Okay guys i did my first valve check on the bike. Here are some problems issues i ran into. (As usual davipu was a great help :thumb:)
Okay my first problem was the kit didn't come with any .03 or less for checking clearances. The smallest one was a .04 and that one was all bent out of shape...so i doubt its accuracy. My question is when left with few choices of shims is it better to go bigger or better to go smaller. As the bike puts on the miles will the valves need bigger shims or smaller shims? I left 2 of my valves at .09 clearances. Is this okay or should i have left them at .04....03
My second question is when checking the valves initially i started getting all sorts of wierd readings. Do i need to put the "pointy things" at an exact 180 degree angle from where the shims are? When they were slightly off i would get different readings (i think). Any help in this area would be great too. I'm going to go back tommorow and recheck everything (it got dark so i was in a rush) and tighten everything up.
Again i wanted to thank kerry for creating the kit...major major help :) Thanks Kerry
Quote from: banner on August 25, 2006, 08:20:50 PM
Okay guys i did my first valve check on the bike. Here are some problems issues i ran into. (As usual davipu was a great help :thumb:)
Okay my first problem was the kit didn't come with any .03 or less for checking clearances. The smallest one was a .04 and that one was all bent out of shape...so i doubt its accuracy. My question is when left with few choices of shims is it better to go bigger or better to go smaller. As the bike puts on the miles will the valves need bigger shims or smaller shims? I left 2 of my valves at .09 clearances. Is this okay or should i have left them at .04....03
I pass along some advice scratch gave me a while back:
"I prefer my valves on the loose side, but within range. The looser means that they will be in contact with the head longer and be able to transfer more heat to the head so the head finning can get rid of the heat. Thus the valve stays cooler; this is especially important for the exhaust valves, as all they pass by them is hot, burnt gasses. The intake valve gets cool, fresh air each time it opens, so it's not as critical that these be loose. Middle of the range is prefered, but not necessary."
Quote from: banner on August 25, 2006, 08:20:50 PM
My second question is when checking the valves initially i started getting all sorts of wierd readings. Do i need to put the "pointy things" at an exact 180 degree angle from where the shims are? When they were slightly off i would get different readings (i think). Any help in this area would be great too.
That really shouldn't matter if the shim in question is in decent shape and the feeler gauge is too. It's normal to get slightly different measurements depending on how you measure it, because after all the shim isn't completely perfect and uniform, but the variation shouldn't be significant. It might be a good idea to pop out the shim that's giving you strange readings and inspect it, if you get the same results again tomorrow.
Is .09 a problem then? I know its not in spec....but its either that Or .04 which is way on the tight side. I wish i had some in between shims but i don't really feel like driving down and buying them. I think i'll sit tight till the next valve check :)