Help with Valve Shims, Please!

[baco99]

I finally had time to take the head cover off and look at the valve shims.  I have watched the video, and I think I understand it.

I found the following:

Right Intake -  Shim said "2.60x", I measured as .099" in thickness.  I could not fit a .0015" gauge under the lobe.  .0015" is the smallest I have.

Left Intake - Shim had no markings, I measured as .093" in thickness.  I could not fit a .0015" gauge under the lobe, but it went in farther than the right side.

Right Exhaust - Shim has no markings, I measured .105" in thickness.  I could not fit the .0015" gauge under the lobe, but this one went the farthest of the four.

Left Exhaust - Shim said "2.60x", I measured .099" in thickness.  I could not fit the .0015" gauge under the lobe.

Can anyone help me find the right shims for each of these?  I assume I need smaller than the indicated 2.60x shim??  Should I pick up 4 each of 2.50, 2.55 and 2.60?Do I need more information???

Any help in calculating this would be great!!!!

(On a side note, when I pulled the right side spark plug wire off the plug, the entire thing ripped off in my hands.  The wire was corroded at the connection to the ignition coil.  So, now I'm shopping for new coils and wires on eBay...FUN!)

[gsJack]

First time I bought shims from the local dealer they were $5 each and last time they were $13 each, don't think you want to buy a dozen shims if you don't need them unless you find a good deal online. 

And yes, one more bit of information would be helpful in giving advice.  You can't get the .0015" feeler in so you need to see if the gap is less than zero meaning the valve springs are compressed a bit.  With the cam lobe turned away from the shim see if you can rotate the bucket with your fingertip.  If you can it will probably just need a shim one size smaller to get good clearance.  If you can't rotate it you will probably need to go 2 or 3 shims smaller.  Check this first.

Actually if I couldn't get the .0015 feeler in and I could rotate the bucket, I would just record it as .001 clearance and let it go till next time if I didn't have a shim on hand to change it.  Valve clearances increase as the engine warms.

My experience has been that intake valve clearances change very little.  My intakes on the 97 never needed shimmed in 80k miles.  On the other hand the exhaust valves keep getting tighter and need frequent shim changes to get clearance after 30-40k miles or so.  I'm inclined to go for .004" or even .005" clearance when shimming an exhaust valve even though spec is .001-.003".

My valve check record for over 120k miles on 2 GS's:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/jcp8832/valveclearances.jpg

[TheUnHun]

Hold that bid!  You probably don't need new coils, just wire.  The coil wire port has a tapered screw in it.  Get a length of new 7 mm MC plug wire (or clip about 1/2" off the old) and push in firmly while turning the wire clockwise until it threads on securely.  Do the same thing at the plug booth end if using new wire.  The wire costs like $1/ft.  Coils are pricey!  My wire was rotted loose at that same point.  New wire smoothed it out a bit at low RPM.

Jeffrey

[gsJack]

I just bought a 6' length of spark plug wire from Dennis Kirk for $3, about 50 cents a foot w/o shipping and $1.50 a foot with $6 shipping added.    Still a bargain, it's just the right stuff.   

http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp;jsessionid=4MMRRRZ3BJC1XLA0WTKSM4VMDK0NCIV0?store=Main&skuId=2021&productId=p2021

[baco99]

i can still get the shims for about $5 each.
i guess i'm still not sure what i am trying to do.  i can rotate the buckets easily with the lobes 90* from the buckets on all 4.  does this mean i don't need shims?  should i go down to 2.55 just in case??? 

did all of the thicknesses I mentioned seem to be right to you guys?

[baco99]

i'm not sure i can use the same coil.  the "screw end" that you describe on the coil was corroded and broke off with the wire.  i see another set of coils on ebay, since i didn't get the first ones.  i might try those and then get new wires if needed at a later date.

this explains why i am not getting enough spark...

[ashman]

Call the dealership and ask them if they'll trade shims or something cheaper then 5 bux. My old Suzuki dealer in Alabama would swap with me for free.

-ash

[mjn12]

+1 on the trade, My dealer wanted $9 per shim but I could get them half off if I traded. 

When I had a zero clearance on 2 of my 4 valves I made the trip to the dealer (1hr drive where I was living at the time) and bought a shim that was significantly smaller than what I had - I think a size or two up from the smallest.  I installed that and measured the gap with the feeler gauge.  Obviously it was way out of spec, but it let me calculate the correct size I needed to put them in spec. 

So If you can pick up a shim for $5 bucks I'd grab a small one, meausre the clearances with it, calculate the correct size to get them in spec and then get those sizes.

[baco99]

i like that idea.  i''ll try to find a 2.30 which i think is the smallest.

[gsJack]

2.15 is the smallest shim, I have one on a exhaust valves on the old 97 GS.  That's not a bad way of doing it by getting a measuring shim, quite a few here do it that way.  Just seems like a lot of extra work to a lazy guy like me.   

Since all your buckets rotate freely, one size smaller should put them in range.  I'd probably let them go till next time and order some shims in the meantime.

You said 2 of your shims were marked 2.60x and measured .099" but 2.60mm/25.4=.102"      Your mike or verniers must be off a bit.  By 2.60x did you mean 2.6x maybe?  Shims put in at the factory can be between the standard replacement size increments like 263 or 267 for example.  Need to measure them correctly to know what to get or go by the markings on those 2.

Standard replacement shim sizes in inches and mm:

Shims .05 mm increments from 2.15-3.10 mm

  mm    in
2.15=.0846   2.40=.0945   2.65=.1043   2.90=.1142
2.20=.0866   2.45=.0965   2.70=.1063   2.95=.1161
2.25=.0885   2.50=.0984   2.75=.1083   3.00=.1181
2.30=.0905   2.55=.1004   2.80=.1102   3.05=.1201
2.35=.0925   2.60=.1024   2.85=.1122   3.10=.1220

[baco99]

i think i'll order up some 2.5 and 2.55 shims.  what are the consequences if the gap is too large by .05mm?

[gsJack]

The 2.55 and 2.50 shims should take care of the ones marked 2.6x" that you measured at .099" and one of the 2.6x shims you take out should probably work for the one you measured at .105" but you might to want a 2.35 or 2.30 for the one you measured at .093" to increase the gap.

I see no problem with a gap being .05mm = .002" too large based on my experience of exhaust valve gaps getting smaller and not larger and intake gaps changing little if any between the valve checks.

If you glanced at my valve check log you'll see I left one exhaust valve at .004" and shimmed the other to .005" last time I did valves expecting the gaps to keep decreasing with the miles.  Will be checking them again soon.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/jcp8832/valveclearances.jpg

If your going to redline the engine all day long it might be better to keep them on the tighter side of the .001-.003" spec to reduce the slight possibility of throwing a shim.  I rarely go over about 9k rpm with my stock engine.

[baco99]

got a 2.30 shim from a suzuki dealer and will use this to remeasure the clearances.  i also ordered two each of 2.50 and 2.55 shims just to besafe.  They were only $5 each.

Compared to the $125 I have to pay for a locksmith, that's not bad!

[baco99]

more play by play:

i got the shims in the mail.  planm to install today.  also got new lengths of cable wire.  turns out the coil was OK, just the wires corroded.  gonna try to start her up today.  wish me luck!