:( Gs twins abandoned me in my hour of need

[nazgulnarsil]

not anyone's fault obviously, just bad timing.  the forums went down just as I started inspecting the valves for the first time.   everything went pretty smoothly until I couldn't get one of the shim's out (eventually jiggered it out with a neodymium magnet) and then when I reassembled everything the bike wouldn't start.  I looked everywhere but where the problem was (clutch disconnect) and wound up trucking it to the shop.  while there I dropped the front end off the ramp while unloading it.  now the bike only weighs 400 and with the rear tire on the ground I was only supporting 200 pounds and was able to lower it fairly gently, but the suddenness of 200lbs on my arms hurt my right shoulder a little.  the mechanic immediately reconnected the clutch disconnect  and I had him put on a new chain while I was there.  unfortunately, the chain I bought for the bike doesn't have sealed rings  , so I need to put on a different chain immediately.  $75 for the truck rental, $40 for the chain installation, down the drain.  the worst part is that I really needed those funds for new tires and now I have to wait a few more weeks to be able to afford them.

ah well, life could be worse.  recracking the engine now to put in different shims, since even after going .05 thinner several valves aren't in spec 

[The Buddha]

You went several sizes thinner and still tight ... OK somehting is wrong ... I'd bet you have oil float when you measure it.
You only measure it one time, before you pull the shim ...after that till you have the thing turned over a few times, it wont measure right.
Also if its more than 1 size too tight, it will not run in that 1 cyl as you get it started ... it will start, but 5 seconds later it wil lwant to stall, unless you keep it revved up.
Cool.
Buddha.

[nazgulnarsil]

edit: to clarify I only went 1 thinner on each shim the first time around.  those were the only shims I had. 

yeah, the bike won't idle until it has been running with choke for a while (20 minutes?).  otherwise it idles low (800) and will occasionally stall.

I have the cover off right now and I can not get the damn valve tool to work for either of the exhaust buckets.  any tips?  I don't want to have to remove the carbs just to get to the cam chain tensioner so I can lift the cam shaft...

SUCCESS! there is a MUCH much easier way to use the valve tool than in kerry's video!  rotate the engine until the cam just *slightly* presses on the bucket.  then rotate the valve tool into place, back the cam back off the bucket and VOILA, can't believe I spent hours last wenesday teariung my hair out when this took a couple minutes!  how come no one has this on the wiki or anything?  it seriously made it trivial.

okay, not so trivial on the left exhaust...the bucket is depressed (i can see with a flashlight that the tool is not touching the shim at all) and the shim has miles of room and can even rotate, but even with a strong magnet will not pop out.    edit: got it.  making new post for posterity.

[nazgulnarsil]

edit: nvm.

[nazgulnarsil]

edit: nvm

[pandy]

Talk about the stars not aligning properly for you. 

Take care of that shoulder; 200/400 lbs is not an insignificant amount of weight, and you can really do some permanent damage to your back. Bike parts can be replaced, but your back's one of a kind. 

[badguy]

Hope your shoulder/back is ok.  I don't know enough about the valves yet to give advice on those, but as far as the chain, you can keep it.  As long as you maintain it well, it will hold up for a while.  Since there aren't any o-rings to seal lube inside the rollers, you have to be sure to get lube between the plates so that it can seep in there.  Good luck.

[nazgulnarsil]

my shoulder is fine, it was just slightly sore the next day.  olympic lifts pays off in potentially injurious situations