Valve adjustment shims

[Constant Mesh]

https://www.amazon.com/Hot-Cams-5PK948180-Shim-Kit/dp/B004YBEPWU/ref=au_pf_ss_14?ie=UTF8&Make=Yamaha|1210&Model=FJR1300|17593&Year=2004|2004&carId=001&n=15684181&s=automotive

https://www.amazon.com/Hot-Cams-5PK948175-Shim-Kit/dp/B004YBEPCK/ref=au_pf_ss_13?ie=UTF8&Make=Yamaha|1210&Model=FJR1300|17593&Year=2004|2004&carId=001&n=15684181&s=automotive

Several of my intake clearances are tight, a bit less than 0.006".

All of the old shims are in the range of 1.80 to 1.85.

I was wondering if buying these or similar five packs might be my best option?

 

[MCRIDER007]

If you know exactly what sizes you need you can buy them from Jake Wilson for $1.99 a shim.....and they sell half sizes, otherwise those 5 packs look like a pretty good deal.

 

[n2osx]

This is what I need to do as well. Unfortunately, I don't have a garage to do this in. I'll have to figure it out tho.

 

[SLK50]

That's a lot of shims should you end up needing more than a few sizes.

I just got what I needed at my local ( Honda ) dealer.

 

[rbentnail]

If you know exactly what sizes you need you can buy them from Jake Wilson for $1.99 a shim.....and they sell half sizes, otherwise those 5 packs look like a pretty good deal.

This^^, the in-between sizes. www.jakewilson.com, search there for Pro X Valve Shim. Not the kit but individual shims. For some reason all of a sudden I can't insert a direct link in my text. WTF?

What I did- bought the Hot Cams Kit for my initial valve check. It was good enough. I replenished what I used and with a bit of research (and guessing, really) decided to buy .025mm increment in-between shims between 1.70 and 1.90, the most used sizes.

The OP's ad links say "sold to dealer in 5-pk; sold to consumer each" so be sure of what you're getting before paying for it/them.

eta: I'd also look at getting an inexpensive 0-1"/0-254mm digital micrometer or a digital 4 or 6" slide caliper to measure the shims with. Yes, most are laser etched but some are hard to read, especially if you have old tired eyes like mine.

 

[Fred W]

When I did my 75k mile shim check all 8 of the intake valves were .01mm-.02mm too tight. In the prior checks they had all been a go .006", with some a bit tighter than others. Not knowing what the old shim thicknesses are that are in there means you cannot possibly guess what sizes you need.

The original shims seem to have been selected in .01mm increments to get them to a specific target. I found my original intake shims measured from 1.79 - 1.81mm. Optimally, what I needed were shims from 1.72-1.74 to put the clearance back at the 70 percentile. The OE shims only come in .05mm increments, so I'd have had to install eight 1.75mm thick shims, and those kits do not have 8 shims of any one size.

I could have ordered 8 shims and waited for delivery, but I opted to sand down the old shims and use a micrometer to get the exact thicknesses I was striving for. All it cost me was an extra afternoon's time and some slightly sore fingertips.

PS - at 75k miles none of the shim markings were readable. Must be the brand of oil I'm using.

 

[RaYzerman19]

One suggestion might be at the first valve check when everything is likely OK and clearances known, to take the cams out and write down the values of the shims that are in there........ build your 'kit' with individual shims from there, using a bit of math (or Yamafitter's spreadsheet), plug in the clearance you would change the shim at, and calculate the value of the shim you will need. Stock up on an extra here and there, and you'll be ready for that next valve check. Do keep a record at each check.

 

[3dogs]

I have almost 100k on my 05. Each valve adjustment/check I can’t read the numbers on the shims because they have worn off. I have sanded the old shims to regain valve clearance for each valve adjustment. A reasonably accurate micrometer is required and the measured valve clearance has to be too tight for a particular valve for this to work. Because valve seats wear down, usually the valve clearance gets smaller as engine hours add up.

I use 220 wet/dry sandpaper with some light oil. Measure the shim often—because you can’t make a shim thicker if you sand off too much. Once the desired thickness is achieved, I use 400 wet/dry paper to “polish” the shim face. Takes on average about 5 minutes per shim (usually I only do one or two per valve check). I use a thick piece of steel that has been ground flat to sand on—a piece of glass would work as well.

This procedure is certainly not in the factory manual but my dealer is a mile away and I’m too dammed lazy/cheap to go and buy shims. You have to experience the zen of hand sanding shims to become one with the valve clearance.

 

[NormKern]

To get the entire shim surface reduced to an equal dimension, one should use a surface grinder or a suitable lathe fixture and a toolpost grinder.

 

[3dogs]

To get the entire shim surface reduced to an equal dimension, one should use a surface grinder or a suitable lathe fixture and a toolpost grinder.

The shims are a small diameter and you would have to really try to take off material unevenly. Also, if the shim is rotated every few strokes across the sandpaper the material comes offl evenly--enough so that I can't measure the difference with my highly accurate micrometer. I've been do this on all my bikes for years and after lots of valve adjustments and miles it doesn't seem to hurt anything.

Surface grinders are a lot more expensive than wet & dry sandpaper! Also, it's just a motorcycle--not a component for the International Space Station.

 

[turnipbmw]

Yes, we used to rub Lotus ones on an emery papered steel plate.

Seemed a bit of a bodge, but then a shim a few 10ths out was the least of those cars problems !

I find my local BMW will swap shims for a contribution to their tea fund - would your local dealer not do that ?

 

[Fred W]

To get the entire shim surface reduced to an equal dimension, one should use a surface grinder or a suitable lathe fixture and a toolpost grinder.

The shims are a small diameter and you would have to really try to take off material unevenly. Also, if the shim is rotated every few strokes across the sandpaper the material comes offl evenly--enough so that I can't measure the difference with my highly accurate micrometer. I've been do this on all my bikes for years and after lots of valve adjustments and miles it doesn't seem to hurt anything.

Surface grinders are a lot more expensive than wet & dry sandpaper! Also, it's just a motorcycle--not a component for the International Space Station.

+1

I measured my shims all across after sanding and if there was a difference in thickness it was not significant enough to matter. Plus the only part of the shim that really matters is a small(er) spot in the dead center of the already small diameter shim. That is the only area that the shim contacts the under side of the cam follower bucket (there's a small raised area on its underside) or where it contacts the top of the valve stem below.