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Main Area => General GS500 Discussion => Topic started by: ashman on June 04, 2006, 09:40:47 PM

Title: Valve/air filter question 1/2 WAY.
Post by: ashman on June 04, 2006, 09:40:47 PM
So at 22k I finally check my valves for the first time. Here is what I found:

The left exhaust was less then .063 but greater then .051 so thats good.

The right exhaust is less then .089 but greater then .076. The .076 goes through, but not very smoothly, not as smoothly as the .063 SO I'm not sure about that one.

The left intake the .038 won't even slide. (I'm limited w/ my feeler gauges, getting more tomorrow.) BUT the bucket does spin freely so I'm guessing its tight/needs smaller shim.

The right side intake .051 does not slide but .038 does with some resistance. I'm not sure if that one I could let slide or not.

Also my air filter I have never change, shame shame I know. Well in 10k I've owned it yes it was a mess. It seemed to have some oil on it and smelt strongly if not soaked in gas. An odd thing, a small metal cylinder was sitting in the bottom of the air box. (like whats on the bottom of a can of biscuits) Is that an end cap for the filter? I could look straight thru the filter, basically air was just flowing thru the foam cylinder to the air box.  How does it really work.  I'm eager to see how it runs w/ a clean filter.

Thanks,
Ash
Title: Re: Valve/air filter question
Post by: scratch on June 04, 2006, 09:47:05 PM
Right intake ok.  Left intake I would get a shim for.  :thumb: Good call on your part.  :thumb:

Was the metal cylinder bell shaped?

There should have been a metal pan/plate at the bottom of the airfilter, otherwise it's not doing anything.
Title: Re: Valve/air filter question
Post by: ashman on June 04, 2006, 10:03:25 PM
It was just a flat round piece of metal I'd guess 3 inchs in diameter. So my air filter has been doing nothing for god knows how long, greattttttttt. My oil should stay clean for longer now @ least. LOL
Thanks for the input, BTW.

-ash
Title: Re: Valve/air filter question
Post by: Kerry on June 04, 2006, 11:17:40 PM
Do you have a UNI foam filter?  If so, then I bet the metal disc looks a lot like the one at the bottom of the filter in THIS PHOTO (http://www.bbburma.net/Temp/100_1768_UniFilter_Oil_Cleaner.jpg).

It's too bad -- it's a relatively inexpensive filter....
Title: Re: Valve/air filter question
Post by: ashman on June 05, 2006, 12:31:39 AM
You know, if I squinted and looked just right. Yeah, I'll be damn I do think that is it. Just imagine that one extremely worn and the red foam completely squished and the middle part flaring outward. But why is it too bad if its relatively inexpensive?

-ash
Title: Re: Valve/air filter question
Post by: Kerry on June 05, 2006, 09:31:12 AM
Quote from: ashman on June 05, 2006, 12:31:39 AMwhy is it too bad if its relatively inexpensive?

The Suzuki paper filter and the K&N both cost at least twice as much as the UNI, so it's too bad the UNI doesn't hold up a little better.  (This "self destruction" has happened to a lot of people.)
Title: Re: Valve/air filter question 1/2 WAY.
Post by: ashman on June 06, 2006, 01:46:51 PM
Ok so inspite not having the valve tool I got it out w/o destroying anything using screwdrivers. The left intake that is, the .038 feeler wouldnt clear it and that is the smallest I had to I assume its not in spec. Well the shim says 2.2 on it and I'm not sure what to do with this info. I measured it with my calipers and it was less then 2.2 mm but I havnt read the instructions for them yet, so I'm prob doing something wrong(read 1.4mm or so). Using a ruler 2.2 seems correct. So Now I dont know the gap I have cuz i dont have small enuff feelers so how do I figure out the new shim size? I was @ the dealership today and he said they have a ton of them and bring mine in and we'll see. So do I get a couple sizes up and down and remeasure? Oh and I think i can salvage the unifilter upon closer inspection  :thumb:

-ash
Title: Re: Valve/air filter question 1/2 WAY.
Post by: Mandres on June 06, 2006, 02:10:33 PM
2.2?  Man, that's a small shim, and it's still too tight?  Most GSs use shims in the 2.5-2.7 range.  I wonder if there's a problem with the bucket / head clearance or damaged valve seats.  Bikebandit carries replacement shims down to 2.15, so I guess you could try one of those but it seems to me there might be another problem.

