Shim check Re- few of my discoveries.

I did my shim check today. Just a couple of my ideas and picture about it I would like to share.

I did not have the bucket tool so I had to use the electrical wire method. I have limited supply of tools and my bike is not so clean as it should be.

I started the first shim by using a 14 gauge wire and then switched to 12 gauge because it didn't hold the valve down low enough to squeeze the shim out. Even with that some of the shims were hard to push out.

I used two flat head screw drivers, one to hold down the bucket while I broke free the shim with the other.

With an old feeler gauge I had, I slipped it under the shim, pushed up the shim from the other side of the cam and was able to pinch the shim with my finger against the gauge and pull it out. Worked like a charm every time.

Feeler gauge
Look at my black sootie spark plug.

 

How do I tell what size of shim to get?

1: In 006 - Shim y265
Out 005 - Shim y270

2: In 004 - Shim y260
Out 006 - Shim y265

3: In 005 - Shim y275
Out 005 - Shim y255

4: In 005 - Shim y255
Out 005 - Shim y255

 

I just use a magnet to extract the shims...... Just like it says in the manual.

 

Ha ha! Good stuff. The good old manual.

 

If you magnetize the shim metal shavings will attract to it and pound the shavings into the cam lobe and the shim. Big Fitz has been preaching not to use magnets for years for that reason. Personally I don't want to chance any more issues than I already have, so I listen to Fitz and Rick.
I used to do that now I just use a 45 deg needle nose pliers. Works just fine for me.

 

The cam action on the shim would de-magnetize it anyway.....there's a magnet in the oil drain plug to catch stuff. The magnet is only in momentary contact with the shim anyway


I wonder how hard those particles would have to be in order to be "ground into" a hardened shim.

I'll keep using a magnet. Never had a problem, doubt I ever will.

 

First of all, I'm going to assume that IN means intake and OUT means exhaust.

Second, I'm going to assume that your measurements (004, 005, 006, etc.) are in inches, rather than mm.

Lastly, I'm going to assume that you are working on a 1981 XJ550 Maxim.


That said, here's what you need:

.004 = .1016mm
.005 = .1270mm
.006 = .1524mm


NOTE: all XJ500, XJ550, FJ600, XJ650, XJ700 non-X, XJ750 non-X, and XJ900RK, RL, N/FN, and F models use the following valve shim clearances:

Valve Clearance Intake: 0.11 - 0.15mm (= 0.004” - 0.006")
Valve Clearance Exhaust: 0.16 - 0.20mm (= 0.006” - 0.008")


Intake #1 okay, leave as is.
Intake #2 replace current 2.60mm shim with a 2.55mm shim.
Intake #3 okay, leave as is.
Intake #4 okay, leave as is.

Exhaust #1 replace current 2.70mm shim with a 2.65mm shim.
Exhaust #2 replace current 2.65mm shim with a 2.60mm shim.
Exhaust #3 replace current 2.55mm shim with a 2.50mm shim.
Exhaust #4 replace current 2.55mm shim with a 2.50mm shim.

You can use your current intake #2 shim as a replacement for exhaust #2
You can use your current exhaust #2 shim as a replacement for exhaust #1
You can use your current exhaust #3 or #4 shim as a replacement for intake #2
You'll need to obtain 2 x 2.50mm shims.

 

Wow chacal that is awesome help. Thank you. Yeah I posted in inches and then tried to edit to mm and for some reason it would not let me. My bike is laid up until I get my new shims. Can you get those two 2.50 s to me? Send me a cost and delivery in our chat.

 

Funny thing about that manual. It has a table in it that tells you what shim you need to put the valves back into spec.

 

it is amazing what can be found in the FSM

 

That manual would be cool. But I don't have one. I read the charts given by Fitz on this form, and I couldn't wrap my head around it. So I checked out a few valve shim calculators online, they did not help either. The only yamaha one I found added another decimal point to the metric. So then I thought a more direct approach ..... ask someone for help. And voila, someone answered. It was a hot day here, and my first time, I will work harder on it next time.
I now got me a clymer book. Hoping that will help with future projects.

 

I found out why I couldn't wrap my head around the shim calculator. I was thinking opposites. To increase the gap, one needs to install a thinner (lower number) shim. For some reason, I was thinking the opposite. Maybe what the guy before me did as well for it seems my exhausts are similar or smaller than the intakes.

A friend of mine told me I should make all the gaps exactly the same on every cylinder. That would require me to buy a lot more shims. I take it by Chacals response, that would be unnecessary.

 

Chacal will never steer you wrong.

There is a different specification range for intake and exhaust clearances, so you do NOT want everything the same. Make sure to catalog all of your shims and clearances because you WILL be changing them again (should be checking clearances every 5,000 ? miles). If you know the existing sizes of shims you can often times do the shim doosey-doh and swap them around to bring clearances back to spec.

Best to use a metric feeler gauge.

 

Eventually you'll learn that you:

1. Don't take "a friend's" advice
2. Don't take a "previous owner's" word
3. Don't take a dealer's/shop's advice
4. Don't have dealer/shop do repairs

5. HAVE THE GREATEST XJ SUPPORT BASE AND KNOWLEDGE BASE RIGHT HERE

you're starting to understand that now

 

Yes I am quickly learning to appreciate Chacal. Thank you.

 

Well hogfiddles I guess we can't become friends. Muhahaha.
Yep you are right though. It

In keeping with your advice, I guess we cannot become friends. Muhahaha
Yeppers. I am slooowwwwllllyyy catching on.