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Just got in from the garden after measuring up the clearances. Went as good as i thought it might, was a pain in the back side trying to get bits out of the way and got a bit confused about trying to measure each value (0.17,0.16,0.15 etc) but realised that im only going to be able to measure in increments of 0.02 because of the blades i have. Once i got that clear in my head the rest was easy.

So far iv measured the gaps and determined what needs shims and what doesnt.

All but one on the exhaust side (and thats on the 0.16 limit) need changing. they are all pretty tight at 0.1mm so are closing and opening sooner than they should. Any particular reason the gap should get smaller? I thought it would get bigger with wear?? Oh, hang on, if there was wear on the valve seat then it would get smaller wouldnt it??

As far as inlets are concerned, none of them except for 1 need doing at 0.18mm; too big.

Managed to get a look at the cam chain tensioner while i was at it and thats looking like its getting near full extension, so no doubt a new chain and tensioner blade is due soon (funny that, with the engine at 18.5K miles ), perhaps just the blade will do?. Will probably get on that next month when ive got a bit more cash.

So, tomorrow im going to re-check my measurements after a good night cooling off. Engine was cold but had been used about 3 hours before hand on a hot day. Then to measure up the shims and see where i am with those. The 10lb magnetic tool i bought has a tip the size of a large fruit pastel so im not going to be able to get shims in or out in with any sort of delicacy, another smaller one is on order, fingers crossed it arrives tomorrow. Also has an inspection mirror with it so for future measuring it'll be a bit easier than the shiny foil from some light bulb packing i've been using to check the cam timing marks

All in all im feeling pretty pleased with myself tonight having got as far as i did, hopefully tomorrow will go just as well.

like your style robB, good work, i'm sure your using Mori-mans guide anyway??

Where is the guide in that pic and how can you tell its fully adjusted?

you mean the cam chain guide, scott?

If you look at the bottom left of the timing rotor, to the immediate left of the pickup, youll see a round 'piston', if you like. Thats pushing up onto the tensioner blade which you can see sitting on top of the tensioner piston . A good proportion of the tensioner piston is exposed suggesting that either the blade or the chain has worn. Looking in the manual aswell, youll see thats its only half way up.

Theres probbaly alot more mileage left in it, but its only 20 quid for a new chain, and i think just as much for the blade, so may aswell do it just for peace of mind and knowing that theres another 20k miles left before it needs doing again. I also want the experience of doing it, this is the first time ive ever done any engine work on any bike.

And yes, im going by MoriMans guide, its abolutely spot on aswell. If anything i did a hell of alot of reading up before i did this too which has helped alot.

Good on ya Rob

engine must be stone cold - 3hrs will never be enough so expect changes.

Shim's do usually tighten but on two of the engines I have the majority have been loose !

Seems a bit low mileage for your chain to be gone - check and see how deep the groove is on your blade, it could be the tensioner has lost some "fastness" and has been driving it into your chain. Unless your an "Ernest thrasher" then it's about right

Cam chains are good for 30K and more if the bike is "cared" for

If all the components are as old as the bike, treat it and replace everything - it owes you nothing, IMO

The spring on the tensioner has been doing it's job relentlessly for that period of time - I'd be pretty tired by now The blades all round will be aged and cooked so if your new chain hit's them will take a beating, we all like a soft pillow

Should have some photo's for my build thread after the weekend - the chassis is doing my head in !! brushed alloy or kwak Lime Green.

Wheels are going Black so the green Swinger and frame gives the bike a "steroid" look , final answer by Sunday

MM!

PS, Glad the guide is of some help

I should definitely check those again! That seems like a hell of a lot that would have to be changed without you noting anything.

I did note it all, i noted everything!!

Not sure about the chain, the bikes only done 18.5k miles but then are they genuine or not i dont know. I do give it a handfull quite often, i also do a bit of motorway on the way too work so gets a good run

Well, what a bloody afternoon!

As mentioned the clearances had changed, most of the clearances got larger and more of them needed changing. What i did yesterday was to give me a head start more than anything, so today should have been alot lot easier!

Was hoping to wake up to my magnetic tool on the door mat this morning but no luck. Waited till about 11 and said to the girlfriend lets go out and do whatever. Got back about 2 and there it was, the postman had been! Got started about 3ish, re-measured and double checked. Yes they had changed. Now that i had the tool i was able to get the shims out and check, all noted down and my god what a pain in the butt the inlet ones are to get it and out, worst are the ones at the end of the cams!

