How do i measure valve shims?
- Kitten Tooth
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How do i measure valve shims?
29 Jan 2013 06:05
Gonna buy the shim changing tool for my 1981 KZ1000LTD and start pulling the shims out. How do i measure them and buy new ones accordingly? Exhaust on cylinder 4 is REALLY tight. Someone said the "Chatter" i was hearing could have been the valve slapping the piston 
if thats the case then GOOD LORD... Glad i put her away when i did :woohoo: anyways. Ill order the tool the end of this week and start maintenance. got some more good news too. my insurance is only gonna be like 300 bucks for a whole year 
now i can ride without the fear of being busted without any insurance :evil: man its gonna feel good to be legal again.
if thats the case then GOOD LORD... Glad i put her away when i did :woohoo: anyways. Ill order the tool the end of this week and start maintenance. got some more good news too. my insurance is only gonna be like 300 bucks for a whole year now i can ride without the fear of being busted without any insurance :evil: man its gonna feel good to be legal again.
1981 Kawasaki KZ1000-K LTD
1983 Suzuki GS300L-D
1982 Suzuki GS300L-Z sold:(
1976 KZ400D3
1973 Z900... I WISH
DO A BARREL ROLL!!
1983 Suzuki GS300L-D
1982 Suzuki GS300L-Z sold:(
1976 KZ400D3
1973 Z900... I WISH
DO A BARREL ROLL!!
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- zed1015
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Re: How do i measure valve shims?
29 Jan 2013 06:34 - 29 Jan 2013 06:36
Measure your clearances. say it's 0.05mm.
Measure your used shim with a micrometer NOT a vernier and say that's a 2.30mm .
You want 0.15mm gaps so you will need a 2.20mm shim. Easy
The reason for using a micrometer is that the shims can become dished and the vernier blades will only measure across the outside edges so you could end up with tight clearances again, where as the Mic will measure the center portion where the cam lobe runs an you will get a true reading.
Measure your used shim with a micrometer NOT a vernier and say that's a 2.30mm .
You want 0.15mm gaps so you will need a 2.20mm shim. Easy
The reason for using a micrometer is that the shims can become dished and the vernier blades will only measure across the outside edges so you could end up with tight clearances again, where as the Mic will measure the center portion where the cam lobe runs an you will get a true reading.
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www.kzrider.com/23-for-sale/611992-air-c...lide-mikunis?start=0
Last edit: 29 Jan 2013 06:36 by zed1015.
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- wireman
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Re: How do i measure valve shims?
29 Jan 2013 08:02
Buy some feeler gauges! 
posting from deep under a non-descript barn in an undisclosed location southwest of Omaha.
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- Kitten Tooth
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Re: How do i measure valve shims?
29 Jan 2013 15:58
I got feeler gauges not even the smallest blade would fit in the exhaust valve on cylinder 4. Cant remember the spec right now but i have all of the clearances in a text document.
Cylinder 1 Valve lash
INTAKE- .003 (no .004 gauge on hand)
EXHAUST- .0025 (.003 doesnt fit)
Cylinder 2 Valve lash
INTAKE- .002 (.0025 doesn't fit)
EXHAUST- .005 (.006 doesn't fit)
larger shim
Cylinder 3 Valve lash
INTAKE- .0025 (.003 doesn't fit)
EXHAUST- .005 (.006 doesn't fit)
larger shim
Cylinder 4 Valve lash
INTAKE- .005 (.006 doesnt fit)
larger shim
EXHAUST- Not even my smallest gauge would fit. NEED SMALLER SHIM----smaller shim
Thats what i got.
not even the smallest blade would fit in the exhaust valve on cylinder 4. Cant remember the spec right now but i have all of the clearances in a text document.Cylinder 1 Valve lash
INTAKE- .003 (no .004 gauge on hand)
EXHAUST- .0025 (.003 doesnt fit)
Cylinder 2 Valve lash
INTAKE- .002 (.0025 doesn't fit)
EXHAUST- .005 (.006 doesn't fit)
larger shim
Cylinder 3 Valve lash
INTAKE- .0025 (.003 doesn't fit)
EXHAUST- .005 (.006 doesn't fit)
larger shim
Cylinder 4 Valve lash
INTAKE- .005 (.006 doesnt fit)
larger shim
EXHAUST- Not even my smallest gauge would fit. NEED SMALLER SHIM----smaller shim
Thats what i got.
1981 Kawasaki KZ1000-K LTD
1983 Suzuki GS300L-D
1982 Suzuki GS300L-Z sold:(
1976 KZ400D3
1973 Z900... I WISH
DO A BARREL ROLL!!
1983 Suzuki GS300L-D
1982 Suzuki GS300L-Z sold:(
1976 KZ400D3
1973 Z900... I WISH
DO A BARREL ROLL!!
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- elfmagic17
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Re: How do i measure valve shims?
29 Jan 2013 16:18Kitten Tooth wrote: I got feeler gauges
Cylinder 1 Valve lash
INTAKE- .003 (no .004 gauge on hand)
EXHAUST- .0025 (.003 doesnt fit)
Cylinder 2 Valve lash
INTAKE- .002 (.0025 doesn't fit)
EXHAUST- .005 (.006 doesn't fit)
larger shim
Cylinder 3 Valve lash
INTAKE- .0025 (.003 doesn't fit)
EXHAUST- .005 (.006 doesn't fit)
larger shim
Cylinder 4 Valve lash
INTAKE- .005 (.006 doesnt fit)
larger shim
EXHAUST- Not even my smallest gauge would fit. NEED SMALLER SHIM----smaller shim
Thats what i got.
Now you just need to convert it to mm and your in business LOL. Or just figure the clearence in IN. and convert to mm for the size of the shim.
Kenny Hicks
74 Honda CB550
75 Honda CB360 (runs and rides good but not a show bike)
77 KZ650B1 (Runs Great, but needs painted and a little work.)
74 Honda CB550
75 Honda CB360 (runs and rides good but not a show bike)
77 KZ650B1 (Runs Great, but needs painted and a little work.)
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- trianglelaguna
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- Kitten Tooth
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Re: How do i measure valve shims?
29 Jan 2013 21:11bountyhunter wrote:trianglelaguna wrote: what type feeler gauge will give me the simplest reading without doing any converting
can i buy this locally
I think some of the feelers now come with both english and metric printed on the blades.
If not, it's easy to remember that it's a factor of 4 to convert.
0.1mm = .004" 0.05mm= .002"
Shims come in steps of .05mm (.002")
Sweet, thanks for the equation man. Ill be sure to use it. I got to get a set of Micrometers. We need em' anyways. Probably not gonna go starret brand or anything fancy like that. Harbor freight should do the job nicely
1981 Kawasaki KZ1000-K LTD
1983 Suzuki GS300L-D
1982 Suzuki GS300L-Z sold:(
1976 KZ400D3
1973 Z900... I WISH
DO A BARREL ROLL!!
1983 Suzuki GS300L-D
1982 Suzuki GS300L-Z sold:(
1976 KZ400D3
1973 Z900... I WISH
DO A BARREL ROLL!!
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- Kitten Tooth
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- Patton
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Re: How do i measure valve shims?
29 Jan 2013 23:59
Don't mill the shim, as it has a hardened surface, and milling the surface will likely cause the shim to crack or break.
It may be possible to "tip" the valve stem in order to gain more clearance. The manual should cover the tipping advice.
Good Fortune!
It may be possible to "tip" the valve stem in order to gain more clearance. The manual should cover the tipping advice.
Good Fortune!
1973 Z1
KZ900 LTD
KZ900 LTD
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