Misfiring Issues

missionkz wrote:

7-Fiddy LTD wrote: Sounds like I really should just suck it up and do everything now. Inspect the shim clearance, while I am waiting on new shims to ship (I can almost guarantee at least one will be out) .....

Hmmm.... How would you know what shims to buy it you have never checked the cam clearances?
Do you have a factory service manual? Even the small owners manual probably has a section on cam lobe clearances and how to estimate what shims you need to compensate for normal wear.

Hope y'all had a great July 4th!

Excellent question, got me wondering how often is wise to check valve-lash? I had the valves and seats lightly touched up on my like-new 8000 mile 84 ZN head before installing it last Spring (2015), and she's been sealed up tight since last Summer when one exhaust shim was changed after a couple thousand miles. That was maybe 6-7k miles ago. :whistle:
The right front cam-end plug developed a subtle leak a couple weeks back, and I've been trying to ignore the idea until now.

I probably check my cam clearances more often then needed. Around every 2500-3000 miles.
Here's a trick an older then me, Kawasaki guy showed me when I was still rebuilding Brit bikes in my garage in the late 70's.
Clean the living Hell out of the end plug casting pockets with carb or brake cleaner. When clean, oil free and dry...put a very thin film of silicon gasket sealer on the plugs and push them in.
Then remount the cam cover with NO gasket and lightly squish the plugs down with a few cam cover screws on each end and leave the engine alone for the day or night.
If you did it right, they will be stuck down and very well sealed....but not unremovable.
Then use a new cam cover gasket with a thin film of EP grease on engine side of the gasket and put it together using the FSM torquing sequence. Tighten the mounting bolts only a little tighter then wrist power tight. Do not over tighten!!
I've never had a cam bore plug seal leak (even after years or thousands of miles) with this method.

I check my valves with every rear tire change. This last time I replaced two shims. Not too tight but enough to get the next size down in.
Steve

swest wrote: I check my valves with every rear tire change. This last time I replaced two shims. Not too tight but enough to get the next size down in.
Steve

I usually error in the wider direction and will accept a loose .002"-.0025" on an intake but prefer .003" to .004" max on the exhaust. It takes a sandwich bag of shims to get all this!! LOL
My exhaust is probably a bit wide, based on the actual FSM, but I'll take the tiny bit more noise, if it is really adding noise.
Hell, I think my worn chain tension sprockets, bearing shafts and roller guide parts are probably the noisiest thing in the whole engine, not a extra .001" or .002" shim gap...
which reminds me, I should probably replace that weird rubber tensioner wheel again.... seems like those really get roughed up.

Bruce, I can't recommend the Liska rollers enough. Not only are they cheaper, they last much longer.
Steve