GS650 Valve Adjustment Feeler Gauge Question

[GodSilla650]

I am feeling pretty dumb right now and just want to double check before I order my shims. My main question is which number on the feeler gauge is in mm? The 2 valves that I believe need adjustment wouldn't even allow the thinnest feeler gauge I have ( .0387 ).

Here are my numbers:

Intake- 1) .051 -.076 2) .038 - .051 3) .051 - .076 4) .051 - .076

Exhaust 1) <.0387 2) .051 - .076 3) <.0387 4) .038 -.051

Shim Thickness
1) 2.78mm 3) 2.75mm

First off I want to make sure my measurements were indeed in mm because the feeler gauge had 2 sets of numbers.

If my numbers are correct then only the exhaust valves #1 and #3 need to be adjusted.


Here is the big mystery the spec is .03-.08 clearance. My #1 shim is 2.78. I would think I would want to subtract .05mm from this to be within spec which would mean that I need a 2.72mm shim however when checking the chart in the manual it says that if you have 0-.02mm clearance you need a 2.35mm shim.

Can anyone clear this up for me? Am I doing my math wrong or is there something that I don't know here?


Thanks.

 

[huntb]

Not sure what book you are using but how would the book know what shim you had in there originally? You are correct in your assumption of needing the 2.72mm shim

 

[GodSilla650]

Not sure what book you are using but how would the book know what shim you had in there originally? You are correct in your assumption of needing the 2.72mm shim

It is the GS650G manual off of BikeCliff's site. There is a chart pairing clearances with shims needed. I might be reading it incorrectly though. There are several columns but only one is highlighted so I assumed that was for the 650.

 

[GodSilla650]

http://www.mtsac.edu/~cliff/storage/gs/

Its Page 28 of the file GS650GManual.pdf

 

[Chris G]

You sure your gauges are metric and not imperial ?

 

[Missile99]

Your feeler gauges have some weird numbers on them but it appears to be precise metric if you can fit the .0387 and next one up under your shims. A .0387 inch feeler gauge probably wouldn't fit under your lobes even if the cams weren't in the correct position. Most feeler gauges will be labeled .03mm or say .001 inch and so on.

Your #1 exhaust needs 2.72 but if ordering you'll buy a 2.70. I'm not sure if our shim club has measured each one with numbers to their exact size (marked 2.70, actual 2.69) but this would allow fine tuning. It's not necessary to worry and better to be over the top spec (.09-.12 mm) than low and won't hurt a thing.

 

[Chris G]

I've never seen gauges that read as you mention also the part about which reading on the gauges is metric you able to put up a pic of these gauges.

 

[lemonshindig]

Sounds like you have a standard inch feeler gauge (increments of .001", usually) that has the equivalent mm stamped on it as well.

0.0387mm is 0.0015". You can measure it in either system, just make sure you relate it to the spec of the same system (.001"-.003", I *think* the metric spec is .03mm-.08mm, but I don't remember). Then you must take your clearance measurement and convert it to mm to determine what shim you need.

 

[Guest]

From your description of less than .0387 mm, you may be fine still. That said, many members run clearances of .09 to .12 mm and end up seeing the clearances stay that way for long intervals. This is a good thing! The shim club can supply shims in any clearance needed. Ray

 

[Steve]

My main question is which number on the feeler gauge is in mm?

If your feelers have two sets of numbers they are probably INCH feelers with metric approximations on them. Please use the INCH numbers.

The best way to tell, though, is to compare the numbers on the feelers. Most of the INCH sets that I have seen will start with 0.0015", then progress to 0.002", 0.0025", 0.003", 0.004" and on up by 0.001" increments. The metric approximations that go with those numbers will end with strange numbers.

If you have a set of true METRIC feelers, they might start at 0.03mm, then progress to 0.04mm, 0.05mm, 0.06mm and on up by 0.01mm increments. Some metric sets might have inch approximations on them, but they would not be looking like the nice increments on the metric numbers.

Whichever set you have, please use the main number as your measurement, as that is the standard to which those feelers are made.

You sure your gauges are metric and not imperial ?

