Valve Adjustment

[Barlow]

Five of the eight valves on my 79 need adjustment.
The bike is a project that had been sitting 12 years.
No one around here has the tool or shims needed to accomplish that.
Any idea where I could get one or borrow one long enough to do the adjusting?

[GLoweVA]

5 of the 8, then i'd just pull both cams and swap around as needed take the ones you don't reuse to a dealer and see if they'll trade you for the ones you need.

[Radioguylogs]

Uh oh... the debate for 'shim removal tool' vs. 'cam removal' continues:

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35129

I am quite happy using the Yamaha tool. The more you use it, the more you get a knack and can move shims around quickly.

I always measure all the clearances first, then start pulling the shims that need replacing and noting the existing sizes. After you know all the 'bad' shim sizes, and have calculated the 'fixed' sizes, you will be able to move some of the 'bad' ones to other locations to fix those locations. Usually you only have to come up with a few shims if you don't a collections started already.

I found one of the three local Yamaha shops near here will swap shims for free.

I like using a pocket knife and a telescoping-magnet to get the shims out, but sometimes hemostats come in handy too.

But, as you will se the thread link above, some other members find it easier to pull the cams as GLoweVA recommended.

[TADracer]

If you need new shims and cannot find them at reasonable prices or a dealer that will recycle them, you should try an outfit called Cycle-Re-Cycle. They sell new shims for under $6.00 each. www.newmotorcycleparts.com

As far as valve tool, pulling cams, etc. use which ever method is best for you.

But in any event, get a manual if you do not have one and correctly calculate your shim size to put your valve in the center/high end of the tolerance range.

[mharrington]

Is this gentleman a member here?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mphj0OdSgMc

[MPittma100]

Valve Adjustment

Since you need to adjust the valves, be diligent about it. This is NOT a simple task.

Two options for you to think about:

1) If you want to do it yourself, buy/borow the tool and the shims needed.

2) If you are not sure you can do it yourself, "pay the piper" to do it for you.

Removing the cams instead of buying/using the right tool is NOT the proper procedure.

Read the book, follow the Yamaha instructions. Too many bent valves, valve timing issues, etc. have come up in the past by (unnecessarily) removing the
the camshafts.

My 2 cents.

Mike

[GLoweVA]

Is this gentleman a member here?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mphj0OdSgMc

Yes. He's one of the Aussie clan from down under. I cant remember his screen name right now.

[CaptonZap]

Steptoe

[wjw11teen]

where could i look to buy the valve adj.tool?

[James England]

I just bought the Motionpro tool from the US (.Georgefix) and instantly got rid of it when it arrived as I found it impossible to use and it was, IMO, rubbish and looked like it was going to damage the shim bucket tubes at the edges.

I removed the cams and did it that way.....

[mharrington]

What is the difference between the original Yamaha tool and the motion pro tool? The images I viewed they look similar but the yamaha tool is around $80 and the MP $15.

[TADracer]

The Motion Pro tool requires a bit of work on a grinding wheel before it works effortlessly because it is not stamped extremely well. I suspect the steel they use has a bit of a memory. But once fitted right it does work effortlessly.

[clashpistol]

Valve adjustment. I agree with Mike!

Since you need to adjust the valves, be diligent about it. This is NOT a simple task.

Two options for you to think about:

1) If you want to do it yourself, buy/borow the tool and the shims needed.

2) If you are not sure you can do it yourself, "pay the piper" to do it for you.

Removing the cams instead of buying/using the right tool is NOT the proper procedure.

Read the book, follow the Yamaha instructions. Too many bent valves, valve timing issues, etc. have come up in the past by (unnecessarily) removing the
the camshafts.

My 2 cents.

Mike

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A message I sent to T.C



T.C,

I must retract what I said about site usability. I am the one having the senior moments.

On the XS11.com Forums page I do not know if I had scrolled down far enough in forever, to see the section headings:

Maintenance
Repair
Modifications
Riding, Misc. etc.

I just did, doing an overview so disregard a lot of what I said about functionality. My bad!

There are many ways to skin a fox. There are the best easiest and most inexpensive ones. And then there are the hardest, time and money consuming ones.

The best ways to do things selected from the forum threads/posts should all be put in the xs11/tech tips in links for the best proper ones. There are far too little tips in tech tips and I think it should be updated so people have concise reference to the correct answers. It would illiviate members spending a great deal of time scouring the posts., and then perhaps getting incorrect information. Experienced members would not have to spend time answering uneducated questions or continually answering the same questions.

I.E. : When doing the Dremel fix the first time, the middle shaft bearing came right out after I removed the torx screws for me. The second time it would not come out. I was using a dental pic and then a cotter pin puller to gently pry it off and ended up breaking an ear off of the bearing housing and then having it welded. To get it off I took a long drill spotter bit that fit inside the shaft and gently tapped it out. A wooden dowel would probably be the best way not to crack the face of the bearing when pushing out, but the drill bit worked great. When trying to get countershaft in and out and in and out and so on forever. Like you stated turning back wheel helped it but also turning middle shaft (main shaft the splined end where clutch basket mounts?)made it drop in a lot easier with a helper wiggling too.

I.E. 2 : Trying to adjust the valves for the first time myself I was having a lot of difficulty getting the bucket to hold down(I thought). I had good lighting a good flashlight and an inspection mirror bit could not see if it was just catching edge of bucket. I searched here for answers. Some I came up with was ("the Motion Pro Tool is junk, grind it down") after a few posts and attempts, I ground it down, like others had.
I was trying to pop out the shim with a little screw driver, right angle pic, knife blade and magnet. I tried for hours and over and over resetting the tool because I didn't think the bucket was down because I could not get but one shim out. I heard about oil stiction. The first thing I did when starting was clean and blow out all the oil in the valve train and knew stiction would be present but I couldn't get the buggers to budge. I finally figured it out that having the tool centered on valve flat on valve cover surface was the way to go. I pried in the bucket slot under the smim with the little screwdriver (that fit snugly in the slot) and it popped the shims out out EVERY TIME! I checked gaps before and got them all out and referenced the shims in about an hour (with a helper to turn nut on the right side). I got the 3 shims luckily locally for $10 apiece. When I got home I had the 3 installed in about 10 minutes. I think the Motion Pro tool would have worked fine in the first place without grinding most likely. You have to learn by experience only sometimes, so it was a lesson well learned anyhow.

Just my 2 cents.

Regards,

Jeff

[mharrington]

I did the valves on a GS1000 last winter. It sure was easy on that model. I may make a duplicate of that fellers home made tool in the above video. I have an extra head so I could take my time doing all the mock up on a workbench instead of my bike.

[crazy steve]

What is the difference between the original Yamaha tool and the motion pro tool? The images I viewed they look similar but the yamaha tool is around $80 and the MP $15.

The Yamaha tool is a machined stamping, the MP is a sand casting with that process's limitations. Their quality control doesn't seem to be too good either; quite a few buyers have reported that the tool as supplied won't fit correctly without modifying it. I know the one I bought wasn't even close to fitting right out of the box....