valves shims CAM PHOTO!
- Thread starter mattster31
- Start date
Help Support Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum:
ionbeam
2 FUN
Motorcycles are an interest of mine, cooking is a passion. I have real cookin' knives that need maintenance and I believe the tools for knives would work for shims too. Be sure that you are honing the shims so that both faces remain flat and parallel. The coarser the stone the faster the job.Maybe if there was a holding tool of some kind designed it would make the job easier?
The first best choice would be a diamond bench stone, the oval holes hold the metal particles keeping the honing surface clear which really speeds up honing.
Next best would be a coarser grain Arkansas bench honing stone.
mattster31
Well-known member
Sanding $5 valve shims???? You guys have way too much time your handsMaybe if there was a holding tool of some kind designed it would make the job easier?
Next thing you know you'll be trying to get me to put a car tire on the thing??? hahaI'll be pulling the cams today.......and I think I will pass on "sanding"
Geezer
Parsimonious Curmudgeon
Under ordinary circumstances I'd agree with you, but if you have the bike apart and find that you need a shim that you don't have and can't get right away, sanding one down would be worthwhile.Sanding $5 valve shims???? You guys have way too much time your hands
I'll be pulling the cams today.......and I think I will pass on "sanding"
I once sanded a set of piston rings to get the exact fit in the piston grooves that I wanted. I spent most of a week, in the evenings, on them. I doubt it made any difference in the performance of that old 4 cylinder engine, but it was the only way I could get exactly what I wanted at the time.
Last edited by a moderator:
Yes, exactly. Individually they may be $5 shims. But the kit that you need to buy, (and may never actually use) so that you have the right shims on hand when you actually do the job, isn't. More like $80 plus shipping.
If I knew that all three of my bikes used the same diameter shims I'd probably not mind springing for one kit. I need to investigate that. OTOH, if they each require a different size kit I might be tempted to try the sanding thing first. I've got better things to do with $250 than keep it tied up in shim kits.
If I knew that all three of my bikes used the same diameter shims I'd probably not mind springing for one kit. I need to investigate that. OTOH, if they each require a different size kit I might be tempted to try the sanding thing first. I've got better things to do with $250 than keep it tied up in shim kits.
mattster31
Well-known member
Once I calculate what I actually need (as I might be able to re-use a few) I'll think about sanding......As it stands they are ALL out (tight) and/or at the limit, so I might as well bring those into the "loose" side of things.Yes, exactly. Individually they may be $5 shims. But the kit that you need to buy, (and may never actually use) so that you have the right shims on hand when you actually do the job, isn't. More like $80 plus shipping.
If I knew that all three of my bikes used the same diameter shims I'd probably not mind springing for one kit. I need to investigate that. OTOH, if they each require a different size kit I might be tempted to try the sanding thing first. I've got better things to do with $250 than keep it tied up in shim kits.
With your excellent engine access it might be worthwhile to change the exhaust valve oil seals to the newer version in the Gen II bikes. Supposedly, the change/upgrade in seals was the primary solution for the ticking problem. They also changed the valve guides in the Gen II's but that would require a lot of work for you.
I don't know what tool one uses to remove the valve springs to allow access to the seals but it can't be all that difficult to perform.
I don't know what tool one uses to remove the valve springs to allow access to the seals but it can't be all that difficult to perform.
08FJR4ME
-WYNPRO-
You might be better off using what they call India stones. They won't break down like sandpaper and will do a much better job with hardened materials. JMO
Edit: I just saw Allens post with the stones. I posted before I got to page 2
oster_oops: Arkansaw stone will work great also, a little harder and finer to work with than India stones.Dave
Last edited by a moderator:
HaulinAshe
Well-known member
The best reason for sanding shims is to have shims in finer increments than the .05 available in today's kits.
When a 185 is too tight and a 180 puts you at the upper edge of the specified clearance, a 182 sure is nice to have. That requires sanding/grinding of a 185 shim.
Not everyone is that anal about valve tolerances, and it's certainly not necessary in order to remain within Yamaha's specified ranges.
When a 185 is too tight and a 180 puts you at the upper edge of the specified clearance, a 182 sure is nice to have. That requires sanding/grinding of a 185 shim.
Not everyone is that anal about valve tolerances, and it's certainly not necessary in order to remain within Yamaha's specified ranges.
Zorlac
Well-known member
Pass the pepper please, I believe there's some fly **** I need to pick out of it. :dribble:
dcarver
Well-known member
And if too small, you could weld some material on then break out the sanding blocks? :lol:
Khunajawdge
Toto El Mundo!
Good topic! I like the idea of a Forum Cache of valve shims! :clapping:
Brodie
Darksider #16 - and Proud of it !
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2006
- Messages
- 1,453
- Reaction score
- 538
If you are going to sand on a shim to take it to the next half size smaller, do the next guy that owns your bike a favor...
Sand the number side, do not make a thin shim and keep the number intact.
It would be like putting kerosene in the vodka bottle and leaving the label alone.
Also a suggestion about sanding, place a bit of 2 face tape on your finger and use it to keep the shim under the finger tip. Use a figure eight pattern, reverse it after a few strokes. Rotate the shim every so often. The idea is to remove the same amount of material off the whole face. You want parallel faces, not a wedge. A micrometer would be a good tool to have when doing this.
Good luck, personally I would try the service department collection first.
Brodie
Sand the number side, do not make a thin shim and keep the number intact.
It would be like putting kerosene in the vodka bottle and leaving the label alone.
Also a suggestion about sanding, place a bit of 2 face tape on your finger and use it to keep the shim under the finger tip. Use a figure eight pattern, reverse it after a few strokes. Rotate the shim every so often. The idea is to remove the same amount of material off the whole face. You want parallel faces, not a wedge. A micrometer would be a good tool to have when doing this.
Good luck, personally I would try the service department collection first.
Brodie
RossKean
Well-known member
Anybody know if the shims are hardened right through or just case hardened? I suspect right through but if just hard on the surface, sanding might not be such a great idea.If you are going to sand on a shim to take it to the next half size smaller, do the next guy that owns your bike a favor...
Sand the number side, do not make a thin shim and keep the number intact.
It would be like putting kerosene in the vodka bottle and leaving the label alone.
Also a suggestion about sanding, place a bit of 2 face tape on your finger and use it to keep the shim under the finger tip. Use a figure eight pattern, reverse it after a few strokes. Rotate the shim every so often. The idea is to remove the same amount of material off the whole face. You want parallel faces, not a wedge. A micrometer would be a good tool to have when doing this.
Good luck, personally I would try the service department collection first.
Brodie
Ross
Phyxst!A micrometer would be a good absolutely required tool to have when doing this.
Good luck, personally I would try the service department collection first.
Brodie
This same thought occured to me as well. Is it even a concern when the shim is under the bucket? I have owned an automobile where the shim sat atop the bucket and was directly acted on by the cam - wouldn't even consider sanding in that situation.
mattster31
Well-known member
I'm on my way out to buy one now (a micrometer).......3 of the exhaust shim number are illegible. and the others the numbers are so worn they were a little difficult to read.Phyxst!A micrometer would be a good absolutely required tool to have when doing this.
Good luck, personally I would try the service department collection first.
Brodie
If shim adjustments are required, I would not trust the printed numbers anyway.
mattster31
Well-known member
Similar threads
