Valve shim replacement one cam at a time?

Pagala wrote: Thanks guys for the valve tool information. I think it might be more trouble than it's worth to buy and adapt a tool to use in that way, so I'll just remove the cams instead.

650ed wrote: Take a look at your engine. I believe you will find that the shims are UNDER the buckets. Given that, there is no way to replace a shim without first removing the bucket

That's where you're wrong.
Apart from the tool I posted, which works on bigger buckets and bigger shims on bigger engines, a dexterous person (not me) could do it on this engine using a lever and a metal sliver to push and hold down the edge of the bucket. Alternatively, some people do it by stuffing something like a folded ziptie down the spark plug hole to trap the returning valve (in between the back of the valve face and the cylinder head). Either method would result in holding the bucket down sufficiently to pop the shim out with the edge of a small flathead screwdriver.

I do not believe I am wrong; the bigger engines are not the same as the smaller engines. The big engines have the shims on top of the buckets; the smaller engines have the shims under the buckets. I urge you to buy a Kawasaki Service Manual for your bike's exact year and model before you go any further. Also, before buying any special tools you should remove the valve cover and take a look at the task at hand, I believe the truth will become obvious. Good luck. Ed

Aha, shim-under-bucket not shim-on-top-of-bucket... OK, my mistake.

I'll have to have another look at the engine because if the shim is UNDER the bucket, then, as you say, you couldn't remove it either with the tool I posted or the ziptie trick.

Pagala wrote:

SWest wrote: If shim under buckets the cams MUST be removed.
Steve

If you're saying that whenever you have shims under buckets you have to remove the cams to remove the shims I can meet that "challenge" if you're saying that's the ONLY way to do it.

PROVE IT

I would like to see a video of holding down a bucket while plucking a shim out from under it.

Grab your bucket of popcorn folks. This is going to get interesting!!!!!!!



Oh Yea, by the way you can pull one cam at a time to get to the shim buckets!!!

Do it all the time!!!!

Pagala wrote: Aha, shim-under-bucket not shim-on-top-of-bucket... OK, my mistake.

I'll have to have another look at the engine because if the shim is UNDER the bucket, then, as you say, you couldn't remove it either with the tool I posted or the ziptie trick.

Must have posted this before I posted mine. :whistle:
Steve

Pagala, this is how your valve compressor tool have to use to change shim-on-top-of-bucket.

Scirocco, thanks for your post. I don't understand exactly what you're saying. You're saying that the valve depressor (the hook/spoon-like tool) which you have cannot be used with the 550, correct?

I noticed you edited your post from you suspect some members don't know how to use the tool or something like that. It changed before I could open the page. I'd like to point out to you most of us DO know what we're doing and have been doing it for decades. In fact a common HP upgrade is bigger cams with "shim under" lifters. It also involves machining the inside of the cam cover and relieving around the lifter area to accept the higher lift cams. I never used the tool shown and have my doubts if it would fit in the tight areas under the frame for "shim over buckets." I use the small tool sold for this purpose but would rather have the factory style tool. I had one but a tool thief decided he wanted it more than me. The smaller fours all have shim under lifters. In your case a PO may have changed them to shim over if that's what you're working with. If not the idea of the zip ties keeping the chain in place on the sprockets while moving them is a good one and is well documented here on this site. Pics always helps to avoind confusion.
Steve
kzrider.com/forum/2-engine/605981-valve-adjustment-z1-kz-1000

Pagala

loufhvx has a KZ550 Valve Train Warning in his signature

www.kzrider.com/forum/2-engine/610950-80...in-first-gear#806446

Which may or may not be relevant depending on what type of cam chain tensioner you have but worth looking at just in case.

Please get a factory service manual.
And, please, read the valve train warning as JR posted. Getting the timing is not hard on a 550.

I do it by removing the sprockets from the shafts when the shafts are near to where they should be. The sprockets slide down off their bosses giving you tons of slack and clearance. Then you can time the sprocket with the chain and slide the sprocket back up onto it's boss and align the cam to the sprocket.

Others do it different ways. You can ziptie the chain to the sprockets, just make sure the chain does not jump a tooth on the crank.