Shimz

[Ed Z1-R]

Glen, you can build up the head with all bits in place and fit the camshafts(lubricate the cam shell bearings) and check all the valve clearances prior to fitting it to the motor,to determine whether you need to exchange the shims/ do valve work.
All you need is a BIG screwdriver to rotate the cams by the sprocket teeth and check clearances.
So the valves and gaps are correct prior to installing it to the engine.thus saving time and money for stripping down the motor and scrapping out a gasket.

[RALPHARAMA]

Hi Chris ... are they cheaper than ?6.85 though?

I had an FJ 1100 for many years and it was a great bike. It's only Achilles heel was a lack of ground clearance - I reckon it was a few pounds lighter when I chopped it in for an EXUP

Because the engine was sooo well built despite spanking it's arse off for many, many thousands of miles, it never needed any engine maintenance other than oil and filters - so I have no idea of spares costs!

[Steve Cooke]

Ralph the club do an exchange shim service, and I think i've got a ground shim to 190 for sizing only, I could send you that if needed.

[Muddychris]

Hi
I cant remember if the shimz were from a FJ1200 or the FJ1100 but they were definately fj. If in doubt take a micrometre or some other measuring device.

Cheers

Chris

[RALPHARAMA]

Ralph the club do an exchange shim service, and I think i've got a ground shim to 190 for sizing only, I could send you that if needed.

Don't the club end up with lots of fat shims and no thin ones? As the bikes get older they surely need thinner shims. I would be very interested in this service though.
If I could borrow your 190 to measure that would save me an inordinate amount of time. Very kind of you. Many thanks.

[Pigford]

Its generally not good practice to go below 200, due to risk of shims cracking/breaking/exploding as thats quite thin

[Glen]

Ed Z1 R

Thanks Ed. I will give this a go over the weekend. Know where is that SCREW DRIVER?

G

[Rich]

Turn a piece of alloy/ steel to fit into the valve spring recess. bore it to 7.5mm and recess the end so that it fits over the guide and rests on the cylinder head. This needs to be approx 20 to 30mm long but you do need to know what the measurement is and both ends need to be faced. Get yourself an accurate depth guage, (vernier will do) and measure from the top of the valve stem to the block, add both together and for an KZ1000 A1 to A3 you should be looking at 37.2 to 38mm valve stem height to bring it within shim range.

[Thezedsintheshed]

Yamaha FJ shims won't fit a Zed motor you need to use the old XS 1100 / XS 850 / XS 750 shims instead.
The FJ motors are 4 valve and the shims are a smaller diameter.
I am not 100% sure but I seem to remember that the thinnest shim that Yamaha used to do for the XS motors was either a 1.95 or a 1.90 which could save grinding down a Zed shim and loosing the case hardened surface off the shim.

[Thezedsintheshed]

Heres something else some of you might like to give a go.

The Yamaha XS shims are the same size and fit for ZED shims.
seeing as there are thousands of old XS 1100's running about these days ... .. how about calling into your local Yamaha dealer and offering a few beer tokens in exchange for the old workshop shim kit that will no doubt be sat on a shelf somewhere collecting dust ?
has to be worth a try to maybe land up with a cheap shim kit for your self

[RALPHARAMA]

A thousand thanks Steve

The shim arrived today; I and I have just made my measurements. Oddly all the shims smaller than 245 were all 235. I had a bit of a panic when I put a 250 in by mistake and couldn't get the 0.002" feeler in. I had the current bride on the phone at the time and fell into a pit of despair untill I realised I had picked the wrong shim out after measuring the exhaust side.

Thanks again Steve, I'll get it back to you as soon as poss.

Ralph

[z1bnackerkwacker]

shims go down to 200 so I'd suggest you get one of these and measure from there - you may not even need to touch the valves.

I'm in the same boat, just checked mine and have one 210 with a tight 2 thou' gap..........time to try a 205 or 200.....

[Pigford]

Its recommended you don't go below 200 coz they are getting a bit thin & may break up...... Although I do have a 180

[Big Fluff]

The shims are case hardened as they take a hammering you can't grind them down and use them as they'll break.

Yes they are case hardened, true. However, case hardening is typically around .0014" (0.3mm) deep into the material. Now although I don't condone shim grinding, taking a couple of thou' (0.05mm) off each end isn't going to hurt.
I work in the meterology department at Bentley Motors and the guys here know best, they've been doing this sort of thing for many many years.
Many of our prototype engines (twin turbo 800+bhp) run 'ground' shims during prototype design and build, and i'm not talking 4500rpm either.... some of our motors run at in excess of 9000rpm.
I've had 190 and 195 shims ground from a couple of 2.05mm shims as I too have found that some ham-fisted bastard's ripped the shit out of the valve seats.
On a personal note I have absolutely no worries over surface grinding shims by a thou' or two, as long as the token shims haven't been ground before of course.
Like I said, that's my personal outlook on this subject, and can understand why people are sceptical about grinding shims.

OK, you may now "shoot me down"

[Buckle]

OK, you may now "shoot me down" - Righto....

Big Fluff ..........Me