1982 Honda CB900F Barn Find - Episode 7 -Shimming the valves

Shimming the valves on the CB900F

[@TonyCBX6]

Great work Dave, you're doing a great job. Next, time, to make your life much easier when using the tool, suggest rotating the engine so the cam lobes are starting to open the valves. The goal is to depress both buckets of a pair of valves so the edges of the buckets are just below the top of the cylinder head surface. Insert the tool, adjust for left/right placement so as not to crimp the shim itself, then rotate the engine backwards SLIGHTLY. Not too far, just enough for the buckets to lift and push the tool onto the underside of the camshaft. The buckets will then be held down. Continue to SLOWLY rotate the engine backwards so you get 2-3 mm of clearance between the cam lobe and the shim. This will give you enough room to lever the shim out and you are good to go. I think the benefit of this method is that it puts less stress on the hold down tool and you can rotate the buckets so the notch in the bucket is facing you and they stay in that position as the engine is rotated and the cam lobe lifts away from the shim. But only rotate the engine backwards enough to give sufficient clearance to remove the shim. Hope this helps and keep at it, you're doing great!

[@true-moto-resto]

Thanks Tony!

[@email4664]

@@true-moto-resto This is the marque of a good video- Not only was it good to watch along, It is followed by valuable conversation

[@true-moto-resto]

@@email4664 thanks very much for watching and commenting, much appreciated

[@kevinproctor8743]

Hi there. With all the frustrations of getting the bucket tool to work it looks a lot easier to use than the Yamaha XS1100 (2 valve per cyl) and the different tool for the Yamaha XJR1300 (4 valve per cyl). Positioning of same was friggin' terrible. I was also going to pass on the Precision Shims address as being 30 min's drive away I use them. They really are great. Keep up the great work

[@true-moto-resto]

Cheers !

[@matttriestodothings]

Just make a video of you running from the cops on that M109R and you'll have 1000 subscribers tomorrow 😛 Nice work. I think there's very little chance I'll ever come across a shim over bucket valve setup--but I was curious if it was going to be just as bad as I imagined. Yep. Don't want to do it. I choose to live vicariously through you on this one!

[@true-moto-resto]

LOL, Well the shim OVER bucket isn’t so bad, a lot easier than pulling cam shafts for. Shim under bucket I would say.. Not as easy as the set screws on the VFR but still not so bad.

[@matttriestodothings]

@@true-moto-resto True that the shim under buckets are somewhat of a pain--and quite time consuming. I just prefer them vs locknut because once they're set they don't seem to wander much at all. At least on the Suzuki VTwins I'm familiar with. And I'm never left wondering "did I tighten down that locknut well enough? or is it just going to kick off, start bouncing around, and destroy this whole damn thing?" hah.

[@true-moto-resto]

@@matttriestodothings true, good point, I worried about that too on the VFR but in the end I never had a problem

[@roadtoad3484]

Hello from San Diego, CA! Where do you buy brake lines for these old bikes? I have a 1993 Kawasaki ZX50L. Also thanks so much for making the video where you fixed the vfr fairings. This summer I plan on fixing mine. They are pretty trashed but I think I can do it.

[@true-moto-resto]

Hi Nic, Galfer usually Has brake lines for the old bikes, they can be bought on EBay and other places. Thanks for watching