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Thanks Steell, that is exactly the way I was told to do it, I am only working with a Vernier Calipre though, which was what I was afraid was going to be too inaccurate actually

I guess we will both see how well it turns out.

Bummer, and here I thought I had finally had an original idea

I'll keep trying

This is just what I did last sunday when rebuilding top end of my ELR. After dropping the cams in I checked all clearances and found 6 / 8 were too close i.e 0.005mm (=0.02"???) feeler didn´t go between cam and shim. OK, then i tried with my finger does the shims move. If they move you can determine that the clearance is 0.0-0.005mm. In my bike it should be 0.005-0.015. Now you have the reference! (but if you can´t rotate the shims under cam you cannot determine the clearance without measuring the valve stem or putting smaller shims in and measuring again)

Next I took cams up, took all the shims out (don´t mix them, you have to know which shim goes to which valve!) Shims usually have their thickness marked on them, otherwise you have to measure them with a "Mauser" (don´t know whats it called in States). Then you just calculate. For example if #1 inlet shim is 265 and clearance is 0-0.005 you need a 250 shim to end up with a 0.015-0.010 clearance. Just make exact notes of all valves (seriously, use paper and pen), otherwise your lost. This way if you are lucky you only need one or two new shims since you can take all of them out at the same time and just relocate them.

And if you keep your notes in a safe place then you´l know what shimsizes to get even before checking them next time. In Kaws usually the clearance gets smaller nor bigger so just keep your eyes open to buy shimms that are 0.010 to 0.020 smaller than those you have now.

Post edited by: z1109r fin, at: 2006/03/17 08:52

I uploaded a chart from my manual to determine the proper valve shim from the height of the valve stem in the head. It comes from a 1976 B1 Factory Service Manual. It may or may not be the same chart for all years of the 650 engine, but I bet it will work.

It is in the 1977 KZ650 B1 filebase, Called Valve Stem Installed Height Procedure and Shim Chart.

Link kzrider.com/component/option,com_docman/...doc_details/gid,340/

Thanks Kent! Hopefully it's good through 1982. I doubt they changed the valve head at all.

So what'd you figure out? I'm trying to get my buddy's bike on the road...