Valve Adjustment question= retail cost

[ajgs500]

Ok i watched Kerry's video and I think...... that maybe this is something I may be able to do.  I will have to watch the video about 50 more times and ask a million questions but that is what you guys are here for, Right?!!!!!

[Kerry]

that is what you guys are here for, Right?!!!!!

You got it! 

A few tools and an hour or two of time should be plenty for checking the clearances your first time around.  I would expect your main questions to be about

* removing the valve cover gasket (if part of it doesn't want to come off) and about
* how you can tell

by feel when a given feeler blade correctly indicates the clearance[/list]

Once you figure out how to pop shims out of the bucket, actually swapping each shim only adds about a minute to the whole procedure.

The vast majority of time is taken in procuring the appropriate shims ... in other words, waiting for them to arrive.  When you know the sizes you need, look into doing a no-cost, straight-across shim swap with your local dealer ... or offer to buy used shims from their "coffee can collection" for cheap.

If that doesn't work, and you have to order the shim(s), go ahead and put the bike back together in the meantime.  That way you can still ride while you wait, and you get to reinforce your technique by doing everything over again when you have the part(s) in hand.

I had only done the "valve clearance thing" 3 or 4 times before making the video, and you saw/heard at the end how much time it really takes to do the reassembly (and teardown and reassembly in that particular case  ).

[lachie]

did the ring around today for my bike's 6000km's service.... i got prices from $450 - $600 for the service....

think i'll do everything myself.. and just get them to check the valves - that way it's only a coupla hundred bucks and they can sign off on the warranty book... 

[WildBlue]

I actually had this noob question about valve adjustment that I've been wanting to ask.  I was looking at the picture of the camshaft/valve assembly (see below) and I've read on here that the clearance between the shim (#22) and the cam (#1 or #7) which is what we're adjusting/measuring can get too tight?  How is that possible?  If anything I would think that as the shim wears down the clearance would get larger?  Maybe I just don't understand what exactly is causing the clearance to change at all - is it some component of the assembly wearing down, or is it something else?  Can someone please explain?   

[scratch]

It can tighten if the face of the valve begins to dish, that is, the valve gets hammered into the valve seat depression/intake/exhaust port.