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Checking Valve Clearances: Near Disaster?

  • Thread starter Thread starter ekabil
  • Start date Start date
Ekabil I am only thinking of how my bike is set up.
I removed my caps with a good socket and a breaker bar. A short sharp crack beats a slow load up on a bolt.

I removed them in a pattern in order to relieve the load on the bolts in a relatively equal pattern.

I noted that the cam lobes would prevent me from loosening the caps where ever the cam lobes were contacting the followers on anywhere bu the heel

I simply rotated the cams by hand in order to place the lobe and its heel where ever the resistance was greatest in turning the bolts.

My unit has threaded adjusters though.
You mentioned that there was still no clearance so rotating may score your cam lobes. Someone else can chime in and say more on this. Do not rotates them if there is a chance of damage.
 
ekabil said:
so how exactly should the cams be positioned to relieve the pressure?

Edit: the manual doesn't say anything about it
Click to expand...

Just crack every bolt loose and then back them out by hand with a 1/4" drive ratchet.
You will see which ones are under pressure at the given cam location.
Unbolt accordingly.
I set the cams at TDC before doing any removal.
Don't forget to remove the cam chain tensioner FIRST before unbolting the caps.

Eric
 
Use the vice grip to hold the cams down while the bolts are removed, just like the picture in the Suzuki manual. There is no stress on the bearing surfaces or the bolts that way.
 
1. no vice grips
2. what is a "follower" - do you mean that I should remove the bolts when the cams are in the same position as when checking clearences? ie minimize contact with the bucket?

at this time there is one shim in the engine. Thats why it will be tough to rotate it without causing damage. But I think it might be possible to put shims in where I can right now, and then rotate so that those valves are the ones compressed, then add more shims, etc.
 
Don't rotate your engine again! There should be a pattern for bolt removal in the manual, there is a certain order you should break them loose to prevent tension on the cams. The visegrip idea is to take tension off the cams. It is real possible you may have bent valves. take your time, read the manual, or try to find someone to help you. terrylee
 
This thread is turning into an exasperation festival

Ekabil cease despair and if possible post some pics with the engine top end in it current state.

The world is not ending and the chicken little types need to help or stfu.
 
There's no mention of a pattern in the manual. It's a clymer. I'll get some pics tomorrow when I try to bust those bolts loose again.
 
What are you talking about dude. Getting the cams off to inspect and clean the valves and buckets is the plan is it not? So I took off the cam chain tensioner and the next step is those covers.

And i super appreciate yalls help but why are you gonna post something like "oh man you are probably ****ed" or "this is scary" I mean trust me however much it scares you it's ten times worse for me right?

So I'll just get pictures and not touch anything. I heard we are supposed to use photobucket. To post pictures. So once I make that I just link the pictures?
 
Kent has mad skillz, but he's a complete sociopath. Ignore him. In case you weren't certain, Nessim and 90125GS also have mad skillz, listen to them. I don't mean to slight anyone else here, we have many many knowledgeable and helpful members here.

P.S. I'm just a neophyte, if I say something and Nessim contradicts me, listen to HIM.
 
Tom is correct about Suzuki recommending the use of Vice Grips to hold down the cam. I use this method when installing the cams, but not removing them, but it wouldn't hurt to do so assuming there is room.

I suspect you scored the edges of your cam lobes pretty good, and generated some metal debris. A few different people here have done the same thing and the cams, while somewhat damaged, ran fine afterwards. What to do is your call. Good used cams are easy enough to find, and cheap, so don't loose a lot of sleep either way. The 8V 750/850/1000/1100 cams all interchange so there is a lot of stock floating around.
 
Last edited:
Is close visual examination of the lobe faces enough to verify they are okay? I'm assuming when people worry about bend valves the concern is that the lobe tips come down and bend the valves - I guess that could damage the lobe in a bad way. Is there enough reach to achieve contact without the shim and bucket in place though?
 
ekabil said:
What are you talking about dude. Getting the cams off to inspect and clean the valves and buckets is the plan is it not? So I took off the cam chain tensioner and the next step is those covers.

And i super appreciate yalls help but why are you gonna post something like "oh man you are probably ****ed" or "this is scary" I mean trust me however much it scares you it's ten times worse for me right?

So I'll just get pictures and not touch anything. I heard we are supposed to use photobucket. To post pictures. So once I make that I just link the pictures?
Click to expand...

I think people are trying to save your bike from yourself. Not busting balls but I think this is getting outside your skill level a little bit and we are scared for your engine:eek:

Can someone close to this guy's location stop by to help?
 
Allie said:
Is close visual examination of the lobe faces enough to verify they are okay? I'm assuming when people worry about bend valves the concern is that the lobe tips come down and bend the valves - I guess that could damage the lobe in a bad way. Is there enough reach to achieve contact without the shim and bucket in place though?
Click to expand...


Allie,

You can't bend valves by not having shims installed. No worry there. The only issue is the cam scoring and resulting metal debris.
 
Nessism said:
Allie,

You can't bend valves by not having shims installed. No worry there. The only issue is the cam scoring and resulting metal debris.
Click to expand...

And as you said earlier Ed, just to try and reassure ekabil, very often it's nothing to get too worried about - this position is easily recoverable.
 
thank you nessism and hampshirehog for your reassurances. I think its recoverable too, I am hoping not to have to install new cams because that is definitely out of my skills. but taking covers off, cleaning cams, smoothing them if necessary, that I think I can handle. this afternoon Ill take pictures if it isnt raining
 
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