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Help on tappet shims

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  • #1

    Help on tappet shims

    Got a replacement head from newmac here on the list for gratis, just the freight. Great guy, I hope I can help him someday. Anyway cleaned up the head, lapped in my valves, they held lacquer thinner till I got tired of waiting, about an hour and installed on my motor today. The range on my shims is 265-280. The problem is when using his head and cam caps, my cams, my valves, my tappets and my shims. The thinnest feeler gage I have is .005 and it will not go under any cam lobe. I need a shim that is in the 240-255 range so that I can measure the clearance. Anybody got any ideas on how to figure the correct thickness of shim without just buying an assortment of thin shims. I tell you they are so tight that with the shim removal tool there is not enough clearance to even remove the shim without removing the cam first.

    Any great ideas would be appreciated.
    There's always a way, figure it out.
    78XS11E
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Valve Clearance

    Did you have the valves refaced on a valve grinder? Or, did you use a drill on the valve stem holding it against the seat while you lapped? From the problem you describe and the work that you did it sounds like the valves a seated too deep into the head. Therefore you have lost what ever valve clearance that you had.
    Off the top of my head the only solution I can come up with is what you already described. Obtain some very thin shims and measure again to obtain a starting point.
    Ken/Sooke

    Comment

    • #3
      Lapped by hand, remember a different head, as mine was bad. I don't know if the head I used was ever done before, but I know I did not take off allot by hand. When I got the head it had 4 bent exhaust valves and no intake valves. It did have tappets and springs but no shims. These were all mixed up in a baggy. I elected to use my parts just because I hade already checked them and they had been kept together. I thought that by using my parts at least those would be going back as they had come apart. I had thought of this problem happening before I did it but had no choice. As I said all 8 valves held lacquer thinner about an hour so I think the lapping job is ok.
      There's always a way, figure it out.
      78XS11E

      Comment

      • #4
        I'll take a look at what I have today for extra shims and post what I have to this thred this evening. If any of them will work for you, just let me know and I'll send them to you.
        S.R.Czekus

        1-Project SG (Ugly Rat Bike)(URB)
        1-big XS patch
        1-small XS/XJ patch
        1-XS/XJ owners pin.
        1-really cool XS/XJ owners sticker on my helmet.
        2-2005 XS rally T-shirts, (Bean Blossom, In)
        1-XVS1300C Yamaha Stryker Custom (Mosquito)
        1-VN900C Kawasaki Custom (Jelly Bean)

        Just do it !!!!!

        Comment

        • #5
          O.K... I took a look at what I have for shims and this is what I've got. 2-ea,260; 1-ea,265; 1-ea,270; 2-ea,280; 1-ea,285; 1-ea,290; If you need any of these. I'll trade with you 1 for 1, Send me a PM and I'll get them in the mail to you.
          S.R.Czekus

          1-Project SG (Ugly Rat Bike)(URB)
          1-big XS patch
          1-small XS/XJ patch
          1-XS/XJ owners pin.
          1-really cool XS/XJ owners sticker on my helmet.
          2-2005 XS rally T-shirts, (Bean Blossom, In)
          1-XVS1300C Yamaha Stryker Custom (Mosquito)
          1-VN900C Kawasaki Custom (Jelly Bean)

          Just do it !!!!!

          Comment

          • #6
            Valve Clearance

            When I adjusted my valves this past winter I was able to mix and match all but 3 valves. These three needed shims thinner than an I had. I went to my local Kawasaki dealer (who I buy all my tires and accessories from)- (established customer) and he very willingly traded me one for one. No problem. Do you have a local dealer who you deal with that may trade you shims? It will save you time and postage.
            Ken/Sooke

            Comment

            • #7
              Dave

              Are you using a standard measure feeler gauge, with metric equivilants, or is it strictly a metric one? When I did mine, I found that I needed to use a dedicated metric feeler gauge. Do you have the shim removal tool? If you need either, give me a yell.

              Comment

              • #8
                Thanks All

                Thanks Czekus but wont be any use to me, Those are about the same sizes I have.

                John, thanks but I have a shim tool and I bought a new feeler gage today.