Now that everything was measured, re-measured and tripple checked i took my my spreadsheet similar to what moriman had created, and put in my values. It gives me the exact size i need but with only being able to obtain in increments of 0.05mm i had a seperate equation where i needed to put in a 'real life' shim which would then give me the new gap. By this time it was 5 o clock and the bike shop shuts in half hour, so quickly quickly worked out what i needed! QUALITY!!! only need 3!!! The rest swapped perfectly so all in all pretty damn lucky i think.

Got to the shop and got the sizes i need, for some odd reason the guy in there came out with Suzuki shims and went 'there you go', 'thats nice mate but ive got 1p sized shims and youve just given me ones the size of a £2 coin'. Twat.

I could now finally relax as i wasnt up against the clock with the shop closing, the rest of it was now down to me. Took all the shims out and grouped them into thier individual sizes and methodically worked my way round the top end installing the shims. Got to the last 5 or 6 and then realised id run out of a size. Errrrrrrrrrrrr, toad. I was racking my bloody brains, what had i done wrong. Right, start again, got them all out and re measured them, f***, im one short. Somehow id counted that i had 5 of one size and needed 6, one extra, however my mistake was id actually had 4 and needed two extra. I sat there for about 5 mins re measuring (again) just to make sure i hadnt made a mistake then realised i could file down one of the un-needed larger sizes! Got it to 0.02 out of what it needed to be, stuck it in the spreadsheet and it was still in tolerance so left it at that, will do it properly next time

Finally got the shims all back in making absolutely sure i was putting back the right ones, dollop of fresh oil over the cam lobes and shims and then got the bike together, pushed the button and after a few turns it fired into life. Most immediate difference was the lack of top end noise and the nicer sounding exhaust note! Took it for a spin and its definately feels alot stronger, certainly more responsive and it sounds much better too. It also runs smoother and ive still yet to re-balance the carbs and fit the new air filter!! Got all done just before 10pm before it got proper dark.

Im really really bloody tired at the moment, ive had the sun on me all day and my fingers are sore, but i feel a great sense of achievement for what ive done today

So, the list of work is as follows:
install the plug well seals
while im at it im going to recheck the clearances as they will have settled in once ive covered some mileage
fit new air filter
re-balance the carbs
stick in some new coolant
re-bleed the brakes (lever has been a it pants since i gave the calipers a clean and fresh fluid),
new oil and filter
and possibly some new bulbs, the ones i bought, the high beam has gone, so need to check them out, hoping its the wiring!

And once thats done the bike should be spot on!

Im now going to lay down and try n put my spine back into the shape it was earlier this morning!!!

That shim you filed down to size needs replaced ASAP....................you will have removed the case hardening it will start to deform and soon you clearance will be very much out of tolerance.

As with most top end jobs it's much easier with the engine out..................but well done anyway I like the way you worked it out.................I do them one at a time and replace as I go but then I've got a load of the little blighters so don't need to swap with shims from another valve. Sliding the rockers to one side can be done using a small screwdiver that fits into the little oil feed hole on the rocker.

As I said well done

If you can tell me what size you need to replace the one you filed..............I'll look in my stock for you.

oo i forgat about the case hardening! Well ive got the plug well oil seals to do when they arrive so ill do it then for sure. I slid them to one side exactly as you said there cargo, it was just the end ones didnt have as far to slide and then generaly had trouble staying there. I need a 2.90 so if you have one that would be great. Can send you one back if you want it replaced? but only have 3.00 and 2.80 left iirc.

Managed to get the time to do some more work this afternoon! Had a 5am start at work today and finished at 12.45

Got the lot apart, much quicker this time, replaced the filed down shim with the new one and it popped straight in, but no sooner had i get the rocker cover off it started to rain over the covers go and sit out the rain! Eventually stopped and carried on.

Did the plug-well seals while i was at it, old ones for the bottom were alot flatter and the tubes were more of a struggle getting in so fingers crossed thats done the job!

Did the new air filter too, smothered in a bit of oil and in it went. The old one was dry as a Jacobs cracker and just as crumbly! Also appears to have split, although im not sure weather that was due to me trying to take it out.

Only problem i had was getting it started, it turned and turned and turned and backfired now and again, had a poke about the wiring and realised the coil wiring was on the wrong coils, swapped over and it started right away. Balanced the carbs up, waited for the 2nd lot of rain to go away then took it for a spin. The difference in the sound now which i suspect is due to the new filter is just orgasmic, its just screams and screams, the pickup on the throttle is so much quicker now too, im finding im having not to blip so hard compared to before. Wanna get new oil in it next month and a coolant change, and some point soon get the chain tensioner done, also still need to double check the clearances but its getting a day off to do it!. Gonna look at getting it on a dyno too see what its knocking out. Shame i couldnt have made Dynopro the other week, would have made a nice comparison.

And to top it off i treated the bike to a bit of Redex