Valve clearance question :)

[firestarter1977]

Hi all.

Well the storms back after its slide down the road.

Now I am thinking about doing a service before the 19th of aug when it goes to spain !

How hard is it to do the valve clearances, what parts will I need and roughly how long might it take?

Also I'm tempted to replace the clutch slave cylinder seal as I aint done it and can do without it going in spain... Is that a big job to do ?

Any help appreciated

Regards mark.

[benny hedges]

valve clearances is relatively easy to do - if you have done ccts before you won't have trouble doing the shims.
i recommend before you start that you buy yourself a 'hotcams shim kit' make sure its 9.48 diameter shims.
it will cost you about £75 (google) but when you consider the price of individual shims from a dealer, plus the fact that you will have to measure the clearance and remove the old shims, work out what new shims you want and then order them etc, the bike will be off the road.
whereas if you order the shimkit you can do the whole job in a few hrs easy.

this link, they'll do you individual shims for £3 each, which is less than half what a dealer will charge.
http://www.zoomfactory.co.uk/hotcams-va ... m-kits.asp
can't remember the shop i bought mine from - think it was dirtbikes.co.uk or sumat, but it was 76 with free post.

also get yourself a new set of feeler gauges and a magnet on a stick.
recommend you buy extra long feelers - you will need to bend the end to fit under the cams, warning - the front is a tw@ to get at lol - don't assume the gaps will be the same as the rear (they wont be!)
the extra long feelers? when i'm done with them i cut the end with scissors so ive always got a fresh bit
the reason for the magnet is so you can lift off the buckets with the shim stuck to it. makes the job a lot easier.
as always, keep your work area meticulously clean as a slight bit of sh1t could give you a false reading on the feeler gauges, meaning you have to do the job again!

the clearance should be inlet 6thou give or take one. exhaust 12 thou, same tolerance.
or in metric, 0.16mm inlet & 0.31 exhaust.

the slave cyl gasket, you'd be as well getting a complete overhaul kit for the slave cyl - david silvers or wemoto will sort you out.
again, easy job to do - just keep it clean and replace all fluids once it's done.

then you're ready for spain - jammy git!

[sirch345]

Hi Mark,

I find cranked feeler gauges (not straight ones) make the job easier too. Also make sure you don't drop the side bolt from the cam chain guide down the into the engine when removing it.

Chris.

[firestarter1977]

thanks for the advice chaps,

i'll have to read up about doing the shims... have fitted and modded ccts but never adjusted clearances via shims.

sounds daunting lol

Will short angled feeler guages work, or do i need the 300mm extra long straight ones ?




off to spend some money

regards mark

[benny hedges]

easy when you know how.
after ten minutes you will know how
set each cylinder at tdc with the cams in the right position as per fitting ccts.
undo the cct so you have plenty of slack on the chain.
take off the top guide - as chris says, watch the side nut - bog roll / screwed up cling film down the chain tunnel to stop any foreign bodies.... (except big titted polish blondes)
bend the end of your feeler gauge about 20mm in and slide it between the cam lobe, it should be a tight but smooth sliding fit.
try a thou under and a thou over as well.
if a thou over fits, try 2 over etc etc.
write down the measurements.
ie front inlet right 8 thou
front inlet left 7 thou
rear ex right 35 thou
rear ex left 31 thou

the measurements you want are 6 inlet and 12 exhaust.
remove the cam top casting one at a time & remove the cam.
use the magnetic stick to lift off the bucket.
it will probably come out with the shim stuck magnetically to the bucket.
when you pull the magnet off the bucket, the shim will drop out.
wipe it in clean bog roll and have a look at the number etched into it, ie 182 which is 1.82mm
if your gap is too big, obviously you need to use a bigger shim.

use your initiative to work out what size.
note - the hotcams kits and the honda sizes are in metric, but i prefer to use imperial as the feeler gauge sizes are bob on.
the shim kit goes up in 0.05mm increments.
if you have a 185 shim and have a 8 thou clearance, try a 190 shim etc etc

if you read the manual ( from the workshop section link) theres a good guide on re-shimming - it's easy.
the manual uses metric feelers and gives a simple equation to work out the correct size shim.
just work through it methodically - make sure the engine is COLD when you take measurements.


the small standard feelers from your local garage will be fine for the job.
dont forget to get some loctite threadlock for the cam top bearing and guide bolts.

[firestarter1977]

many thanks for that benny !!! helps alot

i have printed the head/ valve train section of the manual here so will have a read up

have ordered hot cam shim set, cranked metric and imperial ( comes in one thingy ) feelers, magnet on a stick

clutch slave cyl service kit, filters, chain and sprockets too, will be ready for spain after this lot is done !!!


ooooh, just a thought, i have modded my ccts the sirch method, so i guess i will have to remove them as they will only retract a mill or so should have ordered new cct gaskets instant will have to suffice


regards mark

[benny hedges]

get some oil as well.
when you reassemble the cams and buckets, you need to use plenty of good clean engine oil to pre-lube them

[firestarter1977]

Aye, new oil will be purchased

I am sure I will have questions once it comes apart lol !!!