Valve shims

[cowboyup3371]

I don't have as much trouble in the inside valves but the outside ones (1 and 4 intake and exhaust) need a little help for the tool to stay against the camshaft. I have taken my tweezers I use to pull the shim out with and held them against the bottom of the tool as I pull it down. This forces it to stay solid against the cam and on top of the bucket. Hard to say, maybe i'll take some pictures this weekend.

 

[Guest]

engine crank oil seal

engine crank oil seal

Thanks, Gert. I have just started ordering parts through Z1, and didn't find the boots in their online catalog. I will contact them and put in a request as you suggest.

The Suzuki dealers here are not much better, they wanted $13 a shim, and $124 for a tappet depression tool

I needed this oil seal and e-mailed Z1 and asked if they had it. They did, but had to order it. I asked why I could not find it on there web site catalog. I was told they only have in stock parts there, you won't find stuff they have to order.

 

[Guest]

Valve adjustment

Valve adjustment

When I was a teenager I knew many kids with these bikes. I don't ever remember any of them ever taking them in to get valves adjusted. I think they just rode them till they quit.

 

[ironfoot]

the proper shim tool is only $13.60 at Z1...

True, that, but I am on a fixed income.... and cheap. Anyway, the zip tie method worked well.

When I was a teenager I knew many kids with these bikes. I don't ever remember any of them ever taking them in to get valves adjusted. I think they just rode them till they quit.

I think I may have been one of those (although not a teenager); I had a Kaw 650 briefly, and drove it until it started to get out of tune then sold it. I was accustomed to tuning my SOHC 750 Honda with rocker arms, and hated the idea of having to tear the top off just to adjust the valves or pay somebody to do it; I had a family and was cheap (and lazy) then, too. Just a guess, but I bet there are many Suzy's and Kaw's with shims that got put in garages, and left to rot early on, because of this. On the other, hand my brother in-law, who was a teen at the time, adjusted his '78 Z1's valves religiously.

I asked why I could not find it on there web site catalog. I was told they only have in stock parts there, you won't find stuff they have to order.

Good to know, thanks.

 

[bwringer]

Well, just to let you know, I have the tool.

It's just so

frustrating to use the

thing.


For those who think "the tool" works well, please let me come observe, to see what I'm doing wrong.

.

OK. My GS850 will be due for a valve check in about 500 miles, but it will be a bit longer before the salt is gone enough to ride it much... Let me know when you'll be over, and I'll stock up on Diet Pepsi.

There is a bit of a knack to using the shim tool, but once you develop the knack, it is undeniably a lot faster than the zip tie (all hail to the mighty zip-tie, which I would never in a million years disparage).

The main trick is to apply a bit of sideways pressure as you're pushing the shim tool into position. This is somewhat counterintuitive, I'll admit.

Also, most people start with the shim tool too far out on the bucket their first 258 tries. Get it closer to the cam lobe -- don't worry about the rib on the tool overlapping the shim.

Sometimes it can be a little difficult to get the shim tool to start rotating around the camshaft, so I push on it with a socket extension or similar blunt tool.

Lastly, I've seen some shim tools that have a prominent casting line right in the middle of the rib. You might want to dress that with a file -- just make sure the rib surface is still flat and at a 90 degree angle afterwards.

 

[bwringer]

PLus 9 million dollars shipping.

Which Georgia do you live in?

 

[Nessism]

I use a small blade screwdriver to apply sideways pressure on the shim tool and keep it from slipping off the edge of the bucket. That along with dressing the tool as Brian says works well.

 

[Guest]

Me Too

Me Too

I had a hard time with the shim tool. But once I caught on to the knack I have no problem now. At first I thought you had to hold the tool down and somehow get the shim out with the other hand. But then, like I should have done first. Went to Basscliff's site and saw the tool locks down on its own. I have a friend that made his own tool out of a flat piece of steel, just ground it into the right shape. I was looking in the spark plug hole on my 1980 GS1000 with the intake valve open and I can't see it. Do you just poke around with the zip tie till you find it? I might try this zip tie procedure before I put the cover back on. Just so I know.

 

[Greg O]

I was checking my valves today, and I love the zip tie method. It allows me to use both hands to remove the shim without fighting around the tool. I use a o ring pick in one hand to get under the shim, and a pair of tweezers in the other hand to grab the shim. Takes me about two minutes to set the zip tie, turn the cam, and pull the shim.

 

[1_v8_merc]

I like the zip tie method also.

It's always fun when someone walks by whilst doing this method. I always get the craziest looks. So now I have to Stop...and explain How and Why this method works.

(I got into several arguments with my dad and brother over this method.....I heard everything from "you don't know what the hell you are doing!"...to... "I've never heard of that method, so it CANT be safe, you're gonna break your engine!".)

I just said "yeah....that's great, I guess I'll break my engine then, go away!"

Then I fired it up later on, of course my brother was "waiting" for my failure so he could laugh at me......Bike fired right up and sounded better than ever.

I calmly said, "yeah you're right....sounds terrible, well cya later, gotta go get some gas for my Broken Engine!"

 

[Steve]

OK. My GS850 will be due for a valve check in about 500 miles, but it will be a bit longer before the salt is gone enough to ride it much... Let me know when you'll be over, and I'll stock up on Diet Pepsi.

I'll put that on my list of things to do when I get back from Missississippippi, just not sure when that might be.

Don't stock up just for me. I prefer tap water over diet anything.

I was looking in the spark plug hole on my 1980 GS1000 with the intake valve open and I can't see it.

How can you not see it?? :-k

I will have to get a picture for you this weekend, when I work on a 1000.

.

 

[Guest]

I'll put that on my list of things to do when I get back from Missississippippi, just not sure when that might be.

Don't stock up just for me. I prefer tap water over diet anything.




How can you not see it?? :-k

I will have to get a picture for you this weekend, when I work on a 1000.

.

Yes, I have the spark plugs out and #4 intake open. But all I could see is the top of the piston. It looked pretty clean.

 

[Steve]

OK, Mike, I will have to concede a bit on my astonishment.

I was working on a '78 1000 this past weekend. The valves are a bit hard to see, but they ARE there.
Picture quality is not what I wanted, but you can see #1 intake valve in the upper-right 'corner' of the plug hole.

On an 850, the smaller bore puts the valves where they can more-easily be seen through the spark plug hole.

.

 

[metalman]

Yes, I went with the zip tie method shortly after hearing the cost of a tool with $1's worth of material in it. Good tip on the electrical tape; thanks Steve and Gert

I also have the tool and thought was proficient at using until Steve made the ziptie tool using heat shrink, before I could find mine he was finished and showing me how to use. My purchased tool is now retired. Thanks Steve.

 

[gert du prez]

What ?
Mr. Steve uses heatshrink now on the tool ?

Ok, will be updating my zip tie tool this evening...didn't know the tool got lifted up 'to the next level'...

 

[Steve]

What ?
Mr. Steve uses heatshrink now on the tool ?

Ok, will be updating my zip tie tool this evening...didn't know the tool got lifted up 'to the next level'...

Yeah, heatshrink doesn't peel off like electrical tape.


Keep in mind that this tool is disposable. It's only good for three or four adjustment sessions, then might break, so keep them cheap.

.

 

[gert du prez]

keep em cheap ?

I wouldn't know how to make these expensive :-k

 

[Steve]

I wouldn't know how to make these expensive :-k

How about Chrome zip-ties?

Only 95 cents a piece.

.

 

[cowboyup3371]

How about Chrome zip-ties?

Only 95 cents a piece.

.

Somebody would have to be pretty desperate for pats on the back to order those:-k

 

[Guest]

OK, Mike, I will have to concede a bit on my astonishment.

I was working on a '78 1000 this past weekend. The valves are a bit hard to see, but they ARE there.
Picture quality is not what I wanted, but you can see #1 intake valve in the upper-right 'corner' of the plug hole.

On an 850, the smaller bore puts the valves where they can more-easily be seen through the spark plug hole.

.

Thanks for the picture. I ordered the wrong valve cover gasket from realgaskets so my bike is not back together yet.