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GS Tune-Up Tools?

  • Thread starter Thread starter JMHJ
  • Start date Start date
J

JMHJ

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Any suggestions on the best place to get decently-priced specialty tools specific to valve-clearance adjustment and carburetor balancing?

I've not done my homework and checked around anywhere yet, except through the Suzuki dealer using suggested tool part #s in the Clymer manual. Too expensive!

Any suggestions to do, or pitfalls to avoid when attempting these two items at home?

Thanks,

Mike
 
Im in the same boat. Its starting to get cold here so its time to start working on the old beast.
 
duaneage, do you have a brother-in-law in the parts dept at http://www.casporttouring.com/ ? When I checked their pricing, it was in the neighborhood of $49.00... which is what I paid for the exact same item Including freight from ronayers.com. *Sigh* My wallet makes most of my decisions for me...

I do agree that the carb synchronizer, good volt-ohmmetter and a set of feeler gauges are the best place to begin with for specialty tools. It can't hurt to spend a few hours reading over some of the tech articles here on this website as well. The best "specialty tool" available:)

I dunno if you could exactly refer to a set of SpeedBleeders? a specialty tool or just a plain replacement part, but they're slicker'n snot on a glass doorknob at helping to bleed brakes. (Can ya tell I'm a proud new owner of Speedbleeders?)
 
well they used to be 39 dollars, but no more.

no I don't know anyone in the motorcycle parts biz. that is why i take old bikes apart for parts.
 
I just had a thought... If I were to buy up old 'Zuki manuals, and part them out one page at a time, for a nickel a sheet.... ("Duaneage, I'll cut you in for 3.6% of the net for the idea").
 
I already have a factory 650G manual so I won't be interested.
Some bozos on eBay sell photocopies and downloads of manuals for JBL speakers that are available for free from JBL's website. Sad to think they make money and get away with it.
 
motion pro is a good spot for the tappet depressor.


For other specialty tools, there are so many choices on the net that are comparable, that i cant mention any :oops:
 
Thanks. I checked out the CA Touring site, and also looked at Bike Bandit, and Dennis Kirk. Comparable prices for about the same stuff.

The book says the acceptable clearance for the valves is .03-.08mm. I'll check the auto parts stores for a good comprehensive set of feeler guages.

Mike
 
The .001" gauge can be hard to find. you need .001 and .002 and preferably .0015 for the job.
Motorcycle shops might have them.
 
For sure. I had to have Mac Tools order a set. The price was rediculous, but at least it will be a long time before theyre worn out. :-)

Earl

duaneage said:
The .001" gauge can be hard to find. you need .001 and .002 and preferably .0015 for the job.
Motorcycle shops might have them.
Click to expand...
 
I'd like to spring for the Suzuki feeler guage set, since Clymer says it has some sizes not commonly found elsewhere, but the part number given by Clymer (09900-20803) isn't good, according to a local Suzuki dealer.
 
I found my set of metric feeler gauges at the local Pep Boys. I've also seen them at Advance Auto. They only go down to .04mm, but if the .04mm guage doesn't fit, there's no way on earth I'm letting a valve sit at .03mm anyway.

Don't screw around with inches. It's too easy to mess up and do serious damage -- I've seen several posts in this forum from people totally confused by trying to think in inches.

You can get the valve tool at Cycle Recycle II for $32.95:
http://crc2onlinecatalog.com

I have no idea if you can get the tool cheaper anywhere else. It's gone up a couple bucks since I got mine, but CRC2 is an outstanding place that deserves our support. (No brother-in-law there, though. I just love the place!)
 
I picked up a 32-pc feeler guage set this afternoon at O'Reilly's for $6. The smallest four are .038, .051, .064, and .076mm. I'm hoping this set will work for me. I have yet to order anything else, but might do that tonight. Thanks for the input.
 
JMHJ said:
...The book says the acceptable clearance for the valves is .03-.08mm....
Mike
Click to expand...

Are you certain this is correct? It doesn't sound right to me. .03mm is just over .001 inch, dangerously close to no clearance at all. .08mm is just over .003 inch.8O

My '80 GS1100ET clearance is specified at 9-12mm (factory manual) or 9-13mm (Clymer manual), or .004-.005 inch. Why would your bike have such low clearances for the valves?

Or as bwringer has warned about, did you confuse mm with inches? :?:
 
Bikes with shim valve adjustments (round cam end cap - 8 valve 4 cylinder models and 4 valve 2 cylinder models) use clearances .03mm - .08mm. And yes, .03mm is a very, very thin gap.

Bikes with screw and locknut type adjusters (square cam end cap - 16v models), use different clearances. I dunno what, but they are likely larger.

Using inch measurements is an extremely bad and confusing idea when dealing with metric motorcycles -- metric feeler gauges are widely and easily available, so it's well worth spending the measly $5 on a metric set.
 
Thanks, bwringer, that explains it. :)

My 16 valve bike uses the screw and locknut setup, so I was used to the larger clearances.

Your admonition about mixing metric and inch measurements is very good advice, since even the "rocket scientists" screw up with improper conversions such as the pathetic Mars Mission's Metric Mixup which caused the $94 million Mars Climate Orbiter spacecraft to be lost. :cry:
 
Clymer gives the clearance limits in both mm and inches - .0012-.0031". Most of the guage sets didn't even go that small. Since I've got the shim deal, I guess I get to take the measurements, then order whatever new shims I need and wait a week or so for them to come in. :?
 
Clymer gives the clearance limits in both mm and inches - .0012-.0031". Most of the guage sets didn't even go that small. Since I've got the shim deal, I guess I get to take the measurements, then order whatever new shims I need and wait a week or so for them to come in. :?
 
Don't get discouraged about waiting for new shims to arrive!

After several years of valve adjustments and scavenging, you start to build up a little collection of shims. I haven't needed to buy a new shim for a couple of years.

Cycle Recycle II is only about 25 minutes from my office and they have new shims for $5 each. Whenever I make the trip, I sometimes buy an extra shim or two to fill in gaps in my collection.
 
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