with an actual dimension, like 1.96 or 1.82. Again, very handy for getting things just so if the logistics work out favorably so that you can move them around to another valve that happens to need that particular shim. Nice, but not necessary.



I recall at least one (SimonK) and possibly more folks who bought a GS in the US to tour around for a while, then sold it when leaving.

Simon easily won the award for "distance traveled" that year at the Brown County rally in Indiana. Well, he would have won if we were organized enough to give awards...

I have no idea how paperwork, insurance, licenses, and such are handled, and of course you need a trustworthy contact in the states to handle assorted logistics. But it can be done, and used motorcycles tend to be pretty cheap over here.

[ukjules]

Yep agree on the shims and half sizes .
I have a stock but there is always one ......

Good news on the motorbike possibilities.
It would have to be a GS 550 / 750
and I'd buy on east coast. As many will know
I am broke and always have to do things with
extreme value for money. So I'd arrive in some
east coast city with a stack of proven travel gear
looking for a GS to buy. Bike bought
then total freedom. Hiring a bike
is out if the question and being ham
strung by time due to this ruins the event.

Admin , licenses , visa all simple to sort.
I found on my 5000 mile EU tour in 2017 that
when my bike broke down this site saved me
and I continued to post as I went round.
Good chaps on this very site who helped.
(think it was you too ....)
A superb adventure on my 550 in a tent all
over europe. I thoroughly advise !
I get 6 months visa (after pandemic) restrictions
to usa.
A future plan but it is as you , buy the
bike is the way forward for USA.