feeler guage mod...ha

So my 1986 maxim 750XS is new to me this year, and so is working on bikes in general. Winter is now in full effect and I've compiled about 2 toolboxes full of tools for working on her. I've got my service manual, and have been doing some of the basic maintenance, and it's going well.

Today I went at checking the valve shim clearances on my water-cooled engine. I managed to check the clearances on MOST of them, and popped the cams out to check all the shims I have in there, and got it back together I think nicely.

The feeler guage I picked up today from Canadian Tire however is too wide to fit in most of the spots to check clearances, so I was only able to check one for each cylinder. I have thought about taking a grinder and chopping them so they are a little skinnier to fit in there. Is this a bad idea? Would it make them more ceceptable to rip? Should I just get a new guage that has skinnier feelers?

Also, I am wondering if there is a way to make sure I got the chain, sprockets and cams all lined up perfectly in re-assembly? It all looks right, but is there a sure-fire way to check this?

CHeers

 

My big concern about grinding the gauges down is that you'd get burrs on the edges that would mess up the reading. If they're otherwise unusable it's no loss if they break.

Best thing to do on cam timing is to turn the engine around carefully by hand a few times, making sure nothing binds up. Then re-check your marks.

 

The picture is a bit on the big side, but they must have a Princess Auto up in the 'borough and that's where I bought these on sale a few weeks ago. You can see the set has 35 blades that go from .0015 up to .035 with the Metric equivalent right beside it so no conversion needed.
You can see that they are tapered, unlike the "standard" thumb size feelers for auto use.

 

Get narrow Gauges!

Stop a SnapOn or a MAC or Cromwell Truck Guy and have him fix you right up.

Or, ... Shop online.

http://www.advdesigns.com/14picofegase.html

 

Thanks guys,
Unfortunately my city has none of those places. I went around everywhere and got a lot of disgruntled looks from employees.
So, eager to find my clearances so I can get going on this, I used a grinder and cut the feelers on the one I have. I've worked a lot in the Tiling trade, and we use a grinder for everything. I made them skinnier and managed to skim all the burrs off them too!
I wouldn't reccomend doing this to anyone who isn't comfortable having a diamond blade 1/8" away from their fingers! haha.
I am going to order a nice set at some point for the future.

Here are my results:

Intake (left to right)
.000 with 190 - needs 175
.063 with 190 - needs 180
.076 with 190 - needs 180

.051 with 185 - needs 175
.076 with 185 - needs 175
.000 with 185 - needs 170

.000 with 182 - needs 167
.000 with 185 - needs 170
.000 with 180 - needs 165

.051 with 188 - needs 177
.051 with 188 - needs 177
.000 with 190 - needs 175

exhaust:
.152 with 195 - needs 185
.152 with 198 - needs 185

.203 with 192 - needs 185 ?
.229 with 192 -

.152 with 192 - needs 180
.254 with 195 -

.254 with 195 -
.229 with 195 -

There is obviously some that I can swap. Anything look strikingly incorrect to any experts before I go about ordering my shims?