Valve clearance adjustment using shims on a motorcycle Part 3

[@filnjil]

I know how difficult it is to video whilst doing the job and this was very detailed and absolutely brilliant. Gives me total confidence to do the job now. Thanks Wedginator

[@kjelldavidlindquist]

Thank you! This is WERY helpful for someone who have never done any kind of maintence before. Me and my friend had no experience at all 2 y ago. Since then weve changed some brake fluids, pards, sparkplugs and other simple stuff. We do not trust any workshop with our bikes and these videos gave us the confidence and knowlage together with the shop manual to do it our selves. Weve only done one bike, an GSX 1100 E -82, and soon will do my dragstar aswell.

[@Chritipa]

Just spent the most part of my morning watching all the videos in this series. Looking at how meticulous it can be, I'm now reluctant to take it to a mechanic. I fear they'll have a "close enough" attitude and won't do it to spec! But now I have the knowledge to check it myself if I do. Thanks a million.

[@henryandmariemotes3391]

These videos don't get old. Dude got skills working on the bike with 1 hand and on point.

[@stevejenks7711]

Excellent series! Lots of clarity + logical sequence of steps.

[@wedginator]

@1100HondaCB Yea, that's why many bikes get sold around the 15,000 - 20,000 mile mark. The owners just don't want to spend the money on doing the valve job. But I find that most bikes, after the first valve job, it doesn't require it anymore afterwards because the valves have already seated nicely in the final position.

[@robertcroll1163]

Thank you so much and I greatly appreciate all your time and effort in making this video!

[@dreamzb0y]

Very informative video and it's worthwhile to watch. I appreciate you taking the time to make it and share it with us. I have a 600rr but after valve adjustment, it didn't start. I'll have to take it apart and redo the process tomorrow. I think the timing is off that's why.

[@marcvipond159]

Great article. It's a while since I've done this on a bike and it's always good to have a reminder. Very well put together clear and concise.

[@uncleluke200]

Thanx man I'm in Jerzy and the shop wants $500 for the vales on my bike..I aint got it..so this winter I'm going in DYI beast mode..with your video at the ready..pls Keep them comming

[@zambam3]

good job brother! although i have a ducati 900 with desmodromic valve actuation, i learned lots from your video and i'm a mechanic. it just shows if you take your time the job will be a success. cheers

[@michaelbailey496]

Very good informative video's well done. recommending this to my buddys for the next time they want to take they're bikes in a pay 300+ for a valve adjustment i can steer them to the "do-it-yourself" way. Thanks for taking the time to make these!

[@ThomasMoore.1]

Fantastic series of videos. Thanks for taking the time to do these. You have helped to remove some more of the mystery of valve adjustment procedures.

[@cichalmichal]

Perfect mate.The best videos about the valve clearance adjustment.Big Thank you.

[@wedginator]

@djb1607 Haha, good eye. I actually ran out of shims in that range, so I had to use the next one up. I figured the tolerance will tighten up slightly after a few rides so might as well get a head start. So next time I check it, this one will guarantee be in spec.

[@BJMoorhouse]

Perfect! Cheers for doing this fella! There aren't many videos for my Z750S, but we have an EXTREMELY similar engine according to my service manual, so I'll add this job to my list of to-dos :)

[@thestar111]

Great work. I'm restoring a vfr400 nc30 and I will be checking the value clearances too. Excellent and very useful video.

[@C4PTAIN_CR4NK]

Excellent videos. I've just got hold of an old ZXR750 (I think they're called Ninja ZX-7 over there) so I think I'll have a practice run on that before attempting it on my 2005 636... Thanks again for making it look WAY easier than it reads in a manual...

[@ruvtro]

Awesome video series on the valve clearance! Will be doing this as part of my winter maintenance. Thanks!

[@squareyes1981]

Thanks for this. I love the way you always mention what the consequences and solutions for things going wrong are. I'll be rooting around in my Aprilia RSV 1000 in the new year so I think I'm going to do the valve clearances when the engine is on the bench.

