Camshaft End Play - Cam Walk

[larsensp]

I think my cam's might be "walking".

Nearing the end of rebuilding the engine of a 91 GS500. While preparing for reassembling the head, I noticed the 2 camshaft shims shown in the parts diagram. I'm pretty sure that they were not present when I took the engine apart.

The cam's do rock back and forth, and make a sound very similar to that shown in this video (not my engine).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ek2jihBHYcc&ab_channel=chris900f


I measured the end play with a feeler gauge, and came up with about .19mm of clearance on the side where the shim is supposed to go for both cams. According to posts here, the stock shim is 1mm thick. Would this clearance increase when the engine is hot? Not sure if the standard shim would be too thick for my current end play.

If anyone's had a similar situation, could use some advice.


Thanks,
Spencer
'91 GS500

[chris900f]

Hey that's my bike! Does your bike clatter at idle once it heats up? If so try leaning the idling bike to the left. If the sound gets quieter its the cams walking.

There were/are different shim thicknesses available. I think the shim-washer sits in a machined groove/relief in the cam, so the stock 1mm washer may be correct. Also my exhaust cam was much worse than the intake. I didn't measure the endplay as I was replacing the cams anyway, but I think I had over 1mm of endplay.

[larsensp]

I'm a little bit away from getting the engine back together, so I don't know for sure. Will come back when I finish the rebuild and get it running.