tappet adjustment tool

[pinkelephant]

is this the "tappet adjustment tool" I need for my cam? it's 1/4th the price I've seen elsewhere
(the last item on the "tools" page)
http://www.crc2onlinecatalog.com/Index_Main_Frame.htm

[oseaghdha]

Sure looks like it.

[pinkelephant]

i'm not going to attempt this till it's too cold to ride since I have to order shims in the middle of the project. I "assume" this can be done on the frame. I only know what the service manual tells me I know

[dbeardslee]

Pink - The valves can be adjusted with the motor in the frame, however, the valve tool is as close to a piece of junk as you can get. It's difficult (sometimes next to impossible) to get it on the valve buckets, and repeatedly screwing and unscrewing the steel bolts in the aluminum heads just isn't a good idea.

I have found that the easiest way to adjust the valve clearances is to remove the valve cover, rotate the camshaft such that on one side the lobes are off the shims, remove the cam chain tensioner, and pull up a little slack in the chain. Then loosen the bolts on the camshaft caps keeping them a little tighter on the side opposite the one where the lobes are off the shims - one cam shaft at a time, one side at a time. You may have to completely remove the caps on the side you are working on to get the shaft high enough. This allows the camshaft to 'pop' up on one side and you can use a small screwdriver to unseat the shim and needle nose pliers to remove them. Once you have one side of a camshaft done, tighten the bolts, adjust the camshaft so the lobes are off the shims on the other side, and repeat the process for the other side of the camshaft, and then the other camshaft.

There is a large hex shaped 'bolt' on each camshaft, close to the center of the shaft. I use a 22mm (IIRC) open-end wrench on these 'bolts' to rotate the camshafts. Be very careful when rotating the camshafts that you don't wind up with a situation where you are opening both the exhaust and intake valves on the same cylinder - it can bend the valves. This is more of a problem when using the valve tool as it holds on valve down via an 'unnatural' means. Less of a problem with the above procedure, but you should still pay careful attention. When your done torque the cap nuts to spec.

[red bandit]

the valve tool is as close to a piece of junk as you can get

With all do respect. I don't know why a lot of people have trouble with this tool. It works great for me. And is a lot less work than loosening or removing the cams.
Remove spark plugs. Start with cam lobe towards center of engine. Use wrench on left side of engine to turn engine over to use the cam lobe to push bucket down (only a little), tighten tool, turn cam lobe back towards center of engine, remove shim, replace shim, turn engine so cam pushes bucket down, remove tool, done. Do not use tool to push bucket down.

[pinkelephant]

thanks. I feel better armed with all the info. I assume I can use this method and my book (and the above method as a backup if the tool fails me) and figure out what shims I need to order and then throw a towel over it for a week waiting on parts, then go back and do it again...

With all do respect. I don't know why a lot of people have trouble with this tool. It works great for me. And is a lot less work than loosening or removing the cams.
Remove spark plugs. Start with cam lobe towards center of engine. Use wrench on left side of engine to turn engine over to use the cam lobe to push bucket down (only a little), tighten tool, turn cam lobe back towards center of engine, remove shim, replace shim, turn engine so cam pushes bucket down, remove tool, done. Do not use tool to push bucket down.

[dbeardslee]

Pink - Yup. I keep a maintenance log where I record (among other things) the current installed shim sizes. Then all I have to do is pull the valve cover, take the measurements, figure out what I need, and get the appropriate shims. Saves a lot of time. Might be a good idea to pull them all out on your first time through and record what you have. This is also helpful if you goof and put any in with the numbers up and the sizes subsequently get rubbed off. JAT

[greatnw]

Yep, this year was my first with my XS and I had the same question. I used the "loosen the cam" method and it worked great. I must have measured one valve slightly incorrectly because I have one tapping a bit too loose.
I kept a log of each measurement, each shim and then did the math. I was able to use several of the shims I had in other locations and my local shop had the four I needed at $8 a pop. I really need to send my extra ones to the library.
Pretty easy job really.
I did buy an inch pound torque wrench just for this job. I would have had the cam nuts way too tight had I not had the torque wrench. Less than $20 at harbor freight.
Good luck with it.

[pinkelephant]

are these the shims I need?
http://www.z1enterprises.com/catalog...S1100-1981-EN1

[dbeardslee]

Those are the right shims, but you have to take the measurements, check the existing shim size, and then use the cross reference chart to figure out what thickness you need. Any 29mm shim of the appropriate thickness will work, and you can probably find them cheaper than $5.28 a piece, but I'm not sure where. Maybe someone else will chime in.

[pinkelephant]

just finding where to buy them for when I jump in and do this. I want the bike down for as short a time as possible

[DGXSER]

29 MM is the size, I suggest checking your local independant bike shops. There is one close to me that sold me all the shims I needed for $2 a piece. Hard to beat that deal.

[TADracer]

I'll throw in my two cents.

I feel it is easier to remove the cams then it is to diddle with the shim tool. Besides, you really should know all your shim thickness anyway. It makes it easier to figure it all out down the road if you ever need to adjust again. Removing the cams takes only 10 or 15 minutes and then everything is there out in the open for you. Re-installing the cams is just as easy especially if you are using the stock sprockets that do not require degreeing the cams in.

To figure the correct shim thickness you need to add the valve clearance measurement and current shim thickness together then subtract your desired valve clearance to get the new shim size.

crc2online has the correct shims and they are reasonable. Make sure you lube them up well before starting the motor and, of course, insert the shim with the numbers facing down.

[Jimmyshifts]

So I'm trying this for the first time. I thought that as time goes by the gap between the cam lobe and shim would grow. But now from what I understand is that it actually gets tighter? It seems all mine are right up against the cam lobe. I can't get the feeler gauge in there at all. Do i have another problem or do I go ahead and replace the shims? And yes, I have the cam lobe pointing up.

thanks!!

Jim

[b.walker5]

Are you absolutely certain you are measuring correctly, and the cam lobes are are in the right position? It would be pretty unusual to find no gap on all the shims, and if thats true then you may have other problems as well, like burnt valves and seats because the valves may not be closing completely. Valve stems stretch over time but when you get to a "no gap" stage you should begin to notice it. Does your engine chuff through the intake or backfire at all? down on power maybe, or is it hard to start? Not trying to scare you, just trying to put together scenarios in my head.