Im going to be doing my valve adjust check after work today. I have everything i need. My only question is. Can anyone tell me what size Hex the bolts take for the valve cover. I think i saw 6mm somewhere. Just wanted to check. I was going to run and get a Hex socket to take them out. Appreciate your help. Thanks

Paul

On hand, I only have the torque setting recommendations for those bolts, which are about 13-15nm... that range tells me the bolts must be 8mm though! 



- Bboy

Not sure what size the hex head is.   I have a set of 3/8th's in drive metric hex bits.  I think they go from 3mm to 8 or 9mm, and one of them fits.  I also have a small torque wrench if you need one.  If you want me to lend a hand tonight, I can ask my wife and see if I can ride over.

I used 6mm Allen head/hex key when I did my valve adjustment a few weeks ago.  (to address BockinBboy I believe the actual bolt was larger than 6mm)

My bolts were in there pretty good so I ended up putting a 6mm socket on the end of a short screwdriver to give me more leverage. 

I'd recommend acquiring a beam-type (or low-rated click-type) torque wrench if you don't have one.  I followed the instructions in the Haynes manual (finger tight then either 1/4 or 1/2 turn further) and ended up with all of my bolts coming loose after a couple rides.
I was being very conservative in tightening them to avoid stripping anything, but it could easily go the other way and you could do some nasty damage.  I am going to tear back into mine to replace the gaskets (they leak) sometime over the next few weeks, and I plan on getting a small torque wrench to measure at least one of the torques (kind of hard to get in there).

Another bit of advice is to use a small bit of RTV or something to keep the cover gasket in the cover when you are re-installing it.  It was a huge PITA to try and keep it in there manually while attempting to defy the laws of physics to get that valve cover in there with all the cables and whatnot in your way.

Yeah, I just realized that for many bike parts the actual bolt vs head size is not standard... and I mean where a specific bolt size such 6m would usually mean it has a 10mm head... that's not the case for most bike engines, sorry...

- Bboy

Quick list of tools you might need.

Small torque wrench
Valve tool
extending magnet (for grabbing the shims)
Suzuki bond (or similar for sealing the half moon parts of the valve cover gasket)
8, 10, and 12 mm sockets (for disassembly)
6 mm hex bit (Maybe others?)
Feeler guage
shop rags (very important for covering the cam chain channel so you don't drop a shim down into the engine)
Long flathead screwdriver (for shutting off the tank petcock)

Did I miss anything?

Replacements Shims... but that's kinda' hard to have those already if you don't know the clearance yet and don't have a kit of various sizes

Also, some measuring calipers is a good idea too - to verify size of shims you take out and put in, and make sure everything adds up correctly

OH, and you'll need Beer too!

... I guess its Odoul's if you are riding afterwards though

- Bboy

Quote from: BockinBboy on July 15, 2014, 09:48:31 AM
Replacements Shims... but that's kinda' hard to have those already if you don't know the clearance yet and don't have a kit of various sizes

Also, some measuring calipers is a good idea too - to verify size of shims you take out and put in, and make sure everything adds up correctly

OH, and you'll need Beer too!

... I guess its Odoul's if you are riding afterwards though

- Bboy

Quote from: bombsquad83 on July 15, 2014, 09:43:28 AM
Quick list of tools you might need.

Small torque wrench
Valve tool
extending magnet (for grabbing the shims)
Suzuki bond (or similar for sealing the half moon parts of the valve cover gasket)
8, 10, and 12 mm sockets (for disassembly)
6 mm hex bit (Maybe others?)
Feeler guage
shop rags (very important for covering the cam chain channel so you don't drop a shim down into the engine)
Long flathead screwdriver (for shutting off the tank petcock)

Did I miss anything?

1) Something to hold the tank up while you turn off the tank petcock.  I used the plastic case of a knock-off dremel that's about 2" tall and wide enough to sit perfectly atop the frame over the battery.  Don't use something you like, as those bolt holes at the rear of the tank dig in with a lot of force.  Which reminds me...

2) Get your tank closer to empty before you start this job.  It's a whole lot easier when the tank isn't all full of gas.  I learned this not once, but twice...   The second time I didn't realize what I'd done until I got back from filling her up.

3) A third hand to hold a light for you and help you remove/insert the valve cover while holding the gasket in place (might require a fourth hand, not sure how I did it with 2).

Thanks for all the advice. Going to get to work on it after work. I think my tank is about half full. But should be ok. I used to pull the tank off my CBR by myself all the time.   

Quote from: 06_500F on July 15, 2014, 12:44:59 PM
Thanks for all the advice. Going to get to work on it after work. I think my tank is about half full. But should be ok. I used to pull the tank off my CBR by myself all the time.   

So I guess you're the tank half-full kind of guy, then? 

It's not too bad with a full tank; it's just not as easy.  From what I've heard the GS500 has an extraordinarily large tank for the engine size.

Also, keep in mind if you use one of the magnetic pickup tools...be careful not to let it fall between the motor and battery when you set it down...ask my hand how I learned that one....

Quote from: Soloratov on July 15, 2014, 01:17:21 PM
Also, keep in mind if you use one of the magnetic pickup tools...be careful not to let it fall between the motor and battery when you set it down...ask my hand how I learned that one....

lol, I bet that was fun.  Did you not disconnect the terminals?

I removed my battery when I was working on mine in order to avoid just such an occasion.  I was using too many tools that could easily span the gap in the terminals.

Big thanks to bombsquad83 for your help today. Just ordered my 2.55 shim that is needed. Hope to be back on the road this weekend. In case anyone in the future searches and finds this thread with the same question i had. The valve cover bolts are for sure 100% 6mm... Thanks again!!!   

Hey 06_500F!! I'm getting ready to do adjustment as well, where can I order just the shim sizes I need? I've seen shim kits, but I will only want to order a few particular sizes. Thanks

Use 29.5 mm dia:

http://www.newmotorcycleparts.com/motor_parts/valve_shims.html

Awesome! Thanks

Quick peek here is useful:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4vRm9xADa8

...and if ya don't agree with the way they do it, there are a few other vids around that YT search.

I got mine off E-bay. Just as quick, if not quicker than any online store.