Valve shims

[Robw]

It it safe to move the cams around without a shim in the top of the bucket, so that I can juggle my gaps.

Cheers Rob

[Z.O.A]

You can do it, but my advice is that you are best checking your gaps and working out the shim size required and just getting some plus a valve shim tool to hold the bucket, I recommend the kawasaki type and not the "Motion Pro" one.

If you do it the way you are suggesting, do it very slowly and carefully, also watch that the cam lobe does not contact off the edge of the bucket when rotating.

[02GF74]

I'd be wary of the cam catching the edge of the bucket, if that is possible.

Let's face it, this is a job you may do once a year - is it really worth the risk of buggering up the cam to save, what, maybe a couple of hours max.????!?!?!?!?!?!??!?

Check the price of replacement cams and then decide.

[Z.O.A]

Rob, here is a handy way of finding the shim size you need for each valve that's out of tolerance so that you know exactly which size you need.

Figures are example only:

Actual measured clearance 0.52mm
Subtract specified clearance -0.15mm = 0.37mm


Existing Shim size 220
Add excess clearance 37 = 257 (round to nearest shim size, ie. 260)

[Robw]

Cheers for the info guys, all sorted now. My local bike shop gave me a shim for nothing , when I went and got a camcover gasket.

Rob