Always a valid question, I think there is enough explaination above to answer that.


GodSilla, this would be the perfect time to make sure you have seen the invitation in my sig.

.

 

[Steve]

Your #1 exhaust needs 2.72 but if ordering you'll buy a 2.70. I'm not sure if our shim club has measured each one with numbers to their exact size (marked 2.70, actual 2.69) but this would allow fine tuning.

Actually the 2.72 would likely be labeled as 2.70x.

The "X" shims were only available from Suzuki, you can not order them from any source, including Suzuki.

I believe the GSR Shim Club has a selection of X shims, you would have to contact ghostgs1 to verify.

.

 

[Guest]

My main question is which number on the feeler gauge is in mm?

Take a caliper or micrometer and measure the gauges so you know what you have.


Mark

 

[Missile99]

The "X" shims were only available from Suzuki, you can not order them from any source, including Suzuki.

I believe the GSR Shim Club has a selection of X shims, you would have to contact ghostgs1 to verify.

.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, what I was trying to tell the O.P. was that the necessity was for a 2.72 but he can get a 2.70 and be in good shape. If somebody in our shim club had measured some of the shims he could fine tune. If I remember right, only a few of mine without being "X" shims were that written size. I did forget that "X" shims were available. Thanks for listing the member who does this too.

 

[GodSilla650]

You sure your gauges are metric and not imperial ?

I think you and Steve are probably right. The feelers are most likely imperial and have metric conversions. They were made by bluepoint, I called my dad to see if he had anything that went lower but both sets he had also went down to .0387 .

Should I try to track down a metric feeler set that goes down to .02mm ?

I know I might still be in spec, but since I am having issues getting the bike started I figured better safe than sorry. I could still get the clearance within range even if I'm going off of .0387mm .

 

[GodSilla650]

Actually the 2.72 would likely be labeled as 2.70x.

The "X" shims were only available from Suzuki, you can not order them from any source, including Suzuki.

I believe the GSR Shim Club has a selection of X shims, you would have to contact ghostgs1 to verify.

.

The 2 shims I pulled out did not have an X on them. Are they a different kind of shim or is it just that the factory shims had an X and mine might not be factory?

I will contact ghostgs1 about the shim club, is it just a way of exchanging shims between members?

 

[Missile99]

The 2 shims I pulled out did not have an X on them. Are they a different kind of shim or is it just that the factory shims had an X and mine might not be factory?

I will contact ghostgs1 about the shim club, is it just a way of exchanging shims between members?

Yours might be factory shims. It's just possible that they were installed numbers up so the cam lobe wore them down. They're not necessarily "X" shims either. The picture I posted shows the discrepancy on a lot of my shims. It also shows that one had no numbers, so when last adjusted (or from the factory, , 30K miles) probably put in numbers side up. I haven't used the shim club yet but definitely might very soon. Let us know what ghostgs1 says. I think it's primarily an exchange. Some shim sizes he probably doesn't need extras of.

Also, it's a good idea to inventory and measure all of your shims that you have or will end up with for the next time. Usually you can move some shims around like I did to get your clearances correct and end up trading or buying the rest.

 

[Steve]

The 2 shims I pulled out did not have an X on them. Are they a different kind of shim or is it just that the factory shims had an X and mine might not be factory?

The "X" on a shim is not the official indication that it is a Suzuki shim (although Suzuki is the only one that made them), it is part of the SIZE of the shim.

For example, some of the stock shim sizes are:

2.40
2.45
2.50
2.55
2.60
and so on,in increments of 0.05mm.

Suzuki had some "half-size" shims that had an "X" after the number, meaning that they were about half-way to the next size.

In the same range, the sizes would be:
2.40
2.40x
2.45
2.45x
2.50
2.50x
2.55
2.55x
2.60
and so on, in increments of 0.025mm.

Even today, you can not go to any Suzuki dealer (in-person or on-line) and place an order for an "X" shim. You might find a friendly service guy that will provide one for you from their bucket of shims, your only other chance of finding one is to luck into an eBay auction or join the GSR shim club.

Although they are nice, they are not really "necessary" to do a valve adjustment.

.