[@wedginator]

@DrifterErik It normally shouldn't cost anything actually. But I did have to spend $80 on a shim kit. That's pretty much it.

[@wedginator]

@thebestnodought Yea, I'm always nervous about re-assembling anything whether it's a simple oil change or something as involved as this. I think I checked my timing like 10 times or something like that. I just hear too many horror stories of engines blowing up so it got me in the habit of checking things over and over again.

[@30636086]

great video and information. The only thing I like to do diff its to use new gaskets rather than cleaning and re using the old ones.

[@Dulema]

Extremely detailed. Thank you for making this video. I feel like a more capable mechanic with your help. thanks a lot

[@nolbrouwer]

Thanks for these videos, been wanting to do this myself for a while now but didn't know how the shims worked remarkable simple... heard about it but only worked on engines with adjust screws on the top ( a lot less work by the looks of it :P ) I'll have my zzr1100 in parts again in a hour or so, wish me luck.

[@TheBikerZito]

Great work, well explained, attention to detail, I'd give this 5 out of 5 stars!!

[@1100HondaCB]

I have a ZZR600 and it has done nearly 24000 miles and all the exhaust clearances were out of spec. Six of the inlet clearances were on the minimum spec and two were way below, so I realised they needed doing as suspected, bearing in mind, it's not an easy job and quite labour intensive and thus expensive if booked into a workshop, and as a result, I guessed the previous owners had neglected the procedure. There must be many bikes out there that need clearances adjusting.

[@cheguanaco]

great video....thanks for taking the time doing it... Now is my turn to do it on my zx6r and I hope it works well for me too. Thanks

[@wedginator]

@massmaxful The kit I used is from Hot Cams and they make different sized shims for different bikes. I believe your bike uses a 7.48mm shim, but double check with your manual to make sure. The entire kit costs around $80 and they include a variety of shims.

[@zquizmo]

I am getting ready to complete this maintenance on my new 01 ZX9r. I have previous experience working on cars but this is a first for me. Either way, I want to thank you for making far less worried. Is it involved? Certainly. Seeing the process makes it far simpler in my mind. Thanks again!

[@rhobbs636]

Great videos. Thank you for taking the time to share this with us!

[@wedginator]

@MrRastaNinja It doesn't get that high temps there but 120C is borderline... Use a sealant that goes up to at least 200C.

[@KuroMinoltaRR]

Nice series of videos. I did this on a ex500 and I dropped a socket in the chain galley. It took me 2 hours to fish it back out. I almost felt like all hope was lost after the first hour. I also almost lost one of those crankcase cover pins slider things/ For your buddy who had his engine blow up.... did he spin the crackshaft all the way around like you did? Surely he would have caught the obstruction?

[@YuriiSiberian]

Great set of Vids. Looking at buying a 200 zx6r that the owner says has "burned-up valves". Would the adjustment procedure be enough or is there more I should be concerned about? What else specific to that comment should I look for? Again , excellent job!

[@cshatfireball]

Thanks, this is helping me a lot, as I am doing an adjustment on a 2010 Kawasaki z750 and all looks much the same

[@Massimiliano-Fauci]

Accurate description, thanks for the video. I am going to do the same on my fazer very soon with the help of the service manual and the haynes manual. How much does a shim kit cost ? any brand fit ?

[@MrRastaNinja]

great video dude! really helped me with my zxr 400, one question though. I have some silicon sealant which says its resistant to 120'C, im guessing temps at top end don't reach those kind of temperatures so i should be ok shouldn't i?

[@pietpet4420]

thanxs a lot. great to watch. I'll give it a shot to do it on my own bike. it's a zx11 . probably there will be a lot of recognition. at least I hope :)

[@adrianw3985]

Thanks for taking the time to do the videos

[@balletpro91]

i watched your videos, they were great and very informative! i have a question about what you used to mark your timing chain and cam shafts? ive heard nail polish, whats your thoughts?