                I have been modifying my shim tool today to hold the tappets down a little further by filing off material from the bottom where the mount holes are. It sure does take allot of time to remove .010 and keep it flat. By doing that it lets the pusher end go down a little more in the bore. I wish I had a welder and the brains to use it, by making the pusher end a little longer it would do the same thing but a whole lot easier.

                I got a 260 shim today but still to tall and no clearance at all. Still looking for something in the range of 240-255 range.
                There's always a way, figure it out.
                78XS11E

                Comment

                • #9
                  Hey Pathfinder,

                  How about measuring the clearance WITHOUT the shim in place, just between the bucket and cam, and then you can see how much you really need!?
                  T.C.
                  T. C. Gresham
                  81SH "Godzilla" . . .1179cc super-rat.
                  79SF "The Teacher" . . .basket case!
                  History shows again and again,
                  How nature points out the folly of men!

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    TC, that is a great suggestion. I hope he can use it. I will file that one away for future use.
                    It would be handy after doing a valve job. You could pop the cams in with the head still on the bench, take your measurements. Determine what you need for shims and have that problem solved before ever putting the head back on.
                    I have not checked on an XS BUT! I know that on a 6 cylinder jag you have to place blocks along the side of the head to raise it up off the bench surface while the cams are in. If you don't you will bend a couple of valves as they protrude beyond the head gasket surface on the head. Just a waning to be aware of that little known fact.
                    Ken/Sooke

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Thought about that the tappet should be just as hard as the shim, I'll look into that. Thanks
                      There's always a way, figure it out.
                      78XS11E

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        Hey Pathfinder,

                        I have several shims when I get home after work I will look at my list and let you know the range of shims I have and how many.

                        Do'Lee
                        Do'Lee
                        XS1100SF "Green Hornet"
                        (1) XS1100LG "Midnight Dream" Restoration has begun.
                        (2) XS1100LG "Midnight Madness" Waiting to be next
                        (5) multi partsters for bobber "Ruby Red II" On the list.
                        SR500H "Silver Streak"

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          Hey Ratbyk,

                          Well, that's cool, I was just trying to brainstorm a way for him to do it!? BTW, it wasn't the valves bending against the table that's the problem, it's them bending against each other, intake and exhaust, cause when you put the cams back in, with NO chain attached, and you rotate the cams, they are not in synch, and eventually you'll push a valve out into one that is already opened and bend one or both! DAMHIKIJD

                          Best to only put one cam in at a time if you are going to do this with the head off!!!
                          T.C.
                          T. C. Gresham
                          81SH "Godzilla" . . .1179cc super-rat.
                          79SF "The Teacher" . . .basket case!
                          History shows again and again,
                          How nature points out the folly of men!

                          Comment

                          • #14
                            TC, only install one cam at a time. Take your measurements. Remove that cam and install the other. Take your measurements.
                            Viola! Calculate your shims sizes. Install head. Install one cam (in the correct position) Install the other cam (in the correct position) Hook up cam chain. Should be good to go. Wasn't that easy! Tee Hee
                            Ken/Sooke

                            Comment

                            • #15
                              My stock pile of shim sizes.

                              Y205 (4) Y210 (4) Y215 (3)
                              Y220 (2) Y225 (3) Y230 (3)
                              Y235 (3) Y240 (3) Y245 (0)
                              Y250 (0) Y255 (0) Y260 (6)
                              Y265 (4) Y270 (0) Y275 (4)
                              Y280 (4) Y285 (2) Y290 (3)
                              Y320 (1)

                              On my last valve adjustment I used the few
                              Y245, Y250, Y255, & Y270 Shims. I also can
                              go to the bike shop by me house and swap
                              shims. If they have to re-order that size I have
                              to buy them.
                              Do'Lee
                              XS1100SF "Green Hornet"
                              (1) XS1100LG "Midnight Dream" Restoration has begun.
                              (2) XS1100LG "Midnight Madness" Waiting to be next
                              (5) multi partsters for bobber "Ruby Red II" On the list.
                              SR500H "Silver Streak"

                              Comment

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