Shim Replacement Procedural Question

[Explorer]

Like has been said a million times - this is a great forum. I have been lurking for a while now, and have learned more than I could have imagined. TT helped me to decide which bike to buy (slightly used 03 KLX400SR - 50 miles), and is helping me to build the courage to do "relatively simple" maintenance work. ?

I have checked the valves twice now (the bike has about 930 miles on it) and each time they read as follows:

Intake - left .15mm, right .13mm

Exhaust - left .25mm, right .23mm

For a while now I have been wanting to open the gap on all four valves a bit (happy valves are loose valves - I've been trying to pay close attention ? ). I hope to end up with Intake - left .2mm, right .18, Exhaust - left .3mm, right .28mm.

Questions:

1. Do I have to do anything with the ACCT in order to remove the CAMS? My ACCT has a bolt verses a screw on the end. Is the screw under the bolt or is the bolt what I use to lock and unlock the push rod? My service manual talks about turning a screw clockwise to lock push rod (I guess that means take the pressure off the chain).

2. Is it possible to remove the shims by just loosening the cam journal bolts to the max. without actually removing?

3. If not, would it be a good idea to work with just one cam journal clamp at a time to avoid problems like dropping the chain, dowel pin, or reducing the chance of mixing up the different length allen bolts?

I'll share what shim sizes are eventually extracted and what I plan to replace with.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks! ?

_______

03 KLX 400 SR

Unibiker Rad. Gaurds

Tonns Skid Plate

CFC covers (smoothed shift lever)

IMS 3.2 gal. fuel tank

Dunlop 606s

Trickle charger

Would like to do 3x3 and DJ next.

[Erik Marquez]

Like has been said a million times - this is a great forum. I have been lurking for a while now, and have learned more than I could have imagined. TT helped me to decide which bike to buy (slightly used 03 KLX400SR - 50 miles), and is helping me to build the courage to do "relatively simple" maintenance work. ?

I have checked the valves twice now (the bike has about 930 miles on it) and each time they read as follows:

Intake - left .15mm, right .13mm

Exhaust - left .25mm, right .23mm

For a while now I have been wanting to open the gap on all four valves a bit (happy valves are loose valves - I've been trying to pay close attention ? ). I hope to end up with Intake - left .2mm, right .18, Exhaust - left .3mm, right .28mm.

Questions:

1. Do I have to do anything with the ACCT in order to remove the CAMS? My ACCT has a bolt verses a screw on the end. Is the screw under the bolt or is the bolt what I use to lock and unlock the push rod? My service manual talks about turning a screw clockwise to lock push rod (I guess that means take the pressure off the chain).

2. Is it possible to remove the shims by just loosening the cam journal bolts to the max. without actually removing?

3. If not, would it be a good idea to work with just one cam journal clamp at a time to avoid problems like dropping the chain, dowel pin, or reducing the chance of mixing up the different length allen bolts?

I'll share what shim sizes are eventually extracted and what I plan to replace with.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks! ?

_______

03 KLX 400 SR

Unibiker Rad. Gaurds

Tonns Skid Plate

CFC covers (smoothed shift lever)

IMS 3.2 gal. fuel tank

Dunlop 606s

Trickle charger

Would like to do 3x3 and DJ next.

GET A MANUAL ?

After that,, yes the ACCT comes out,, that bolt is more a cap.. remove it, and the washer and spring behind it. Remove the two socket head cap screws, and the body of the ACCT. To reinstalling after you've done all else. Look at the side of the body, at the plunger, depress the pawl, and then the plunger. install the acct in to the head, install the spring, washer, and that cap.

NO the cams must come out,, then the buckets ,, the shim will be stuck to the under side of the bucket, on top of the valve/retainer.

Remove both cam bearing caps, mark, set aside (including the chain guide and fasteners),, remove both cams.. Remove ONE bucket at a time,,,,, if your going to take them all out at once,, bag and mark them, They need to go back in the same hole. Check shim size, determine what thinner size you need to open op the clearances,, install that shim,, and out it all back together.

[Explorer]

Bronco78 - Thank You!

The service manual was one of the first things I purchased. Though I have read about halfway through the manual, as a novice, I'm having trouble intrepreting some manual offered discriptions.

Your description helps a lot. I now realize the shims reside a little deeper than I originally thought.

It sounds like the ACCT will re-set (plunger extends) upon reinstallation of the spring, washer and cap.

Thanks again for this post and all those on TT. I have learned a lot from the DRZ400 forum.

Explorer ?

[RoyH]

Explorer if it makes you feel any better I did mine for the 1st time the other night. Took me about an hour to tear it down & decide what shims I needed. Not that big of a job, just take your time, be patient & don't drop anything down the cam chain slot. I layed all my parts out on a white shop towel in the exact order they came out. I did a sketch for the tolorences, existing shims & then I grabbed the calculator. Mathematically is will be a breeze to get everything even but getting that odd size shim will be your biggest hurdle. I was lucky I recently adjusted my V-Strom 1000 valves and had a set of 2.78mm shims that worked out perfectly on my intake valves. I had 2.80mm left & 2.82mm right in the DRZ stock. The 2.78's put me just the other side of my middle of the road tolorences. I went to my dealer & swapped my exhaust 3.15mm shims for a pair of 3.10's & I am good to go. Clickity, clickity click they sound wonderful now when it is running.

