Valve clearence questions

I managed to get some measurements of the valve clearances today, and found some, to what I think, odd readings.
_Exhaust_
Valve 1: .15 (snug)
Valve 2: .20
Valve 3: .20 (snug)
Valve 4: .20 (snug)
_Intake_
Valve 5: .15
Valve 6: .15
Valve 7: .20 (snug)
Valve 8: -05

If all clearances were around 15 or 20, I wouldn't have reacted.
But the fact that valve 8 has such a low clearance as .05, while the rest are between .20 or .15 is this normal, or does it mean that valve 8 needs some extra care?

I didn't have any tools to pick the valvecaps up with though, so I am going to get a valve lapping tool asap so I can use the suction to lift the cap up. (I guess they are made of aluminium or anything non magnetic?)
Hopefully I can have that done during the weekend.

Might help if you mentioned what bike you're talking about...

Triple check your measurements and follow the procedure in the FSM. You might find you get slightly different values each time.

Consider that something could be stuck under the shim or the shim could be nicked and not fully seating in the bucket.

The shims are steel and can be removed with a magnet.

I suggest stuffing a rag in the cam chain gallery... Sometimes those shims can pop out and you sure don't want to lose one in the crankcase.

That being said, it is rare for all the valves to have the same clearance/shims.

Once you've set the clearances, then check the compression... If the cylinder with the suspect valve has lower compression than the rest, then, yeah, you may need to take the head off and inspect/lap the valves.

Looks like you found the source of your ticking noise. All but that one valve is at the very top end of the clearance spec if not over. I assume you checked the clearance using the factory Kawasaki specified procedure on how to position the cams right? If you pointed the cam lobe away from the cam and just checked that way you will get incorrect readings.

Regarding that one valve which is tight, it's very well could be that the last guy that worked on the bike ran out of the correct shims. Regardless, you should plan on moving that one valve to a thinner shim.

And recheck after 500 miles.
Steve

jackleberry wrote: Might help if you mentioned what bike you're talking about....

Arg, my fault!, Sorry, it's a KZ500 B3.

jackleberry wrote: The shims are steel and can be removed with a magnet

Although it was the valve caps I was wondering if they were of a magnetic material, so that I could lift them up using a magnet.. or should I use a suction cup?

nessism wrote: Looks like you found the source of your ticking noise. All but that one valve is at the very top end of the clearance spec if not over. I assume you checked the clearance using the factory Kawasaki specified procedure on how to position the cams right? If you pointed the cam lobe away from the cam and just checked that way you will get incorrect readings.

Regarding that one valve which is tight, it's very well could be that the last guy that worked on the bike ran out of the correct shims. Regardless, you should plan on moving that one valve to a thinner shim.

You could indeed be right, hopefully, it's just the shims that needs to be changed.
I followed the FSM I found and pointed the lobes 180 degrees away from the valve caps.

According to the FSM, the exhausts are within specs, they should be within .15 to .25.
but perhaps I should shift the shim for valve 1, so that one aswel are on .20 instead of .15?
The intakes though should be between .10 - .20.. Clearly valve 8 needs a new shim, perhaps valve7 as well, which is at .20 and get it down to .15?

One thing I came to think of too, the engine has been running hot quite often.
I wish I had a temp probe to check, but hot enough to make the idle speed to between 2500 - 3000 rpm at traffic lights on warm summer days.
When I lifted the valve cover, i could smell some burnt oil, which I relate to the over heated engine.
Could this too have been caused by the faulty valve clearances? Or do I need to look somewhere else for the heat problem?

If the exhaust valve guide seals are leaking, they could cause that burned color.
Steve

nessism wrote: I assume you checked the clearance using the factory Kawasaki specified procedure on how to position the cams right? If you pointed the cam lobe away from the cam and just checked that way you will get incorrect readings.

noratx wrote: "I followed the FSM I found and pointed the lobes 180 degrees away from the valve caps."


Really?? What FSM says to do it that way? I have a copy of the KZ400 / KZ500 / KZ550 FSM (Part #99924-1018-06) and my copy tells you to do it differently than that. Are you positive you are using a FSM (Kawasaki Service Manual)? Ed

swest wrote: If the exhaust valve guide seals are leaking, they could cause that burned color.
Steve

Only the burned color? Or heat problems too?

650ed wrote:

nessism wrote: I assume you checked the clearance using the factory Kawasaki specified procedure on how to position the cams right? If you pointed the cam lobe away from the cam and just checked that way you will get incorrect readings.

noratx wrote: "I followed the FSM I found and pointed the lobes 180 degrees away from the valve caps."


Really?? What FSM says to do it that way? I have a copy of the KZ400 / KZ500 / KZ550 FSM (Part #99924-1018-06) and my copy tells you to do it differently than that. Are you positive you are using a FSM (Kawasaki Service Manual)? Ed

Quite positive

Page 56, www.smallenginediscount.com/Kawasaki_KZ5...5_Service_Manual.pdf

(Edit: After a more close inspection of the manual, I don't see any part numbers, but it seems to be the same bike, same engine etc.
After looking at my Haynes, it tells me to check with lobes poinging level with cyliner head. So maybe I should just get back, torque the cams down again and take new measurements with lobes pointing according to the haynes manual.)

650ed wrote:

nessism wrote: I assume you checked the clearance using the factory Kawasaki specified procedure on how to position the cams right? If you pointed the cam lobe away from the cam and just checked that way you will get incorrect readings.

noratx wrote: "I followed the FSM I found and pointed the lobes 180 degrees away from the valve caps."


Really?? What FSM says to do it that way? Ed

750 twin manuals say that exact thing. ee below:

No eBay APP ID and/or Cert ID defined in Kunena configuration112..523% wrong. :whistle: Sorry to burst your bubble, but that is NOT a Kawasaki Service Manual. That is an aftermarket rag (Clymer or Haynes), so it should come as no surprise that it is not accurate. Here's a link to an eBay auction for a Kawasaki Service Manual that covers the KZ500-B3. Notice it is totally different than the one you used. Check out eBay as there are quite a few available. Be sure to click on the photo of the back cover as it shows the list of models covered in the manual. Ed

yeah, I edited the post shortly after, to go back on how positive I was

Anyway, I must ask though...
The cam shaft is round, only the lobe it making any difference.
The further away that the lobe are from the bucket, should tat not make for a more and securely accurate reading?
I mean, lets say the lobe is slightly more towards the bucket, that COULD make it so that you actually manage to measure .25 instead of otherwise .20

Just saying, considering the shape of the shaft, it makes more sense to measure with the lobe pointing as far away as possible from the bucket. No?