Shims, how do you know if/when you're bike needs them?

[mick_dundee]

Read somewhere that one f the first things you do with the 9 is the shims, so how am I supposed to tell if they need doing or not?

[Smitty]

Read somewhere that one f the first things you do with the 9 is the shims, so how am I supposed to tell if they need doing or not?

Mick
how many kms on the 9?
and does yr service history tell you if done before...?


cheers

[mick_dundee]

60000 odd and no, warranty handbook only have one Kwaka dealer stamp on the 40000k service, no mention of shims in the book anywhere.

[Smitty]

60000 odd and no, warranty handbook only have one Kwaka dealer stamp on the 40000k service, no mention of shims in the book anywhere.

from memory (someone may correct me) the shims in the 9 are due to be checked and (if necessary) adjusted every 24000

maybe ring that dealer and ask if they did ém
otherwise.....you are gunna be up for at least a check (expensive labour job)


cheers

Smitty

[mick_dundee]

Hmm if I asked you where were you August 02 ya reckon you can tell me? Daresay in 5 years there's been a few 9's gone thourgh the place ifindeed it even still exists as a Kwaka dealer.. Ballina Bikeworx it was, in NSW.

[Strika]

Although they are scheduled to be done every 24,000klms, most techo's I have spoken to say they move in the first bit of life and then are pretty static after that. I checked mine at 45,000 (Didn't need a shim-may have been done previously but I didn't trust them.) and am going to do them now at 84,000. Reason being it is not catching first turn. It's catching 2nd or 3rd turn. That suggests to me that the clearances have tightened a touch! Also if the top end is eerily quiet...get them done!

[mick_dundee]

guess i'l get em looked at in the not too distant future as really have NFI if they have been done or not but suspect not.

[z900/zx9]

Did ya get your roadworthy sorted out Mick ??

[Rossi]

This will give ya an idea of how to go Mick

http://www.calamarichris.com/zx9r/valveadj1.htm" target="_blank" target="_blank

Get your shims from here
get the 0.02mm ones
http://www.precisionshims.com.au/" target="_blank

Balance your carbs after the shims
If your carbs have been balanced before the shims were done, they were set up for the flow demand then, not now. this is dictated by the amount of available lift at the time, can't do one without the other.

[Rossi]

If you are going to get someone else to do it Mick, its a good idea to get your mechanic to make you up a valve map showing shim size in place and what clearance its got when the jobs done. Makes it easier to change/swap/replace next time as you know what size is where, new clearance measurements will let ya know what shims ya need to do the job as well (its not always the print on the reverse of the shims stays there) If you dont do them yourself, they will always come in handy for the mechanic next time round.

[mick_dundee]

No fucking way am I gonna do it, don't have a garage to work in, don't have the tools required and last but most importnatly don't believe I have the mechanical expertise to be farting around with shit like that, it'll be a B Kwaka job when I get some money to play with I reckon.

[Trunks]

I get mine done every 12000klms I think that is what is recomended in the service manual I have and its a genuine Kwaka one.

[mick_dundee]

What's it cost to get done? From what i've read looks like a fairly lenghty procedure...

[Trunks]

Last time it was $200 but the clearances were all OK so didnt have to pull the cams. When the shims were changed I think it cost about $350 but I always get the carbs balanced and the air filter serviced. So I think its not to expencive. This time I might pull the fairings and stuff off and take her in my van save a couple of hours labour cost.

[javaman]

When I did mine it took 3 days and lots of cursing.

At 110,000+ km this is how they were off (red is off). I think the previous owner was a tight arse too