So I checked my valves, and they all need adjusted. I could handle that by myself, but unfortunately my thinnest feeler gauge, .152 mm, won't even fit under it so I can't do the math to figure out how much thinner I should go. In the bike currently are a 265, two are 260, and one measures at 262.
Anyway, if I was to guess at what size I need, how thin do you think I should go? I know the only real way to know is to buy different sizes, but at $5-10 a piece, that's going to add up quick. Any opinions??
Go buy the right set of feelers....
You can get the whole set at Sears for about $10.00
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00994117000P?vName=Tools&cName=MechanicsTools&sName=Automotive%20Specialty%20Tools&psid=FROOGLE01&sid=IDx20070921x00003a
ah, I just re-read the guide again, I'm looking for .03-.08. I assumed from the range of my gauges that I was looking for .3-.8. I'll have to head to sears this weekend and try again.
Thanks for catching that one for me!
it's ok, you were only off by a factor of 10 :thumb:
FWIW, has anyone found a set that reads lower than .04mm? I have the same or a similar set and I kinda wish it had a .03 or .02 so I could read the low end of the spec....
*edit* well, there we go, I want this set!
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Metric-Gap-Thickness-Feeler-Gage-Gauge-0-02-to-1-00mm_W0QQitemZ150350348570QQihZ005QQcategoryZ102561QQcmdZViewItem
I wouldnt trust any feeler gauge that cheap to be very accurate and would double check its thickness with a calibrated micrometer first :thumb:
An alternative is a trip round your local Engineering shops and attempt to blag some shim-steel offcuts. I have been using it for years to check gaps, its far more acurate than cheap feelers and you can cut and bend it into any shape you want.
This stuff.....
http://www.knighton-tools.co.uk/acatalog/Shim_Steel.html
Alright, so I got to sears, bought the proper tool, and still had no luck fitting a .038mm feeler in there. So back to guessing. What's your recommendation if I am to take a guess?
There's no motorcycle shops by me, so to save the hassle and time or ordering online, are motorcycle shims all that different from car shims? you think pepboys or advanced auto might have shims that would work? anything that's 295 in diameter should work right?
Can you turn the bucket?
Yep, all 4 buckets spin perfectly fine. Out of the 4 shims, 1 being a 265, the other 3 being 260s, I tired one of the 260s in the 265 spot and it was still to tight, so I might just have to buy a 255, 250, and 245, and try each shim in each bucket and hope they get the clearance, then I can buy however many I need. If I don't use them, I would hopefully even be able to return the ones that didn't fit, unless they're thinner I could just keep them for the future. I'll have to look around and see if any of the auto stores sell 295 shims.
One other question. Is it ok to spin the cams without a shim in the bucket, or will the cam mark up the bucket? I've been putting the shims back in after i take one out, but would it hurt anything if I pulled them all out and then checked them until I had all the buckets filled, or should I just keep doing them one at a time?
Did you measure with the cam positioned via the notches or just straight out? When I did mine, I couldn't get anything to fit when pointing the cams straight out, but if I did it with the notches in the camshaft facing and opposed per the manual, it fit fine.
Theoretically that shouldn't make a difference but did for me.
The Haynes manual says to measure the shims with a micrometer to make sure they're not worn, so Sledge is right. To do this right you need a micrometer. You also need a thinner feeler gauge since the minimum clearance is 0.03mm. Otherwise you'll be guessing. Right now all we know is since the buckets will spin the clearances are more than 0 but less than .038. For all we know, your clearances could all be .03 something and you can put it back together as-is.
It also says to oil the new shim, put it in, then rotate the engine to seat the shim, then re-check the clearance, so I wouldn't turn the engine without putting the shims in first.
Since you're far from a shop, what you could do is after confirming all your shim thicknesses with a micrometer are still as labeled, buy 3 shims of 255 thickness and put them in and put a 260 where the 265 was. You'll know that you increased all the clearances by .050 so you'd have to be under .088 for every valve. You might be just outside spec on some, but a maximum of .087 mm isn't anything to get riled about and you'd probably never have to change them again. Not for a long time anyway.
Yeah, I have a nice micrometer I've been measuring the shims with, which was needed as the numbers were completely worn off them already. I haven't however checked anything as far as notches on the cam, I've just been pointing them in the opposite direction from the shim. I'll try that first thing tomorrow!
Thanks!
With my valve adjustments, I always go by the theory told to me by a mbike mechanic, if you can turn the shim buckets then they are fine.