Valve shim sanity check

[cdpruden]

Hey all, kudos for the help last time. I've dug into the next project on my XS, valve clearance adjustment. This is the first time I've done this on anthing. I was hoping I could get a "seal of approval" on the shim sizes before I head to the bike shop tomorrow.

The bike is a '78E. Valve clearance adjustment hasn't been done for as long as I've owned the bike (Feb. 2002), and I've done about 15k miles since then. So, I wouldn't be too surprised if it was quite a bit out.

I believe the clearances should be:
Exhaust: .21 - .24 mm
Intake: .16 - .20 mm

based on Clymer, and something I saw on here (somewhere)

So, here goes wtih a little table...

Intake
Valve    installed pad    measured    new pad
1        265                .127         260
2        260                .152         255
3        270                .152         265
4        270                .229         275


Exhaust
Valve    installed pad    measured    new pad
1        290                .203         285
2        270                .254         275
3        280                .254         285
4        285                .203         280

The new pad is based on the charts at:
http://www.xs1100.co.uk/engint.htm and
http://www.xs1100.co.uk/engint.htm

I also tried with the spreadsheet TC linked to here:
http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread...im+spreadsheet

and ended up with:

Intake
Valve    installed pad    measured    new pad
1        265                .127         260
2        260                .152         255
3        270                .152         265
4        270                .229         275


Exhaust
Valve    installed pad    measured    new pad
1        290                .203         285
2        270                .254         -
3        280                .254         -
4        285                .203         280

So, really, it looks like the only differences between the charts were on the intakes, and I would imagine they were all because of metric/standard conversions. (Probably should have really made sure I had a metric feeler guague before getting started.)

The clearance on Exhaust 2 and 3 seem out of spec to me, so I think I will go with the "switch all of them around" idea.

It looks like I can go:

e4 => e1
e3 => e4
i1 => i3
i2 => i1

Which means I just need:

275 x 2
255
280

Any thoughts? Anything I'm forgetting? Everything look sane? Hoping I got this right. Thanks in advance!

[GtrMn]

2 270 .254 275
3 280 .254 285

On those two....if you subtract .05 ( next size up ) your result would be .204 A bit under spec. On any car or bike I've ever had I tend to like it a touch loose instead of tight....always worried about burning an exhaust valve. That's just me though...you may be fine with it.

[Crazcnuk]

You want to be on the 'loose' side, so that you don't have to check them as often.

The valve clearances get tighter as the valve wears into the seat. If you set it tight, you are always wondering if it's burning the valve. If you set it to the loosest setting you can run for a long ways before the valve is anywhere near tight.

The difference in performance, on the street, is minimal. However, they will be a little noisier when you first set them on the loose side.

[GtrMn]

However, they will be a little noisier when you first set them on the loose side.

Yeap..to me a little ticky ticky is better than a burnt valve.

[trbig]

Yup... and these clearances get CLOSER with use, not larger as things would sem to do normaly. So a little on the loose side now wil be longer betwen the next shim job.

Tod

[Dsxs11]

If you can't find the shims you need PM me I'm not that far away and I've got several hundred of them in a box. I use to play with Taurus SHO's same shims.

[cdpruden]

Great, thanks for all the help on it!

I'm waiting for the bike shop to open at the moment -- should be at 10.

Based on what's been mentioned, exhaust 2 and 3, while over the clearance a bit, would be under if changing the shim... I also tried the SAE portion of the spreadsheet, and that says keep 2 and 3 the same.

Makes sense to me.

I wonder if I should figure that, as the .254 went in, but the next noe up didn't -- it may still b e greater than .254, and would be okay going down to the lower clearance? Eh, I'll stick with the larger clearance then.

One thing I'm assuming here is, I should try to keep the clearances all towards the same end. Ie, since I'm going towards max clearance on those, I should go to max clearance on the others.

One other thing I hadn't mentioned -- it seems that my cam chain tensioner is getting pretty close to it's limit, and that may have been why I wasn't getting a satisfying "thunk" when adjusting it. I'm thinking I'll put off the cam chain replacement until an early spring, though.

Anyway, thanks again for all the help. Almost time to head for the bike shop.

Chris

[Crazcnuk]

I wouldn't assume the chain is wore out, because you didn't get a 'thunk'. It may just be that it didn't need much adjustment, ie; may have been done not too many miles ago.

If you like the the 'thunk', leave the lock bolt tight, take the tensioner out of the bike, put it in a vice, loosen the lock bolt, squish it in, with the vice, tighten lock bolt, then reinstall in the engine and loosen the lock bolt. You will get a satisfying thunk!

Don't forget to retighten the lockbolt AND locknut when done.

[cdpruden]

Update, little bits of D'Oh

Well, thanks for all the help with this. I got the shims no problem, local store didn't even charge for the swap.

Got them all in, and everything comes up within tolerances.

e1    .254
e2    .229
e3    .229
e4    .229

i1    .178 (really tight, but did fit)
i2    .203
i3    .178
i4    .178

So, everything looks reasonable. i2 is slightly higher than spec, but not terrible.

So, putting the cams back in (I went ahead and pulled them to do things, rather than doing the tool for it. I think next time I'll get the tool), heard a little 'tink', saw a slight flash...

Yup. Dropped a washer right down the #3 spark plug hole. Had several moments of panic thinking I would have to pull the head, and where would I get a new gasket, and such. ARGH!

After a break to calm down, I realized that all I needed was a magnetic pick-up tool to fish it out; got it on the first try.

Had a bit more fun getting the cam chain back into place, but finally got it (after searching through a few old threads on here for tips, actually)

Tensioner made the satisfying 'thunk', and the camchain is nice and tight. Took a while before I was confident enough to fire it up, but it started up just fine.

So, following that, #2 had been bothering me a bit. The spark plug is a bit fouled and such, so I probably need to do a bit of adjusting on the carbs. Not sure where, I thought I had it good last time.

I put the colortune on, tweaked it a bit, not really getting anywhere, when suddenly, *pop*. Stalled out. Main fuse was blown. Tried another one, it blew immediately.

I was thinking it may be because I have the fairing off (Vetter - horn, turn signals, and headlight are all in it) -- but I rode it around a few months ago without the fairing on. Not entirely sure what to make of it, but that will be a project for tomorrow.

Thanks again for all the help. I should have my maintenance almost up-to-date on it