Like I said take your time & enjoy the experience it ain't so bad. I've done a few different type Suzuki setups before so I was not to nervous about 1 cylinder. Try a V-twin 1000 with gear driven cames firing 270 degrees apart. ? BTW I did not even have a DRZ manual only a few scanned sheets from the local shop manual, did okay by me. ?

[Spud786]

you have the ratchet tensioner, it's pretty simple just remove the bolt on the end and the spring will come out. Some of the wording your reading is from the old type tensioner.

if you got a little power screwdriver 6mm 1/4 inch hex bit, it will fit very easily in the tight space to remove the base screws with a 1/4 inch box end.

Going back together if using that tensioner, just lift the paw and fully compress the tensioner shaft, remount and install the main spring and bolt. Key is making sure it's all snug and in time before reinstalling the valve cover and flywheel TDC notch cover plug.

[Explorer]

RoyH, Spud786, Bronco78,

Thanks for your help!!! Shims are out. I have good drawings to help with install. All bolts are tagged. Buckets were dealt with one at a time, and then replaced. I replace cams and caps and cover (not bolted) to keep dust out till I can get the replacement shims. I'll head to St. George first thing tomorrow morning. Geez, its snowing in St. George (~3000 feet) - just heard they closed the interstate in between.

Here is what I have for current shims:

Exhaust

Left 312 (gap .25mm) - A 310 will give me a gap of .27mm. A 305 will be too much, giving me .32mm.

Right 312 (gap .23mm) - A 305 will give me a gap of .3mm - that will work!

Intake

Left 295 (gap .15mm) - A 290 will result in .2mm - that will work!

Right 290 (gap .13mm) - A 285 will result in .18mm - that will work!

Is my math right???

Thanks again!

Explorer

[Erik Marquez]

RoyH, Spud786, Bronco78,

Thanks for your help!!! Shims are out. I have good drawings to help with install. All bolts are tagged. Buckets were dealt with one at a time, and then replaced. I replace cams and caps and cover (not bolted) to keep dust out till I can get the replacement shims. I'll head to St. George first thing tomorrow morning. Geez, its snowing in St. George (~3000 feet) - just heard they closed the interstate in between.

Here is what I have for current shims:

Exhaust

Left 312 (gap .25mm) - A 310 will give me a gap of .27mm. A 305 will be too much, giving me .32mm.

Right 312 (gap .23mm) - A 305 will give me a gap of .3mm - that will work!

Intake

Left 295 (gap .15mm) - A 290 will result in .2mm - that will work!

Right 290 (gap .13mm) - A 285 will result in .18mm - that will work!

Is my math right???

Thanks again!

Explorer

Your math is fine ?

After you button it back up,, check your clearences again..... make sure that one ex is not over .3 mm ? On the Exhaust side,, i'd rather be middle of the road,, then any amount over the .3

[Explorer]

Looks like I will have to try again:cry:

Was able to trade for three of the shims I wanted. No one had the fourth, but that was okay, that one was needed the least (EX - left). Despite my good intentions, here is where I ended up.

Exhaust

Left with 312 - gap .25mm

Right with 305 - gap .31mm:mad: - Bronco said nothing over .3mm. I had hoped to get a couple 310s just in case this one went over, but not one of the five shops I went to had one.

Intake

Left with 290 - gap .21mm ? Is this .01mm overage a problem on intake?

Right with 285 - gap .17mm

Oh well, I probably need the practice taking in apart anyway.

Explorer

[Erik Marquez]

What can I say ? Someone maybe even Burned,, will come along and tell you it will be fine. As I have no real data to prove otherwise,, I'll not Say anything against it. I will say,, if it were my bike,,, I would not exceed the maximum clearances. I only go loose on the DRZ valves, because it has been shown to work out better that way. I normally, and on every other motor I build, or work on,, strive for minimum clearance for max effective lift, or middle of the spec for maintenance reasons. The DRZ needs looser clearances. But not more than that. Just my opinion. ?

[MorningRider]

good read thanks guys. I need to tackle this job myself one day. I know when I buy my next and second bike I have to become more of a mechanic. I may as well start on my trusty DRZ.

[sargentrab]

have you started the bike,

if not start bike and let it run a few seconds,you may find after the bike runs 10 or 15 seconds your measurment may just change enough to put you back in speck..on anything I adjust valves on I always start and run a few seconds and then recheck,more often then not there will be a very slight change,after everything settels into place....

there should be enough gas in carb just button up engine and run a few seconds then recheck..

good luck

massive brain fart on my part...the valves will probly loosen a touch after running a few seconds,but it is still a good idea to run a few seconds and recheck

[Explorer]

Sargentrab,

Thanks for the idea. No I haven't started the bike yet. I just spun the rear wheel five or six TDC revolutions to settle things in, squeeze out extra lubricant. Wouldn't the gap close as the parts warmed (i.e., expanded), or are you right that the gap would get bigger.

