Can you turn a valve lifter?

I have been struggling with removing the valve shims to get the shim numbers because some of the slots in the lifters are hidden under the cam and seem inaccessible.

I read here:
http://www.imrisk.com/yamaha/xjwiretie.htm

"rotate the lifter until the small slot is easy to access"

My lifters seem as if they are secured in place and immovable.

Is there a trick to this that I am missing?


Thanks.

Mark

 

Yes they can be turned. The cam lobe cannot be tuching the shim when you try. With the cam in position to check the valve clearence you should be able to turn the lifter(some call it a bucket). A small screwdriver in the slot should do the trick.

 

and due to a touch of cross angle on the cam lobe grind they should rotate a bit each time the cam pushes them down. The contact between cam and shim/lifter should be ever so slightly off center. Try rolling the crank 'round and round and see if that works for ya.

 

Thank you for that!

I had located one of the slots before applying the bucket tool, and to my surprise it had moved after I rolled the cam. I thought maybe I was losing it.

Cheers.

 

if you have a compressor, a shot of air in that slot should pop the shim right out

 

that's how the valves self lap. without it there's only a tiny amount of rotation that happens due the direct the springs are wound. Any microscopic amount of wear on one part of the valve face and seat would stay in location and be further excavated by exhaust gas. The valves rotate round and round in operation so no one spot gets a chance to wear excessively.

Glad you got it sorted.