I am going to check all my valve clearances because I don't know the history of this engine, and this is one of the few things I haven't checked so far. Everything works fine, I just don't want to end up burning valves because they are to tight. I have never seen or heard of this method of shim swapping before and I wondered if anyone had tried this, or a variation of this method? Seems to me that with all the posts I've read on here about bent valve stems, this might not be a real good idea. Any thoughts?
Valve Shim Swap
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It is ever so much easier to just loosen the cam bearing covers slightly and lift the cam a little bit and remove the shim. I have done this several hundred times with no problem and see no reason to have a tool or use other methods. It works every time. This was first shown to me by a Yamaha mechanic at a shop twenty years ago, even they would not use that worthless tool!The Old Tamer
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1979 XS1100SF (The Fire Dragon)
1982 650 Maxim (The Little Dragon)
another '82 650 Maxim (Parts Dragon)
1981 XS1100SH (The Black Dragon)
If there are more than three bolts holding it on there, it is most likely a very important part!Comment
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It is ever so much easier to just loosen the cam bearing covers slightly and lift the cam a little bit and remove the shim. I have done this several hundred times with no problem and see no reason to have a tool or use other methods. It works every time. This was first shown to me by a Yamaha mechanic at a shop twenty years ago, even they would not use that worthless tool!
Thanks,1981 XS1100 Special
Saddlemen Seat
MAC 4 into 2 TurnoutsComment
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I usually do one cam at a time, maybe you could do all at once but I tend to err on the side of caution. Also, I do one side of one cam at one time. You have to loosen all of the bearing covers but loosen them less on the side you are not working on is how I do it. You could probably take them all clear off and not worry as the chain is holding the cam down but like I said, I tend to err on the side of caution. This method has worked for me for years, I see no reason to change.The Old Tamer
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1979 XS1100SF (The Fire Dragon)
1982 650 Maxim (The Little Dragon)
another '82 650 Maxim (Parts Dragon)
1981 XS1100SH (The Black Dragon)
If there are more than three bolts holding it on there, it is most likely a very important part!Comment
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Perfect, always learn something new on this site. I'd better be drawing up a shim chart before I do anything. Sometimes I have the attention span of a gnat.1981 XS1100 Special
Saddlemen Seat
MAC 4 into 2 TurnoutsComment
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