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Valve adjustment- worst ever

Started by vl5150, October 17, 2016, 05:43:20 PM

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vl5150

Just venting...
I've had lots of bikes and always found the valve adjustments a pleasant experience until now.  Bucket over shim, bucket under shim, sliding rocker arms, set screw Honda, remove the cam--I've done them all.  I've not seen the likes of this procedure on the Vision.  What a PITA!

George R. Young

You could always just remove the cams if that appears easier to you.

Rikugun

Which part(s) did you find the most difficult? I find the process of just getting to the valve train the most trouble. Oh, and reinstalling the covers and gaskets.
It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is then to persist in delusion, however satisfying or reassuring.  Carl Sagan

fret not

I agree with Rikugun about just getting to the measurements.  It really does help to have a proper tool to depress the buckets.
Retired, on the downhill slide. . . . . . . . still feels like going uphill!

vl5150

I had to abort my valve adjustment because the tip of my tool enlarged and made pressing the lifters hard. Then my last 2 lifters wouldn't turn to get to the notch.  I was mostly in spec so I put it all back and will get to it in another few months.
In the meantime I have a new tool on the way and give it another shot.  The cam is a good idea but what a pain since there's four of them, but that may be the way to go to avoid complications.

I find the entire operation tedious and cumbersome and I've done a bunch of bikes and just did the heads and cam on my Corvette so I have some wrenching skills.  So take a deep breath and try again. :)

Rikugun

Vince, the offer of a loaner tool still stands. PM me if you're interested.
It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is then to persist in delusion, however satisfying or reassuring.  Carl Sagan

pinholenz

It is a pain doing the Vision. It does require patience and a couple of days measuring, sourcing and replacing. I was quoted $600 to have the job done by a mechanic. I can see why having done mine.

I was careless with lining up my fabricated shim removal tool and stretched it.  A quick squeeze in the vise brought it back to the required 22mm across the faces and it worked fine.

Below are some tips from my experience.

Tips for adjusting shims. XZ400 and XZ550

Follow the Haynes or factory manual procedure to remove the tank, engine frame side and valve covers. If the valve covers are not leaking oil, there is no need to replace the rubber valve cover gaskets unless they are damaged during removal.  The Haynes and factory manuals explain how to rotate the camshafts and take measurements.

Before using the shim tool, rotate the camshaft lobes into an upright position. Using a screwdriver, rotate the shim buckets so that the access notches on both valves are half facing each other.  As the tool and camshaft rotate, the tool comes in to contact with the shim bucket. The access notch will  rotate to bring it to the front or rear of the cylinder.

Use a strong electricians screwdriver in the notch to lever  the shim loose while the shim tool depresses the shim buckets. A shorter screwdriver  is needed for access to the rear cylinder head valves. . If you have access to compressed air, then this could be used to blow the shims loose in the buckets. Both these methods should break the oil suction that "sticks" the shim to valve bucket.

I found that a large rare earth magnet was ideal for removing the loosened shim from the bucket.  A magnetic pickup tool works also works well. 

The probability is that if any shims need adjusting, it is because the gap is too small.. And, it is unlikely that you will have a full set of spare shims of different sizes on hand to adjust them as you go. If you have a spare bike that you cannibalise for parts, measure the shims in this bike so you know what you have. Firstly measure the gap. Next remove the shim, make a note of its size. (Most are marked on the underside) Replace the shim with one that you have at hand of the correct size, (using the Haynes chart) or simply put it back in place. Repeat the process for all the valves. You will find that you can swap shims between cylinders so that you only have to source a few shims.

The shims are 29 mm in diameter and are used in older Kawasaki , Yamaha and BMW bikes.  Your local dealer may have them and  there are plenty on eBay. I simply took my oversize shims to a local automotive engineer who surface ground them for me to my specifications. The cost was about half the price of new ones and I got them back same day.

I was quoted NZ$600 by a bike shop to do my shims.  I can see why. The whole adjusting process took me the best part of 2 days.

Tips for using the valve shim removal tool.
The tool should be placed on the valve cam with the middle brass rivet next to the  EX or IN marks on the cam shaft. (The is an indentation on an OEM tool) DO NOT position the shim tool by using the use the "E" or "I" marks which are on the opposite side of the camshaft.    Make sure that the tool is lined up exactly in the middle of the two cam lobes.

As the crankshaft  is gently rotated to bring the valve tool in contact with the shim buckets, guide the tool with your other hand to keep it firmly in contact with the  flat faces of the cam shaft.

There is no need to rotate the tool much beyond the vertical position. If the valve buckets are not depressed,  it probably means that the tool wasn't aligned properly. Rotate in the reverse direction to release the tool and have another go.

If the tool is not positioned correctly or forced, it will bend out of shape instead of damaging the engine.  It can be repaired by reshaping it in a vise so that the measured gap across the tool is 22mm. This should now fit correctly on the cam faces and can be used normally again.
Only one '82.5  eXtreme Zen 550