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No special tool required to remove valve shims!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Matchless
  • Start date Start date
t3rmin said:
I may have to try this on my XS, since I don't have a tool that'll fit that engine. Most XS people actually remove the cams...
Click to expand...

Which reminds me, when I did my GS1100G valve shims I checked the 4 bolts on each side of both cams that hold them down. I noticed that a couple needed to be torqued down a little. Didn't know if this is mentioned in the steps in the manual. Only reason I thought of it was that I reading a post on this forum that mentioned upper engine damage from a cam loosening up from it's mounting and became paranoid with my old bike.
Anyone else do this?
 
lurch12_2000 said:
Which reminds me, when I did my GS1100G valve shims I checked the 4 bolts on each side of both cams that hold them down. I noticed that a couple needed to be torqued down a little. Didn't know if this is mentioned in the steps in the manual. Only reason I thought of it was that I reading a post on this forum that mentioned upper engine damage from a cam loosening up from it's mounting and became paranoid with my old bike.
Anyone else do this?
Click to expand...

Yes. I opened up the top of my GS550B motor to replace the exhaust camshaft as the skew gear that drives the tacho cable had been wrecked by a PO. I found that the camshaft bearing cap over No. 4 cylinder had three of the 6mm bolts stripped and one bolt on the other side over No. 1 cylinder was also stripped. Pulled them out without using a spanner. I reckon someone was looking after me as I was doing 7 and 8 thousand revs earlier in the week. Would certainly have made a mess if the bearing cap had let go and the camshaft had come adrift. I now have the motor pulled down to the crankcase. New rings on order and head off to machine shop to recut seats so I can fit new valves purchased off Ebay and camshaft bearing cap holes to be drilled out so I can fit rethread thingos to the head.

P.S. When refitting cam bolts make sure there is no oil in the bolt holes from lubricating cam lobes and bearing surfaces otherwise you will strip the threads.
 
Last edited:
Suzuki_Don said:
Yes. I opened up the top of my GS550B motor to replace the exhaust camshaft as the skew gear that drives the tacho cable had been wrecked by a PO. I found that the camshaft bearing cap over No. 4 cylinder had three of the 6mm bolts stripped and one bolt on the other side over No. 1 cylinder was also stripped. Pulled them out without using a spanner. I reckon someone was looking after me as I was doing 7 and 8 thousand revs earlier in the week. Would certainly have made a mess if the bearing cap had let go and the camshaft had come adrift. I now have the motor pulled down to the crankcase. New rings on order and head off to machine shop to recut seats so I can fit new valves purchased off Ebay and camshaft bearing cap holes to be drilled out so I can fit rethread thingos to the head.

P.S. When refitting cam bolts make sure there is no oil in the bolt holes from lubricating cam lobes and bearing surfaces otherwise you will strip the threads.
Click to expand...


My '80 1000G tossed its left hand exhaust cam cap a few weeks ago. I ended up having to bore and thread-insert all 16 cam cap bolts. But alls better now.
 
Its funny, it always seems to happen on the exhaust cam. I had to pull the head off to do mine as I could not get the drill to line up with the inside holes as the frame rails were in the way.
 
TheCafeKid said:
Personally, I have the tool. Its garbage. I find the method i was taught by another GSR much more effective, but a bit on the dangerous side :) (Only in the sense that you *could* screw up your timing if you arent paying attention) The tool simply got more in the way than anything else. And YES i was using it properly. Also, on the inside cylinders, its VERY frustrating, as it keeps sliping off the tappet. I think i did more scuffing to my cam caps than anything. Thats not to say others havent found success. And that the particular tool that I bought isnt garbage itself. It very well may be.
Click to expand...

My experience with the tool has been acceptable - barely. At first I couldn't get it to work, but with some practice I can get the job done. The metal in the tool is very soft, and using it scraped off bits of metal, most of which were too small to remove. Generating iron filings near the camshart shouldn't be a part of a valve adjustment.
 
I just had to come inside and type this with greasy fingers: You are a genius.

I hope you continue to use your powers for good.
 
As i have posted on another thread... just a word of caution about this method. I have seen it used once, and used it myself once, and both times resulted in a head removal. The first time, the process, while i dont know that it solely caused, at least contributed to a broken valve. The second time, the zip tie BROKE, falling down in the cylinder, thus, head removal. Not saying it doesnt work, it worked for a couple cylinders on both occasions just fine before the mishaps, but *I* personally have seen bad luck with it, so i wont be trying it again.
 
old thread ? still interested: link to PDF in first post is dead. Can anyone please elaborate how the zip tie method actually works, please?
 
Thee are different cable or zip ties. I find the black ones brittle and use white.
Take a 5mm wide, approx tie and fold it in half. It needs to be about 250mm long initially. With a pliers make a 90 degree L at the folded end about 12-15 mm long. This is the part you slip under the valve head as it opens. Turn the cam to open the required valve. You will see the head appear in the spark plug hole. Insert the L at the end of the cable tie 'tool between the edge of the valve and the seat. Rotate the cam and the tie will prevent the valve closing leaving enough clearance at the cam lobe to extract the shim. At the first sign of wear on the cable tie replace it with another.
 
TheCafeKid said:
As i have posted on another thread... just a word of caution about this method. I have seen it used once, and used it myself once, and both times resulted in a head removal. The first time, the process, while i dont know that it solely caused, at least contributed to a broken valve. The second time, the zip tie BROKE, falling down in the cylinder, thus, head removal. Not saying it doesnt work, it worked for a couple cylinders on both occasions just fine before the mishaps, but *I* personally have seen bad luck with it, so i wont be trying it again.
Click to expand...

Brendan W said:
Thee are different cable or zip ties. I find the black ones brittle and use white.
Take a 5mm wide, approx tie and fold it in half. It needs to be about 250mm long initially. With a pliers make a 90 degree L at the folded end about 12-15 mm long. This is the part you slip under the valve head as it opens. Turn the cam to open the required valve. You will see the head appear in the spark plug hole. Insert the L at the end of the cable tie 'tool between the edge of the valve and the seat. Rotate the cam and the tie will prevent the valve closing leaving enough clearance at the cam lobe to extract the shim. At the first sign of wear on the cable tie replace it with another.
Click to expand...
Hmmm the 90 deg thing I never though about doing.To stop the breaking and falling into the cylinder doing a 180 and taping the end will stop that problem.Did it the wrong way as I halfed the length of the tie,that made the inner cylinders more of a challenge. Thanks to Crookedspoon for adding to this old thread and my knowledge.Yes it works BTW.
 
I'm so good at using zip ties, done it a million times, so that's what I stick with.
 
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