The mechanic at Suzuki said okay to run at top end of clearance. That based on piston configuration, there was probably at least a .4mm distance with wide open valve and TDC piston. I'm not a 100% sure that I understoop him correctly. Edited addition - now that I think about it max gap clearance between bucket and cam does not relate to a concern of valve and pistion hitting - if I understand correctly it relates to the valve not opening as much.

I'm going follow Bronco's advice and stay within clearance, just to avoid the extra baging the bucket, cam and valve would have to endure at high RMPs.

I was afraid to run tight (.13mm intake) fearing that heating would close that gap down further, and than the valve would not close fully if the gap became zero. Intresting stuff to think about.

Thanks for the input.

Explorer

[sargentrab]

I wasnt meaning to run enough to get warm,just as you mentioned squish out extra oil and settle shims into place,sounds like you already pretty much did that by spinning wheel.?

[EZGZ]

I will copy and paste an old write up I did from my first shot. Feel free to add it to your info until you can get a manual.

Lets say you checked your valve clearance and the right intake valve is .004 (low limit)

Here is the drill-

• Remove your carburetor so you can get the oil breather box out of the way.
  
• Remove the little bolt out of the end of the chain tensioner.
  
• Use small flathead screwdriver and insert into the hole exposed in the tensioner, turn clockwise until it stops. You will feel a little spring tension, that’s good. When it stops just tighten a little more until it holds without backing out on its own.
  
• Remove the two Allen bolts holding the cam chain tensioner and remove from engine.
  
• Now remove the two Allen bolts that hold the upper cam chain guard in place.
  
• In a cross pattern remove the remaining 3 Allen bolts that hold the upper cam bearing cover.
  
• Remove cam bearing cover being careful that the guide dowels don’t come out and fall in engine. (Mine stayed in the head)
  
• You already had your engine at TDC from the valve clearance inspection. Note the location of numbers and arrows on the side of the cam gear.
  
• Now gently lift the camshaft upward and forward enough where you can get a magnet on the top of the valve spring bucket and lift it off and out of the head area.
  
• Set the camshaft back in place so nothing moves around.
  
• The actual valve shim is about the size of a pencil eraser and may be stuck in the valve bucket or still on top of the valve (mine stayed in the bucket).
  
• Inspect the shim for a number (mine said 285)
  
• I took the shim, along with my shop manual and micrometer to the Suzuki dealer and asked for help to get the right shim to get it back in spec.
  
• The shim assortments come in multiples of 5 examples: 275,280, 285 and so on.
  
• Each shim is the equivalent of .002 inch.
  
• I wanted to get back up to the outside intake spec, which was .008 so that came out to be the #275 shim. The mechanic was nice enough to just trade shims.
  
• So now you set the replacement shim on top of the valve with the numbers facing up.
  
• While holding the camshaft up and forward with one hand place the bucket over the valve spring and lower it in place. Now set your camshaft back in place without forcing anything.
  
• Replace the bearing cap and finger tighten the 3 screws. I left the 4 Th one holding the cam chain guard off on purpose to check the cam timing.
  
• The arrows on the camshaft gears should be just like when you started.
  
• Starting with the pin that the top arrow is pointing to, count the cam chain pins to the other camshaft gear until you get to 15, it has to exactly line up with the arrow on that other camshaft gear.
  
• If all looks good replace the upper camshaft guard and install the cam chain tensioner.
  
• Check the cam tesioner closely. Run the screw in and out so you can feel the tension and look for the chance that the tension spring is broke or not. (Mine was good)
  
• Use the screw to lock the spring in the retracted position and replace the tensioner. (My gasket was ok to reuse)
  
• Release the cam chain screw and put the bolt back in the end.
  
• Rotate the engine two full 360-degree rotations to squeeze out any oil from the bucket and shim and recheck your clearance in the normal manor using a feeler gauge.
  
• My new right rear intake valve clearance went from .004 to .008 Magic!
  
• Now put all the rest of the crap back together and if it starts up and runs without rattling your teeth. Celebrate in the appropriate manor.
  
• Virtual Round of beers for all who actually read this post this far.
  

I guess it goes without saying that I changed a shim on the right exhaust using the same procedure but I thought it would be less complicated to splain one at a time Lucy!

My exhaust was .009 and the shim # 315. I replaced it with a #310 which gave me .011 inch. The left valves were .011 exhaust and .007 intake. Milage is about 2,500 and I use 100% Amsoil motorcyle synthetic 20-50.

Greg

[Explorer]

EZGZ,

Thanks for the write-up. Here is a questions that will show you how much of a novice mechanic I am. What the heck is a tappet? The reason I ask is that my manual says shim numbers should face tappet. The info you provided indicates that the number should face the bucket. An on-going thread response from Burned indicated that the number should go up, but no problem if it did not - the number itself would just wear-off. Three of mine came out of the machine number down, and one number up. So I assumed the one up was in error, knowing that the bucket and then the cam were above - by default the tappet had to be on the other end.

Edit - I get it now, the bucket is the tappet.?

Thanks all!

Explorer