[@Knightlore10]

On a Honda CBR the cam chain tensioner is not at all like the ZX6R, When installing the automatic tensioner you have to wind in in using a special tool which is like a T shape. The top of the T sits in a turret top preventing the tensioner firing out. The tool is so expensive but I made my own from a wallpaper stripper blade using a dremel to cut the shape and this worked fine. Once the tensioner body is bolted back on you pull the T piece out and the tensioner is projected into the chain. I have tried to do a slow release but never managed it. The tensioner just gets fired into the chain.

[@thebobhannah]

Excellent videos. Your attention to detail combined with fairly efficient explanations makes these videos highly useful. I do have a suggestion: I think it would further enhance your videos if they were professionally edited with various displays detailing specifics about what is needed, going on, etc... If you look hard enough, you'd probably be able to find an editor who would do it just for the recognition. Just a thought. Btw I like that Zuma you have in the background. :D my broke-college-student daily driver is a 06' Vino 125.

[@21bod]

Thanks for the video - very good explanation. I'm going to do this soon.

[@denisrailey777]

Why rev it when it is cold? The previous owner sold it to me before doing valve job.That's the Irish lol. 8 valves to shim out of 16. Blackbird.

[@m2mark1]

Thanks for posting this series of videos. They are really helpful and informative. I have a bit of a mechanical background but more with cars than bikes and this together with my workshop manual helped me complete the same task. It was a bit of a ball ache so I may not do it again but in saying that the first time is the hardest finding out the way to go. I reckon half the time it took me if I have to do it again.....well thats what the missus usually says :-) My problem was understanding why all my exhaust clearances were around half what they should be when I would expect that as the cams/buckets/shims wear the gap should get bigger, or am I missing something?

[@hishamelkaramany684]

I need to thank you very much Excellent job well done

[@jsnyara]

@thebestnodought i know how you feel. everyones like that. excited and nervous at the same time before a first start.

[@websolutions6117]

Thanks for this great video! I can't tell you how much I appreciate your taking the time to record it. I have a 2011 Ninja 250. I commute with it and thus it needs a major inspection once every year. The dealer quoted $380 for a valve inspection ($200 local shop), but I don't trust any of them to do it properly or at all and I certainly don't want to spend that kind of money per year. After watching this video, I have just a few questions if you don't mind: 1) Is it the shim itself that gets worn down over time or other parts of the engine--in other words, do the shims that are in the engine always stay at the same width? 2) What do you use to mark the cam shaft sprockets and will the material come off and affect the engine? 3) What happens if the cam chain falls off the crank sprocket (can't you just put it back on?)? 4) My service manual says "Don't use the shims from another models [I guess Japanese translator]." Does this mean you're only supposed to use shims from Kawasaki? 5) Do you know anyone who has done or is willing to do a detailed adjustment video for a Ninja 250 (08-12). Thanks again!

[@wedginator]

You don't have to do a valve check every year. Bikes usually need it at around 20,000kms. The good thing is, after the first valve adjustment, the next adjustment is a long ways away. This is because the valves have already seated and shouldn't wear much afterwards. To answer your questions. 1. The shims don't get worn. It's typically the valve seats that wear out. The shims stay the same specs as there's nothing really to wear against them; plus they're hardened steel. 2. I use either a grease pen or correction fluid. The marks will come off into the engine eventually, but the particles aren't large enough to do any damage. Most likely it will be trapped by the oil filter. 3. If the chain falls off, it will be a bitch to fish it back up. Then you'll have to line up the timing marks afterwards. 4. Tolerances might be different from manufacturer too. But in the end, as long as you do a final check with your feeler gauges, you'll be fine. I use shims from another manufacturer and I find they work just as well. Plus, Kawasaki charges $20 per shim which can add up to a very expensive valve job. 5. I don't know of another video. I would say it's very similar. Probably much more simpler than my ZX6 being the 250 is a 2 cylinder.

