valve setting on my 83 Venture Royale

[bike nut]

I have access to the valves on my 83 Venture to check the clearance.My question is that I cant get the feeler guage between the cam lobe and the shim.I have rotated the cam on the low side.Are the valves just too tight or am I doing something wrong.I have worked on bikes for years and do all my own repairs.This is the first time I have worked on a shim and bucket desighn.I have a shim kit.

[RandyR]

rotate the cams again and recheck to make sure you're at valves closed.

 

if you still can't get a feeler gauge under them, then be prepared for all of them being too tight. Which could be a possibility if they have never been adjusted.

 

I don't think I've ever seen one where I couldn't get some feeler gauge under the cam.

 

How many miles on the engine?

[bike nut]

I have 80000 kms on the bike.I rotated the engine to tdc on the compression stroke and cant get the smallest guage under the cam.Also I am having trouble getting the tool to move the piece down to get the shim out.Does the tool work on two valves at a time?I have never had so much trouble to do a simple thing.

[mbrood]

The shade-tree mechanic method is to rotate until the peak of the lobe is 180 out from the lifter puck... then check.

 

You realize you are looking for a lot smaller number than your garden variety feeler gauge wiil check...

 

0.0043-0.0059 inches for intake

0.0063-0.0079 inches for exhaust

[RandyR]

the tool depresses two shim buckets at a time. Sometimes its easier inserting the tool turning the cam backwords. Doesn't matter. be sure the slot in the shim bucket is pointing the direction you want to remove the shims from such that you can easily get a pick on the edge of the shims to pry them up.

 

The shims and buckets are the same for 1st and 2nd gens, so look at all the threads.

 

member Dingy has posted a picture of the shim tool depressing the buckets which is worth seeing if you haven't done this before. I'll try to find it and post it.

 

yes, sometimes one has to try with the tool a couple times to get it to depress the buckets properly.

 

member v7goose has posted some info and pictures of the procedure as well as Dingy.

[RandyR]

dingy's drawing

http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af193/gdingy101/toolandcamrotated.jpg

[bike nut]

Thanks guys for your help.I will give it another go.

[RandyR]

one more thing. once you've replaced a shim, rotate the engine forward at least 3 turns and recheck the new clearance.

 

every once in a while, it doesn't come out like you would expect.

[Marcarl]

It also helps to leave oil on the cams,,,, if you went and wiped it all off, it's going to be a hard slide for the gauge.

[bike nut]

I would like to thank everyone for your help.You guys are awesome.I checked all my valves and they are in spec.The bike was serviced regularly untill two years ago so everything is pretty good.I am quite happy with the bike.It has more power than a gold wing and just as comfortable.I am a little tired of fixing cracks in the plastic but everything elso makes up for it.