Need quick help

[GSinUS]

I've been at it all day.  There's one stubborn shim, and I need an ingenious idea to get to it.
The clearance is so tight that I can't turn the bucket when lobe is pointing away.  Unfortunately the groove that is used to pry the shim out is on the other side (front, it's an exhaust valve).  Gues PLEASE PLEASE think of a way for me to turn the bucket that is in constant contact with the cam lobe (i.e. no clearance) 180 degrees, so that I could insert a screw driver and pry the damn thing out. 

It's getting dark soon 

[Alphamazing]

Eh, dunno about rotating the bucket, but try using some tweezers to pull the shim out.

[GSinUS]

Hey Alpha. I am unable to insert the tweezers between the bucket and shim to grab it without access to the groove (you know, that little gap on one side of the bucket).  The groove is on the other side.  Any other ideas?  Or did I misinterprete what you were suggesting?

[GSinUS]

anyone, it's getting darker   

[red_phil]

Try a magnet ?

[sinfulgs]

well fit the bucks is soo tight you cant turn the bucket sounds like your gonan have to take the cams out to get to it which means air box gas tank carbs and cam chain tensioner all have to come out unless you can get that special tool that pushes the bucket and vavle down to get it loose. other then that im out of ideas

[GSinUS]

Good news! I just succeeded in prying it out.  Magnet + tweezers did the trick, in about 3 hours, but hey it worked  !

One thing that I still don't understand at all though.  I still cannot rotate the bucket by hand even after I got the shims out and lobes are no longer pushing on the valves.  To turn it I need to snap it up and down with a screw driver and apply a LOT of force.  Is the bucket not supposed to turn without the shim?  If it is, any ideas why my both exhaust buckets don't? (intake are fine..)

Thanks again for all the help, i appreciate it

[Egaeus]

It should be loose once you get the shim out.  Very smooth turning.  It might be gunked up or something.  You can always remove the cam and take it out for inspection.

[GSinUS]

Thanks Egaeus .
For some reason it's not smooth at all. Quiet opposite, it's not even moving - and that is what made removing the shim so difficult. 

Are cams very hard to remove?  Do you need to remove the shaft for that?  Because that would entail the tensioner, chain, carbs probably for access, etc.

[Egaeus]

You can take out the cam out enough by just removing the two clamp-things holding it down.  However, it would probably be better to take the carbs off and take the tensioner out.  That way you don't risk scoring the bearing surfaces since the chain will pull it tight.  The tensioner is easy enough, just make sure you have a small screwdriver to loosen it so that you can put it back in. 

Make sure you know how to time the engine before you take the cam out.  It's unlikely you can do it without moving the chain on the sprocket. 

[GSinUS]

I see. It's probably worth a shot to see if I can lift the shaft enough just by undoing the two bolts you mentioned.  Unfortunately I won't get to do it until the next w/end and even then I'll have 4 hrs at most so I'd rather not go the long routine.  How do these buckets sit and rotate where they are.  Are there any bearings, or they are just lubricated in oil?  It's strange because there is no shim currently, I can push it down, it snaps back up, everything looks good.... except for it does not rotate. 

[scratch]

You should still be able to rotate the bucket with a flathead screwdriver.  This is a mechanic's trick, and it may be difficult to explain.  Use the edge of the blade, the corner of the flat, on the corner edge/crown of the bucket, and push it around.  I don't know how else to desribe it.  I've been doing it for years.  I just hope this'll help next time.