[@johnchoi6758]

If a bike had valves adjusted at 12,000 miles will the valves be alright even after 30,000 miles?

[@TheGreenTeaGuy]

Do you know why the starter gear with the mark only rotates when you spin the crank counter clockwise but the manual says to rotate it clockwise?

[@vr6piloot]

really great video's!!! much appreciate it, i am gonna do my gsxr 1100 1993 with these video's as a manual!!! awesome wedginator!!! tnx a lot!

[@deemoIII]

Thank you for taking the time and making thus video, great work. Can I ask, would the process be the same for a head that had its shims moved about, swapped from one valve to the other or even from one cylinder to the other? Reason for asking is that my motor managed to bend a valve or two so I got myself a complete head from dissmentlers but I suspect shims were moved about as they don't take care. My worry is that there could be a very oversized shim on one valve so then how do I go and find out what size is needed if I can't even get the gauge to measure

[@fr0uv3n]

Nice work dude, but if u have the exhaust valve between 0.24 - 0.31 mm why don’t try to get them into the right middle like 0.27/0.28. if you are going into 0.30 or 0.31 and the engine heaten up it could be a problem. After shimming your exhaust cylinder. 1 was at 0.35?

[@chrispoulton9089]

hi love your videos excellent work... what is the socket tool you are using to turn the crank over with called

[@nathanhermanson2608]

I could be wrong but it looks like a torques (TORX) bit.

[@ErikLombere]

@wedginator thanx for the reply, one more thing, you said to do this like at 12 or 13k miles, my service manual says to do it at lie 24k miles, is my manual wrong or did you just do it early?

[@Zed100000]

Your bike looks brand new, how many KMs have you on the ODO and your valves were out of spec? I try and service my own bike - but this is one thing that i'll leave to the shop - you make it look simple but there seems to be plenty of areas for simple mistakes (which would make your 8 hours of time useless)

[@cheboludoche]

Very helpful! Thanks for sharing.

[@starq_starq]

sounds great I have R6 and probably need to do this job, sound as hammer hits something

[@brokassqcislander]

Great video series thank you, I have bought a used bike, it has been great to me and I like to keep her tip top, I know that I personally have put about 22,000 km on her and timed out several sets of tires ha ha....just wondering what indicators a person would notice if your motor is in need of a valve inspection? Would it feel sluggish or tick, would it have more soot in exhaust header etc? Thanks for any advise... I am about to do the 2nd gear, will have the entire motor (darth vaderz head ha ha) out of the bike so... might as well do the valve clearances i guess... but curious what symptoms it might exhibit?

[@denisrailey777]

Certainly chew more gas & not run as smoothly. Gas analyser?

[@Beaver314]

I noticed when you spun the engine 360° to check for any faults, you rotated it counter clockwise. Manual always says never to do that, what could be the problem with that?

[@sebastienquenneville496]

Thanks alot man! Really informative! Bravo!

[@drake2692]

Hey I have the same bike and in the manual it says to tune the engine clockwise and saw you were doing counter clockwise wouldn't that be a problem

[@warren304]

do you hear a rattling sound if valve clearance is out of tolerance?

[@Darkness251]

If your adjustment on the two TDC's is out of avg, can you just put the crankshaft in and spin it or do you have to assemble most of the parts again?

[@wedginator]

@DrifterErik Is your bike in miles or kilometers? My bike is in kilometers so the numbers are different with miles vs kilometers. I'm sure your manual is correct so follow that.

[@robconnect2]

Thank you for the video it helps. My dealer stop deceiving my bike. So I been working on doing this myself. I wanted to ask what if you run out of adjustments? I was told I had to get the vale seats resurfaced. Is that correct?

[@wedginator]

If you run out of adjustments, then your valves or valves seats are severely worn. You'll most likely need new valves and a engine head.

[@patrickjamesalcaraz1097]

I see that u have used 7.48mm diameter shims. Im just wondering if the same size goes to the 2009 and up models for zx6r.

