Why?

[My Name Is Dave]

So I'm on the last damned valve, and I can't get the right clearance. The shim in there was at a clearance of .09, and I took it out and it measures 280, which seems huge. I luckily found a 285, threw it in, and now .04 won't even slide in there. What the hell is going on, and how can I fix this? Anyone?

[WildBlue]

Could it be the metric vs. english feeler gauges thing that happened to someone (rangerbrown I think) recently? 

[My Name Is Dave]

I've swapped back and forth 3 times, and I'm not continuing this. It's gonna have to stay with the 280 at .09

[Mandres]

I've swapped back and forth 3 times, and I'm not continuing this. It's gonna have to stay with the 280 at .09

Either your shims are worn / mislabled or your gauge is inaccurate.  I would just leave the 280 in there, over time it will wear in.

-M

[My Name Is Dave]

Thanks guys, I just left the 280 in. It's at .09, which is not terribly out of spec. So that's that. All else went well though!

Dave

[The Buddha]

.09 - you insane - at .04 my ears pick up the damn noise ... and it think it sounds like sheite ... You getting oil float ... toss in a 285 and leave it be.
Cool.
Srinath.

[coll0412]

Throw In a 285 and then crank the motor over a few time(by hand) and re-check the clereances...

Ohh and make sure the feeler gauges are not stuck together, because one time I checked and....ohh never mind but you get the point

[GeeP]

1)  Clean everything carefully and oil LIGHTLY.

2)  Install the 285 and turn the crank 2 revolutions to set the cam back up.

3)  Check the clearance.

If that doesn't help you probably have a measurement error.  Are you using a micrometer or a caliper?  It's also possible that your shim is dished.

[Turd Ferguson]

I personally would error on the side of too much clearance.  Too little clearance can be dangerous, and a little bit too much clearance (.09 isn't really much out of spec) isn't going to hurt anything at all.

It isn't any surprise to me that the shims aren't the exact thickness that they claim to be.  The number '285' is a rough estimate at best.  I'm sure if you could dig through bins of them, you could find a 280 and a 285 that are the same thickness.

My vote, leave the 280 in there.  I've got a valve that is around 0.09 and it hasn't caused any kind of a problem (though...I'm not going to lie...I can hear it under 2000 rpm).  Think of the crazy clearances people who don't check their valves are running.  Being 0.01mm out of spec is absolutely no big deal.

-Turd.

[Built4Speeed]

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[My Name Is Dave]

I personally would error on the side of too much clearance.  Too little clearance can be dangerous, and a little bit too much clearance (.09 isn't really much out of spec) isn't going to hurt anything at all.

It isn't any surprise to me that the shims aren't the exact thickness that they claim to be.  The number '285' is a rough estimate at best.  I'm sure if you could dig through bins of them, you could find a 280 and a 285 that are the same thickness.

My vote, leave the 280 in there.  I've got a valve that is around 0.09 and it hasn't caused any kind of a problem (though...I'm not going to lie...I can hear it under 2000 rpm).  Think of the crazy clearances people who don't check their valves are running.  Being 0.01mm out of spec is absolutely no big deal.

-Turd.

Yeah, this is pretty much what I was thinking, so I left the 280. I was just so baffled by how switching the shims (and cranking the engine by turning the wheel, of course) wouldn't get me in spec. I figured that being .01 off wouldn't kill the motor. I used the digital caliper that was in the kit to make sure the markings on the shims were true, which they were. So really, I suppose that I may have to swap that shim next valve check. But whatever, it's back together and all the noise I hear now is the general buzziness of the bike.

Dave 

[phire]

Can you get a .03 in there? The specs call for .03 - .08. Personally, I feel .03 is a little too tight, but unfortunately, they only sell shims in .05 increments. If I had it my way, I'd order shims that made all clearances exactly the same. Speaking of which, does anyone know any good sites that would sell oem quality shims in .01 increments?

[sledge]

Suzuki quote 0.03-0.08mm, the 0.05 difference is to allow for manufacturing tolerances between parts as well as heat expansion. I doubt shims are available in 0.01 increments because you cant seriously expect to get the gap to within such a tight tolerance with any repetition. You might get it statically but in operation it would vary by more than 0.01mm due to the clearance between the camshaft and its bearings, and thats without factoring in heat expansion so you are gaining nothing. A good machine shop with the right kit could surface grind a shim for you to within 0.01mm if you really wanted one. As Turd says 0.01mm is nothing and the average person with no experience of feeler guages, micrometers verniers etc is not going to be able to accurately work to this sort of figure.

[coyotee]

i had this problem when we checked my clearances, to make a long story and frustraiting day short, we had to put in a different shim from the original measurement. id also lean to too much space than too little as anything that causes metal on metal wear is bad.

[My Name Is Dave]

Can you get a .03 in there? The specs call for .03 - .08. Personally, I feel .03 is a little too tight, but unfortunately, they only sell shims in .05 increments. If I had it my way, I'd order shims that made all clearances exactly the same. Speaking of which, does anyone know any good sites that would sell oem quality shims in .01 increments?

There isn't a .03 in the kit, and I don't personally have one. So no.

Anyways, I rode to school today (75 miles there and back) with a girl riding pillon (I only mention that because of the factor of added weight/stress on the engine), and there were no issues. It sounds and rides great, so I'm happy. Again, thanks to everyone who replied.

Dave