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adjusting valves

  • Thread starter Thread starter RotaryRodder
  • Start date Start date
R

RotaryRodder

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Ill be needing to adjust my valves soon and I have ready the clymer manual about it. Just curious if anyone could tell me how difficult it was and what special tools I will need.

Any tips?
 
What year and model are you going to work on??

i've done plenty of car engines, but i'm doing my first adjustment on a motorcycle as we type. 82 gs850 2 valve and it's easy!
 
The hardest parts were:

1. cleaning the valve cover gasket residue off

2. finding the right size shims

make sure you have everything you need ahead of time:

feeler gages (down to 0.3mm or at least 0.4mm)
valve depressor tool
valve cover gasket (I recommend rubber)
torque wrench
some tools to clean off the old gasket (knives,chisels,razors,etc).
 
its an 82 GS1100GKZ

where would i get the valve depressor tool? at the dealer?
 
I got mine at the local Suzuki dealer - it was no more expensive than I found online. ALERT - never turn the camshaft without a shim in the bucket - it gouges the edge of the cam surface.

My advice is to be fairly systematic. Measure all the clearances first and write them down. The shims come in .05 mm increments, and the specs run between .03 and .08 clearance (or whatever your manual sez).

If they are all within spec, great - you're done. Don't try to get everything close to .03 - it just doesn't work that way. Do the math, there is no way to get a .06 clearance to .03.

If they are out of spec, I would determine what the next larger or smaller sizes you need and simply buy them somewhere. You can see the size on the shim, but it is often not readable and you need to meaure. Hopefully, you won't need more than 2 or 3. If it is more, maybe you can swap within the ones you already have. I like to have 2-3 extra shims laying around.

Hope this helps.
 
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......and write down the values you have so in 7500 miles you know what is already in there and can plan for replacing them. Knowing the shim numbers is a good thing.

You can also find sets of shims on ebay for around 20 dollars and trade them with other GSers
 
I got me one of them tools too, from Bike Bandit, but I ain't used it yet. Kinda 'spensive ain't they? I didn't know about shim sets on e-bay; I'd like to have some handy before I put my bike out of service.
 
I got my tool for 18 bucks from www.flatoutmotorcycles.com, from what ive seen they are 25% lower for OEM Suz parts than my local dealer.

I dont know anyone locally, and I want to do this asap. the local Suz dealer told me they have a bunch in stock and they offer a sort of core exchange, ill still have to pay for them of course.
 
I am not sure what you are speaking about when you are discussing valve shims. I have a 1980 1100E and I have taken the springs and valves out in order to clean everything and then but them back in with out any problems. I do not remember haveing to use any shims. Could someone fill me in.

The Beast
 
something like this

MilleniaValveAdjustShim.jpg
 
From what I understand, you've got the TSCC engine, 4 valves per cylinder, with wrench-adjustable valve (clearances?); the 2-per engines use different sizes of shims to keep the clearances within tolerance.
 
Thanks for the Information. I did not think I needed anything but its better to ask than have an engine problem.

The Beast.
 
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