[@HyakuNiJuSan123]

thanks a lot. I rebuilding a Gsxr 750 it runs pretty well but i want to get it running even better this will help. Gj

[@wedginator]

Thanks. The procedure should be very similar.

[@wedginator]

Thanks. I used liquid paper (correction fluid).

[@wedginator]

@Zed100000 I had about 55,000 kms on the bike at the time of service.

[@Zed100000]

@wedginator 55,000! never would have thought by looking at it. Nice Vids, keep up the good work

[@ابوحيدراختصاصفورزا]

That was a great job Bro , thanks a lot

[@rubenryapolov9993]

Watched your four part series. Went out and checked clearances, all my exhaust valves are out of spec. The reason I am checking clearances is because all my cylinders are at 60psi compression which is really low.. I would think piston rings but then again how are they all at about the same psi and are similar in valve clearance? What do you think? I'm going to adjust valves and see what happens.

[@wedginator]

Do a leak down test first. It will indicate where you're losing compression from.

[@rubenryapolov9993]

Ok

[@matthewswanson6284]

You could just put a teaspoon of oil into the cylinder and crank it a few times if the PSI jumps dramatically it's the piston rings if nothing changes it's your valve clearances

[@martinr5765]

great "manual" thanks

[@ESPPsycho]

Probably a stupid question, but how do the shims stay with the caps? Are they magnetic?

[@websolutions6117]

Wow, thanks for the reply and important info!

[@djb1607]

Thanks for the good videos.

[@kjelldavidlindquist]

To you too! Stay free!

[@ErikLombere]

Hey i have the same exact bike as you, I bought it recently with 13k miles on it and I just found out that this service has to be done, so how much did it cost you to do this maintenance?

[@ryazbeck]

great video. thanks

[@tunjuelito]

Great videos. Thank you

[@afelipefelipe8626]

Yeahs tomorrow I’ll start doing in mine

[@djb1607]

At 7:24 your first exhaust valve clearance was .35 and spec was 0.24-0.31 . Youre not worried about 0.04mm either haha.

[@maniackawboy]

Good work

[@shojimujo]

Thanks...great video.

[@denisrailey777]

Yep, awesome.

[@mantasjaskevicius1385]

Thanks

[@wedginator]

@zquizmo Thanks! Good luck.

[@kjelldavidlindquist]

Yes it does. The bike de fixed har problems Starting up in that it died IF you wouldnt give it gas. Also it didnt run smoothly on lower RPMs. All that got better and also he noticed a sligt performance "upgrade". Dö it!

[@kjelldavidlindquist]

Yes. My friends bike ran bad on lower RPMs. Now its smooth as a babys ass and even starts up easier even tho being an -82 with ower 90 000 km on it.

[@wedginator]

@Zed100000 Thx dude.

[@wawessh]

DO NOT PUT SILICON ON THE SCREW.You will overtorque the screws.O-ring from the head cover are 20$.

[@wedginator]

Thanks!!

[@psyfertech]

okay yea after watching all 4 vids i dont think i am gonna try this myself lol id probably end up getting something wrong i dont have patience like urs

[@ThunderWindz]

Very nice guide. have to do this on a ninja 250 and gs 500.. thank god only 2 cylls and not 4 haha ;)

[@1100HondaCB]

@wedginator If you're in the know how, then I guess there are many bargains out there to be had! It just goes to show, knowledge is indeed power.

[@michor10]

Great video. I just cringed a bit when you started revving the engine at the end there. That is no good.

[@joshthomas8671]

Hey man i have the same bike. And im in the same process's. And i just want to clear up some stuff im going through with this valve check. Thanks or if i could get your email. Just mail you about it

[@kjelldavidlindquist]

It seemes my tablet is trying to correct my english spelling into swedish. *Well here I go again*

[@kjelldavidlindquist]

Oh it seemes live responded already. Dell herre I go äga in ^^