So where exactly is the RT mark for rotating the crank and aligning the camshafts, is it the little dot or the metal tab? This is a really stupid question but I really have no clue how to align it.

https://imgur.com/a/OoO1aZe

https://imgur.com/xtfi7L3

Its largely irrelevant on the GS and bikes that need the whole valve cover removed. In fact I dont even open that round hatch to turn the crank. I put it in 6th and turn the rear wheel - just turn it forwards, not backwards.
The cam points away from the valve and you check it then. That's it. Dont try to do as the manual says which I believe tells you to do both left valves (left cyl at top of compression stroke) and right intake because its at the start of exhaust stroke. Then turn the right one to top of compression and check right exhaust. Ignore all that.
Valve closed is valve closed cos this bike doesn't have a "Comma" cam. Any where the cam is pointing away from the valve is good to go for that valve.
Cool.
Buddha.

I do halfway between the Buddha method and the method in the manual.

Like The Buddha, I don't bother with the crank and just turn the rear wheel in 6th gear on the center stand. But I do use the manual's cam notch notes for where to measure valves. I think its: cam notch pointing towards each other measure both intakes and the right exhaust valve. Cam notches pointing away from eachother to measure the left exhaust valve.

But like The Buddha says, you can also just look at the cams to see when they are pointing "up." When the lobe is up, the valve is closed and you can measure the clearance.

So I figured I would just swap the shims around because the super tight ones had large shims and so I put the smaller ones in place here's what I got.

Rear Right = 260mm 0.08mm clearance

Rear Left = 265mm 0.13mm clearance

Front Right = 260 below 0.004mm clearance

Front Left = 260 below 0.004mm clearance


The smallest shims I had was a 260 and I swapped them in both front valves to measure the clearance and my shim measuring tool doesn't go smaller then 0.004

Should I risk it and buy a 250mm shim and hope it'll do? I'm planning on keeping this bike for atleast 2 years maybe longer.

I'm getting ready to order the parts soon, any help would be greatly appreciated!

Front is exhaust ? and rear is intake ?
You cant measure after swapping a shim, it floats on the oil and takes a bit of open close a few times atleast.
Cool.
Buddha.

Quote from: The Buddha on September 03, 2021, 02:47:26 AM
Front is exhaust ? and rear is intake ?
You cant measure after swapping a shim, it floats on the oil and takes a bit of open close a few times atleast.
Cool.
Buddha.

I turned over the engine at least 10 times to make sure the shim was properly seated with every other valve having a shim as well, is that not enough to fully seat it? Even before I took out the shim it was below 0.04 mm, and I thought this was the reason only the right cylinder was firing.

I think that 10 times may be OK, but you also want to have it sit under pressure a minute or 2, as well as make sure the shim spins in the bucket.
I dont know if you had one valve hang open, but could you spin the bucket easily by hand ?
Cool.
Buddha.

Quote from: The Buddha on September 03, 2021, 02:24:17 PM
I think that 10 times may be OK, but you also want to have it sit under pressure a minute or 2, as well as make sure the shim spins in the bucket.
I dont know if you had one valve hang open, but could you spin the bucket easily by hand ?
Cool.
Buddha.

I could spin it but not as easily as the rear valves that had good clearance, I had some resistance.

OK I guess if that was in the problem cylinder, you might have a tight valve.
Cool.
Buddha.

Quote from: The Buddha on September 03, 2021, 04:47:26 PM
OK I guess if that was in the problem cylinder, you might have a tight valve.
Cool.
Buddha.

I placed the order for a 250mm shim which should get me at least running on both cylinders happily, at the end of the day all I really want to do is practice riding I'm not interested in red lining it and racing everywhere. While I practice and learn to ride I'll order proper exhaust valve shims with a little extra tolerance as some people recommend.