Okay, I'm trying my own valve check and have a few questions.
I've owned bike (a 2001 fifth gen) since 3k miles, now has 18k, mostly commuting, never raced or on the track.
First, what do I need for feeler gauges? I haven't found any that do .01 mm increments in that range, so I'm using some straight SAE Sears Craftsman gauges. I calibrated the gauges with my micrometer and they're pretty close. I think some angled .12mm-.20mm and .26mm-.34mm would be great (metric specs are .16mm +/- .03mm intake and .30mm +/- .03mm exhaust), but may be overkill since the shims come in .025mm/.001" gradations anyway. Please give a source if you have one.
So, SAE specs on intake are .006" +/-.001", exhaust is .012" +/- .001".
Rear bank measures two exhaust valves at .010" (tight out-of-spec), two at .011" (tight end of in-spec), and all intakes at .005" (tight end of in-spec).
Front bank measures four exhaust valves at .011", three intakes at .006 (right in the middle spec), and one intake at .005". My measurement process shows the thickest gauge that I can fit. I don't try to hammer it in, so if it doesn't fit in with a just a bit of a push, I consider it a "no fit".
So, I have two valves that are out-of-spec and definitely need to be swapped. However, I also have 11 valves that are on the tight end of in-spec, where adding a size larger would place them back in the center of the spec range.
What shall I do? Replace only the two that are definitely out of spec, or replace the other 11 as well, assuming that they'll be out of spec (and tight!) by the next valve check? Is the target the center of the spec, or is anything in the range fine, or is there even one end of the range that's preferable?
I've owned bike (a 2001 fifth gen) since 3k miles, now has 18k, mostly commuting, never raced or on the track.
First, what do I need for feeler gauges? I haven't found any that do .01 mm increments in that range, so I'm using some straight SAE Sears Craftsman gauges. I calibrated the gauges with my micrometer and they're pretty close. I think some angled .12mm-.20mm and .26mm-.34mm would be great (metric specs are .16mm +/- .03mm intake and .30mm +/- .03mm exhaust), but may be overkill since the shims come in .025mm/.001" gradations anyway. Please give a source if you have one.
So, SAE specs on intake are .006" +/-.001", exhaust is .012" +/- .001".
Rear bank measures two exhaust valves at .010" (tight out-of-spec), two at .011" (tight end of in-spec), and all intakes at .005" (tight end of in-spec).
Front bank measures four exhaust valves at .011", three intakes at .006 (right in the middle spec), and one intake at .005". My measurement process shows the thickest gauge that I can fit. I don't try to hammer it in, so if it doesn't fit in with a just a bit of a push, I consider it a "no fit".
So, I have two valves that are out-of-spec and definitely need to be swapped. However, I also have 11 valves that are on the tight end of in-spec, where adding a size larger would place them back in the center of the spec range.
What shall I do? Replace only the two that are definitely out of spec, or replace the other 11 as well, assuming that they'll be out of spec (and tight!) by the next valve check? Is the target the center of the spec, or is anything in the range fine, or is there even one end of the range that's preferable?