How do I use the valve shim tool?

[1340fxd]

I'm doing my valve clearances for the first time and referring to chrisu's guidance post plus Kawasaki manual and Clymer manual as well.

Having checked the clearances, four are comfortably over the 0.05 minimum but under 0.1 so I'm OK with them. However I need to remove four out of the 8 valve shims as the gaps are zero i.e. the 0.05 feeler will not fit although the buckets can still be turned easily so I assume the gaps are not zero or negative. That's the exhaust on pots 2,3 and 4 and inlet on 4.

Now here comes my problem which is - using the shim tool which is brand new from Z-Power.

It came with the two screws which hold the parts together rather loose. I think this is to allow wiggle room when inserting the tool? Anyway, I have inserted it in two valves and it just does not reach quite far enough to hold the bucket down when the cam is rotated back up (away from the tool). Really would welcome some advice on using the tool please.

[warren3200gt]

.05 was found to be to tight I believe and was revised to .1
When I do any of my bikes I always try to get to the higher gap figures.

[z1bman]

the two screws must be tight & you shouldnt have any movement between the two halves of the tool

[Pigford]

.05 was found to be to tight I believe and was revised to .1
When I do any of my bikes I always try to get to the higher gap figures.

Defo aim for the higher gap tolerance!

Even a little bit over won't hurt (max 0.15mm) but no more to avoid risk of spitting a shim out

[1340fxd]

Thanks and I get the idea of the gap being at the larger end of the scale. However, I still don't know what I'm doing wrong but the Z-Power tool does not appear to reach the bucket to hold it down. There must be a technique?

[z1bman]

dimensions can be found here

viewtopic.php?t=22706&start=15

[zed1015]

Clearance is 0.10mm to 0.15mm.
Aim for the high figure.
A touch over the max at around 0.16mm - 0.17mm on stock cams is ok if that's where the shim puts you.

[1340fxd]

Here is the tool Z-Power sent me. It looks exactly the same as the drawing BUT appears to be too small to reach the valve lifter. It fits but does not hold the valve down.

Is it possible that what they sent me is for a smaller bike - do they do one for the Z650 for example?

[Pigford]

KZShimTool-1.jpg (14.55 KiB) Viewed 6429 times

[Tonto]

Hi,I bought a Z Power tool a few months ago to do the shims on my Z1000A1.
Initially it would not reach the valve lifter, but a mate told me to remove the cam cover gasket (which being mean, I was trying to preserve ) - and that little bit of clearance made the difference, let it seat correctly, and to my relief the tool do its job.
Not sure if you might have a similar problem ?

[Philippe]

Hi 1340fxd
like Tonto mentioned before, you must take the gasket off. Before you put the tool in place, turn the buckets so that the cut out points towards the middle of the cylinderhead. It's easier to put a tool under the shim in order to take it out.
Make sure you give enough play, exhaust valves need more clearance than intake valves. That's because the exhaust valves become hotter than the intake valves. The latter are cooled a bit by the cool intake mixture.
Give the intake valves a play between 0.05 and 0.1 mm and the exhaust valves between 0.1 and 0.15 mm.
I've done that and had no problems so far.
GrtZ
Philippe

[1340fxd]

Thanks for the suggestions but sadly I have already removed the cam cover gasket so that's not the cause of the problem. Very simply I cannot fit the tool so that it reaches the lifter bucket - so it's not able to do its job. Any other ideas welcome.

[warren3200gt]

Just for info 650s use under bucket shims so cams must come out for those shim changes. There is only one size of tool like that so must be operator error. I dont know what it is your doing wrong as I use the lever type tool to do my 900 and and 1000 and have never tried that type of tool.

[kawasaki_man]

Thanks for the suggestions but sadly I have already removed the cam cover gasket so that's not the cause of the problem. Very simply I cannot fit the tool so that it reaches the lifter bucket - so it's not able to do its job. Any other ideas welcome.

The picture of the tool looks to be correct, why not post a picture of your set-up with the tool on cylinder head so we can try to spot anything looking incorrect.

[Al]

I have shim under so havnt done this for ten years but remember there being a cast boss associated with each valve. Does the tool you have seat neatly with those cast lumps on the outside of the head?
AL