Valve clearance remeasuring

Hi guys,

This may be a dumb question, but I didn't find the answer searching. I'm doing a valve adjustment, and one has clearance too small to measure. So I'm going to swap a smaller shim and remeasure, I was just wondering if that requires reinstalling both camshafts with the chain, making sure for the right number of links, etc., or if I can just bolt down the one camshaft in an orientation that would allow me to remeasure the one valve.

This is my first time doing it, so I wouldn't be opposed to the practice reassembling everything, I just wanted to know what's officially required.

Thanks!

Just use a ziptie through a hole in the camshaft sprocket and around the cam chain so when you lift the camshaft out of the way the position of the chain relative to the sprocket does not move.
I usually ziptie both camshafts.
Gpod luck

Hmm, I didn't think I'd be able to get the buckets out like that but I'll have to give it a shot.

Yes
Just zip tie the chain to the sprocket.
Remove the cam caps for that cam
Lift back the cam
Use a magnet to pull the bucket and current shim together
Replace shim
No problem
Just be careful putting back the cam caps. Double check the torque spec and go easy as those cam cap bolts with strip the threads so easily. Been there done that.

As I was doing my shims I was looking to see how I could use a C clamp on the cams. NOPE, not in the frame.
Steve

JR wrote: Just use a ziptie through a hole in the camshaft sprocket and around the cam chain so when you lift the camshaft out of the way the position of the chain relative to the sprocket does not move.
I usually ziptie both camshafts.
Gpod luck

Read this a while back and thought if there ever was a tip that belongs in a top ten list this would be on there. :laugh: :laugh:

If you remove the spring cap on the cam chain tensioner it makes removal and install of the cams easier. Reinstall the cap and spring after the valve cover is installed. This part is critical because the cover has a rub block which pushes down on the chain, so the spring and cap needs to be installed after the cover is on.

Good point Nessism. I didn't think of that as my old tensioner died several years ago and I replaced it with a manual APE one so no cam chain slack is taken up when cam cover is removed.

Yeah, I always lock the tensioner first.

I have heard horror stories about the cap bolts, so I made sure to notice their torques are about the only thing in the manual in INCH pounds. I guess they want to make sure you're reading carefully . . .

Shimmy wrote: Hi guys,

This may be a dumb question, but I didn't find the answer searching. I'm doing a valve adjustment, and one has clearance too small to measure. So I'm going to swap a smaller shim and remeasure, I was just wondering if that requires reinstalling both camshafts with the chain, making sure for the right number of links, etc., or if I can just bolt down the one camshaft in an orientation that would allow me to remeasure the one valve.

This is my first time doing it, so I wouldn't be opposed to the practice reassembling everything, I just wanted to know what's officially required.

Thanks!

That reminds me of when I adjusted my shims on the GPZ1100 head I was fitting. The head was on its own and I thought I'd be smart and fit one cam & do the shims on the inlet, turning the cam with a screw driver.
Then I fell for the trap and fitted the exhaust cam, not removing the inlet cam. Lets put it this way I was cursing myself for an hour replacing/purchasing the new inlet valve that was bent, BE CAREFUL.

Thanks guys, got the camshafts reinstalled and clearances remeasured. A quick sanity check though: as I turn the crankshaft, the cam chain between the camshafts gets taut, and then there's a bit of a clack sound and the chain between the camshafts has slack.

Looks like it's because one of the lobes is pushing on the valve and then passes the point where the valve pushes back on it, so the chain is suddenly being pulled from the other direction. If that's the case, I assume it won't be an issue once it's all buttoned back up and the chain tensioner does its thing (I had to remove it and reset it when reinstalling the intake camshaft since the chain was too tight - might be enough to convince me to get a manual tensioner), but I just want to double-check.

Let me know what you think, thanks again!

Check your cam timing before buttoning it up. Just did mine again this morning. I ordered a gasket earlier this week and it came friday. Broke the old one and had a leak. If you don't have a new one, I'd get one too.
Steve