TOPIC:

Ugh. I think I am in the same boat. #3 intake valve has no clearance and, according to my notes from the last time I was already at a 2.00 shim.

If you have no clearance with a 2.0 shim it's time to start looking for a new head or at minimum, tip the valves, although Kawasaki warns against it for the 750. Some model bikes can accept oversized valves (if you can find some that is) but that's an expensive road and I'm not sure that's possible with the 750. Jay from APE says that for Police bikes (where the owners (government) doesn't want to spend too much money) they tip the valves and keepers if the valves are too deeply sunk. It's important to cut down the keepers because after shortening the valve the appropriate amount the keepers can stick up above the top of the valve stem.

With ebay seemingly filled to the rafters with heads I'd be inclined to go hunting for something better instead of hacking the valve too much. It shouldn't be too hard to find something decent. I will say though that the valve seats on my 750 were not in very good shape even though the bike had only covered 11k miles before going into storage and subsequent deterioration. I found the seats had an uneven margin and frankly, I think they were that way from Kawasaki. If an ebay head is purchased it's advised to check it over carefully and do whatever is needed to make sure it's ready to run.

Darn. New seats can't be fitted? #2 intake looks like it is at 2.00 shim as well although the clearance is fine (for now).
I was planning on doing an 810 kit and the 6 speed conversion but now with the head trashed...

I tipped my exhaust valves .008 and had plenty of meat left on the stem. When put back together it seemed I had more than 4 adjustments left. The intakes don't wear as fast so I wonder why yours are like that.
Steve

Be careful when taking the cams in and out too and keep things in order carefully and of course in the right position ..... you don't want any striped threads or bent valves ....... 75 to 85 INCH lbs at most. The 300 shim you said you needed don't sound right either if you had a 250 shim in that bucket you would have had to have what .025-.026 thousands clearance to be making that right (ending up with .005-.006) ..... take a deep breath and re check carefully.

I've always found figuring in thousands has been easier too one size smaller or larger shim = .002 so if you wanta change it from .003 to.005 put in one size smaller shim and going from .008 to .006 would require a shim one size larger etc.

SWest wrote: I tipped my exhaust valves .008 and had plenty of meat left on the stem. When put back together it seemed I had more than 4 adjustments left. The intakes don't wear as fast so I wonder why yours are like that.
Steve

No idea. I remember the first time I had someone do the valve adjustment for me and he said one of them was pretty close to done although I cant remember which one that was. I found 1.80 13mm shims on eBay but am understandably cautious on them. I had my KZP valves tipped but not the keepers as Nessism mentioned. I should reexamine those...

I guess the smaller four under bucket tolerances are closer from what was said. I measured the depth to the keepers after I tipped the exhaust valves and put it together. Went through the clips but didn't note the depth to the keepers. Should have but I did have some room left. The button on the underside should give more clearance too. Do the under bucket lifters have this? Shaving the keepers would have been my next step if needed.
Steve

KZB2 650 wrote: Be careful when taking the cams in and out too and keep things in order carefully and of course in the right position ..... you don't want any striped threads or bent valves ....... 75 to 85 INCH lbs at most. The 300 shim you said you needed don't sound right either if you had a 250 shim in that bucket you would have had to have what .025-.026 thousands clearance to be making that right (ending up with .005-.006) ..... take a deep breath and re check carefully.

I've always found figuring in thousands has been easier too one size smaller or larger shim = .002 so if you wanta change it from .003 to.005 put in one size smaller shim and going from .008 to .006 would require a shim one size larger etc.

KZB2 - thanks for the insight. I followed the calculation in the Clymer based on the existing shim and the measurement I took, and then also based on the chart that was uploaded to this thread. Since the cams are out and I have 4 other valves to figure out, I am waiting until I can get my hands on a bunch of 200 - 230 shims to start re-measuring with new shims to see how screwed the head is.

Question on the video that SWest uploaded though, is there a write up on a way to re-measure the intake or exhaust cam individually without putting the both the cams back along with the timing chain (which is currently zip tied to the frame at TDC)? With the bench measurement, he is indicating he is able to get the cam to line up at TDC, I am guessing the cams should have some sort of marking on them then?

Again, thanks all in helping guide me through my first motorcycle valve job haha

If the head is on the engine you can't rotate just the cams without bending valves. You have to make a chart, take your measurements on all valves by rotating the crank going to TDC for each cylinder. Then you'll put the smaller shims in, put the cams back in, adjust the cam chain and remeasure. Some engines the valve cover MUST be on then the cam chain adjusted or damage can be the result. The larger fours have shim over buckets so the cams don't have to be removed to adjust the valves.
BTW, I ran the bike 500 miles and had to readjust a couple valves. I know it's a PITA to adjust them, that's why it's so important to do them when called for. Just know you'll have the satisfaction in knowing it's done right, you'll have 3-5000 miles before you have to check them again and the confidence in knowing what's going on in between your legs.
Steve
PS I set the cams to point away from each other as they would be at TDC.

SWest wrote: If the head is on the engine you can't rotate just the cams without bending valves. You have to make a chart, take your measurements on all valves by rotating the crank going to TDC for each cylinder. Then you'll put the smaller shims in, put the cams back in, adjust the cam chain and remeasure. Some engines the valve cover MUST be on then the cam chain adjusted or damage can be the result. The larger fours have shim over buckets so the cams don't have to be removed to adjust the valves.
BTW, I ran the bike 500 miles and had to readjust a couple valves. I know it's a PITA to adjust them, that's why it's so important to do them when called for. Just know you'll have the satisfaction in knowing it's done right, you'll have 3-5000 miles before you have to check them again and the confidence in knowing what's going on in between your legs.
Steve
PS I set the cams to point away from each other as they would be at TDC.

With the 750E, the shims are under the bucket AND the valve cover has the cam chain guide on it, so I get to go all the way back out to getting the valve cover installed to get the right cam chain tension before taking it off and re-measuring. Hopefully I can get this right within 1 or 2 attempts to keep my labor hours down.

Why must you take the valve cover on and off?

I have turned the cams without the cover, when I do the measurement by using the two posistion per cam procedure mention eralier here?

It depends on the type of cam chain.
Steve