measuring shims

[jntrees]

I'm going to start doing my own valve adjustments, one thing that i'm confused about is measuring shims.
Can I use only a digital micrometer? I saw a shim measuring tool on another website that I guess you place the shim in to measure, not sure what thats about. Do I need this?
Any help will be appreciated. Thanks.

[Ddan]

You can measure the openers directly with a mic or caliper.  You need a tool to accurately measure the closers.  It fits in to where the collets sit, and you measure the shim plus the tool, then subtract 10mm (or whatever your tool measures) from that.

[Speeddog]

Get the tool to measure the closers.

If you're talking about openers for 8mm valve stem bikes (900cc and smaller 2-valvers), you can measure them directly with a micrometer.
You can measure them with calipers if you can find a nice spacer to fit inside 'em.
I've heard there's a Kawasaki valve shim that works, but I don't know which one.

Some micrometers have a spindle small enough to measure the openers for the 7mm valve stem bikes.
My Starrett micrometer does not.

[jntrees]

I've got an 07 S2R, I was under the impression that I could take my measurements( loaded, unloaded etc), do the equations, pull out the shims if necessary, then measure them with a micrometer.
Will it not work this way? Or is there a better, easier way?

[Ddan]

I've got an 07 S2R, I was under the impression that I could take my measurements( loaded, unloaded etc), do the equations, pull out the shims if necessary, then measure them with a micrometer.
Will it not work this way? Or is there a better, easier way?

You've got the procedure, but you will need the tool to measure the closers.

[mitt]

I was under the impression I would do my own valves also, but short of buying a set of non-ducati shims, it is really difficult. I live 2 hours from the dealer, and if I needed a new shim, the chances of me measuring my old one and a correct new one at his shop are nill, even with a $150 digital micrometer.

Watching him do the valves, he only uses a $20 digital caliper to measure the out of spec shim to get in the ballpark for the correct new, then goes to the trays, and trys a couple shims in the right direction.   The final measure of spec is with feel and feeler gauges, so that is why the actual shim measurement can be less accurate for him.

mitt

[Ddan]

I was under the impression I would do my own valves also, but short of buying a set of non-ducati shims, it is really difficult. I live 2 hours from the dealer, and if I needed a new shim, the chances of me measuring my old one and a correct new one at his shop are nill, even with a $150 digital micrometer.

Watching him do the valves, he only uses a $20 digital caliper to measure the out of spec shim to get in the ballpark for the correct new, then goes to the trays, and trys a couple shims in the right direction.   The final measure of spec is with feel and feeler gauges, so that is why the actual shim measurement can be less accurate for him.

mitt

BCM, (and other shops, I'm sure,) will do an exchange for like 5 bucks or something.  You send your shim with whatever it's over or under, they send you the right one.  No real measurement issues that way, but it's slow.

[printman]

or buy the ems duc shim kit. they come with the closer tool. was around $300, but worth it because I live so far away.

get it done faster this way

[mitt]

BCM, (and other shops, I'm sure,) will do an exchange for like 5 bucks or something.  You send your shim with whatever it's over or under, they send you the right one.  No real measurement issues that way, but it's slow.

My shop (which is great in almost every way) doesn't even exchange shims for $5 if they do the adjustment.  They give you a credit on the old shim, but the new are still expensive - like $15.  His reason is that he gets stuck with a bunch of common sizes, and always has to reorder replacement sizes.

mitt

[Ddan]

Yep, makes sense.  I think the last shims I bought outright from BCM were $18/.  I finally broke down this year and got the  shim set from EMS.  Made the project a lot easier