-M
Title: Re: Valve/air filter question 1/2 WAY.
Post by: Kerry on June 06, 2006, 02:22:39 PM
I hate to break this to you, but if you're really at 2.20mm you can only go down one more size.   :cry:

So, what the heck -- if the dealer has a 2.15 then grab it and give it a try.   :dunno_white:

BTW, I went back to your very first post and saw that your '93 had 12,000 miles on it when you bought it.  My '99 came with shims that were all in the 2.60 - 2.70mm range, so I was surprised that you would have already been down to a 2.20mm size.  (That would be a drop of ~8 sizes on my bike!) And that you hadn't dropped even further in the succeeding 10,000 miles!

Perhaps your bike was just "special", and started out with thinner shims from the factory.  :icon_confused:
Title: Re: Valve/air filter question 1/2 WAY.
Post by: ashman on June 06, 2006, 08:41:39 PM
I'll be damned. I looked at the shim again around 4AM and looking at just the right angle I saw a 7 I hadnt noticed before. So its marked 272 so 27.2 MM I assume. That makes me feel a lot better. Bike bandit shim sizes are: 2.2, 2.25, 2.30, 2.35, 2.40.... 2.95, 3.00, 3.05, 3.10. So dropping down from a 2.72 should be a pretty common shim right? I hope the dealership has what I need.

-ash
Title: Re: Valve/air filter question 1/2 WAY.
Post by: Kerry on June 07, 2006, 08:29:43 AM
Heh heh.  Now you know why a ruler isn't the right tool for the job.  ;)

Hang onto that 2.72 if you can.  It might come in handy the next time you're in this "My feeler gauges aren't thin enough, but the shim still spins in the bucket." situation.  (When the current too-tight shim is a 2.75)

As suggested on my Replacement Shim Selection Chart (http://www.bbburma.net/Documents/ValveAdjustmentVideo/GS500_Valve_Shim_Selection_Chart.gif), pick up a "test shim" in the 2.30 to 2.40 range for your toolkit.  That will leave plenty of room for a reasonably-sized feeler gauge and will allow you to determine your next shim size by simple subtraction.
Title: Re: Valve/air filter question 1/2 WAY.
Post by: Mandres on June 07, 2006, 08:58:15 AM
Quote from: ashman on June 06, 2006, 08:41:39 PM
I'll be damned. I looked at the shim again around 4AM and looking at just the right angle I saw a 7 I hadnt noticed before. So its marked 272 so 27.2 MM I assume. That makes me feel a lot better. Bike bandit shim sizes are: 2.2, 2.25, 2.30, 2.35, 2.40.... 2.95, 3.00, 3.05, 3.10. So dropping down from a 2.72 should be a pretty common shim right? I hope the dealership has what I need.

-ash

That sounds much more reasonable.  Going to a 2.7 or maybe even 2.65 should sort you right out. 

-M
Title: Re: Valve/air filter question 1/2 WAY.
Post by: ets_gs500f2004 on June 09, 2006, 10:42:24 AM
for the oil part all i know is that for emission you have a vent from the valve cover to you air box.... and some times when you over rev it oil comes back up happened to me a few days ago
Title: Re: Valve/air filter question 1/2 WAY.
Post by: scratch on June 09, 2006, 11:57:01 AM
Quote from: Kerry on June 07, 2006, 08:29:43 AM
Hang onto that 2.72 if you can.
Yes!!  Keep that shim!!  You can never get those shims from the dealer, nor can you order them; they are RARE!!  Or, sell it to me.  :icon_mrgreen: