• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

What do you think about my clearances?

  • Thread starter Thread starter c3powil
  • Start date Start date
C

c3powil

Guest
I pulled my valve cover today and started checking clearances for the first time ever. this is what I found:

Exhaust#4- 2.70 shim (between .051 and .063)
Exhaust#3- 2.75 shim (between .063 and .051)
Exhaust#1- Unknown shim size (between .051 and .038)
Exhaust#2- 2.75 shim (between .076 and .108)

Intake#1- 2.70 shim (between .038 and .051)
Intake#2- 2.70 shim (between .038 and .051)
Intake#3- 2.70 shim (between .038 and .051)
Intake#4- 2.70 shim (between .038 and .051)

I've ordered new half moons and Real Gaskets. Do you think these specs are okay to leave or should I consider ordering shims? I know that the clearance specs are between 0.03 and 0.08 millimeters, but I'm thinking of whats best for my bike in the next 3000 miles till my next clearance check.
 
They are all in spec, barely. I'd button it up and ride, but order the shims you need and fix it when they get there. That's the beauty of Realgaskets, you can open it up lots of times without any leaking.

To figure out what you ned in Ex 1, can you measure the thickness with a micrometer or calipers? If not, swap with Ex #2 which you know and measure the clearance, you can figure it out from there.
 
tkent02 said:
They are all in spec, barely. I'd button it up and ride, but order the shims you need and fix it when they get there. That's the beauty of Realgaskets, you can open it up lots of times without any leaking.

To figure out what you ned in Ex 1, can you measure the thickness with a micrometer or calipers? If not, swap with Ex #2 which you know and measure the clearance, you can figure it out from there.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip! I have calipers that I use to measure carb float levels, but they don't get that accurate. I can tell it is around the 2.7ish mark, but not much more than that.

Also, is reusing old half moons generally accepted? Whats the risk?
 
Last edited:
c3powil said:
Also, is reusing old half moons generally accepted? Whats the risk?
Click to expand...

I got caught out yesterday with the old half-moons and had no choice but to re-use them. Totally forgot to order a new set up. The old ones were hard but went back in with a smear of Hylomar and crossed fingers. So far, so good. On the other hand, I got stranded once when a half-moon popped out on the road and oil spewed all down my leg. Had to get picked up and recovered home on a truck. That was a fairly new one and was replaced by the shop that did my clearances at that time. Couldn't prove anything and it wasn't worth falling out with them over it.
 
Do not use new half-moon seals with a Realgasket.

New half-moon seals are intended to be used with a stock cardboard gasket. They stick up a fair bit when first installed, and the gasket mashes them in place.

A Realgasket is thicker and softer, and it cannot apply the necessary pressure to properly seat new half-moon seals. The seals will stick up, the gasket will leak at the corners of the seals, and the half-moons will very likely slide out and release a spectacular amount of oil onto your leg.

Smear a light whisper of sealer (not RTV if you can help it) on the curved surfaces of your old half-moons and re-install them. They'll be fine, really.
 
Valves set with a little to much gap will not hurt anything, but run a little bit noisier.
Valves set too tight (insufficient clearance) are a BIG no no.
 
earlfor said:
Valves set with a little to much gap will not hurt anything, but run a little bit noisier.
Valves set too tight (insufficient clearance) are a BIG no no.
Click to expand...

How much is a little too much? I know that some of my clearances are between 3 and 5mm, if I bumped up the clearances to a maximum of 10mm, would that hurt? Im asking because I could only find shims in 2.65mm and if I installed these into the valve buckets that were between 3 and 5mm there is a risk of having a max clearance of 10mm.

Also, my Realgaskets and half moons just came in. Since the new half moons wont work with the Realgaskets, should I send them back, or consider keeping them for some reason?
 
c3powil said:
How much is a little too much? I know that some of my clearances are between 3 and 5mm, if I bumped up the clearances to a maximum of 10mm, would that hurt? Im asking because I could only find shims in 2.65mm and if I installed these into the valve buckets that were between 3 and 5mm there is a risk of having a max clearance of 10mm.

Also, my Realgaskets and half moons just came in. Since the new half moons wont work with the Realgaskets, should I send them back, or consider keeping them for some reason?
Click to expand...


I would send the Realgasket back and use a stock gasket
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

crazyramen
Question on Points Ignition - maxxed out?
Replies
7
Views
214
crazyramen
crazyramen
Finn
1984 GS1000G valve clearances?
Replies
18
Views
278
Grimly
Grimly
mrhedges
Checking Valves for the first time.
Replies
10
Views
320
Datsa Noydb
D
Wombat_Scat
Recently ran bike after carb rebuild.
Replies
6
Views
193
Nessism
Nessism
sam000lee
Post GS750 > 844 Build Plug Fowling
Replies
10
Views
234
rphillips
R
Back
Top