New Valve Shim Matrix (the lazy way)

headshrink · May 12th, 2011, 05:10 PM

I put together the attached Matrix (Excel 2003 document) to determine the proper shim replacement sizes for valve adjustments. This matrix does the math for you, so all you need to do is measure your existing valve clearance and current valve shim, then find the corresponding replacement shim on the matrix, and you should be good to go. I anticipate this method will be "good enough" for most, but if you are as anal as I am, it will not be as accurate as using a micrometer to determine the REAL thickness of your shim, and using that number in the math.

When you open the attached .xls, you will first need to fill in the setup worksheet. I realized that different sets of feeler gauges MAY be at different intervals, so I thought this would be an important feature to make it usable for others. It is currently setup using intervals from my Kolbalt set of feeler gauges. Once you have it customized for your tools, you can print it out on a single page (without the setup worksheet). All measurements are metric (mm).

I went through this a couple times, but if I made a mistake in any of the formulas, please let me know so I can rectify it.

NOTE: If the Matrix is returning errors, you will need to install the Analysis ToolPak that comes with Excel (Tools>Add-Ins> check Analysis ToolPak> Enter to install). This had me running in circles until I figured this one out.

Special thanks to Alex, our fearless leader, for help in nailing down a pesky formula - even when he didn't know what it would be used for.

EDIT: Here is a pic of the Matrix set-up for my gauges. If yours are at different intervals, you will need to d/l the original file.

headshrink · May 14th, 2011, 04:27 PM

Hmmm, I guess this wasn't as popular as I had hoped. Oh well, it was fun to make. I like to streamline and automate repetitive processes.

g21-30 · May 14th, 2011, 05:27 PM

Don't feel bad. Sometimes it takes time for a good thing to catch on. I downloaded it, but I still have roughly 2200 miles before I need to even check it! Thanks for the hard work!

Alex · May 14th, 2011, 06:20 PM

Definitely a neat idea.

headshrink · May 14th, 2011, 06:23 PM

Thanks Sam & Alex, I hope you like it.

I've noticed worksheets I have posted in the past didn't get much response either. I'm guessing that presenting information as an attachment probably doesn't draw as much attention than if someone can just see pictures in the body of the thread. I'll take a generic image of the Matrix and edit it into the OP to see if it helps. Since valve adjustments are one of the top maintenance jobs that creates the most questions around here (maybe second to tuning), I figured this will help make it seem a little easier.

kkim · May 14th, 2011, 06:34 PM

I'll look at it when I need to do my first valve adjustment in a couple of years.

headshrink · May 14th, 2011, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kkim

I'll look at it when I need to do my first valve adjustment in a couple of years.

For the newbies Kelly, for the newbies...

Alex · August 26th, 2011, 07:39 PM

/linked from main DIY sticky

pop0tart · October 26th, 2011, 11:19 PM

I used it to double check my shim purchase. Thanks for the help! I used a micrometer to measure the shims I removed and most were 2.86-2.90 range, so my numbers were a little off because my measurements wre ore accurate, but it was reassuring to see that we're in the same ballpark. As a side note, I went by the service manual to choose what shims to purchase, but then saw that kawi now only sells them in .05 mm incriments, so I did a bit more rounding in the end. I just really tend to make mistakes whn the math is simple and the calculations are tedious, and I don't want to have to do this job twice. Thanks!

headshrink · October 26th, 2011, 11:54 PM

My first happy customer

Glad it was helpful.

pop0tart · November 4th, 2011, 10:19 AM

Yep..and I have it saved on the jump drive that I keep my service manual on for next time

mikedabike64 · October 8th, 2013, 02:56 PM

I just plucked up a 250 with 14000 miles for track duty & I will use this so thanks , I am sure in the future you will get many folks using it as well,

headshrink · October 8th, 2013, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikedabike64

I just plucked up a 250 with 14000 miles for track duty & I will use this so thanks , I am sure in the future you will get many folks using it as well,

Glad you found it and hope it makes your valve adjustments faster/easier. Don't forget to enter the graduations that are on your feeler gauges. This part of the worksheet isn't visible in the image I posted.

I'm actually surprised how little feedback I've gotten on this project, but it's enough for me that I've used it myself a couple times. Always happy to share though.

mikedabike64 · October 8th, 2013, 05:10 PM

I will enter the graduations on my feeler gauge, & thanks for sharing it.

red5 · October 8th, 2013, 06:23 PM

Thanks HS. Changed mine last year and will check again this weekend. This should make it a bit quicker.

simook · February 5th, 2014, 07:11 PM

I plan to use this to validate my math and measurements this coming weekend.

headshrink · February 5th, 2014, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by simook

I plan to use this to validate my math and measurements this coming weekend.

Hope it works for you. I've used it a couple times now, and it REALLY sped up the process for me. I process numbers slowly, so it removes a lot of that work.

Let me know if you have any issues with the file.

headshrink · April 28th, 2014, 12:36 AM

I've got a potentially significant update regarding choosing the proper feeler-gauge in this thread: https://www.ninjette.org/forums/show...009#post852009

CZroe · May 12th, 2014, 01:16 PM

I plan to print this out and keep it with my service manual.

headshrink · May 12th, 2014, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CZroe

I plan to print this out and keep it with my service manual.

I'm glad you find it helpful. It's really made my clearance checks go much, much faster. I'm pretty slow and deliberate with math, and tend to slow myself down even further by second-guessing myself. My matrix removes both from the equation (pun intended).

spooph · May 14th, 2014, 09:31 AM

Nice! This will be a good double-check on the maths.

May 14th, 2011, 04:27 PM	#2
headshrink ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Bob Location: CA Join Date: Dec 2008 Motorcycle(s): '08 Ninja 250r, '14 CBR500r Posts: A lot.	Hmmm, I guess this wasn't as popular as I had hoped. Oh well, it was fun to make. I like to streamline and automate repetitive processes. __________________________________________________ Honda Interceptor VFR800 DLX (2014, 8th gen) Honda CBR500r (2014) - FOR SALE Kawi Ninja 250r (2008) - Restored and passed-down within family, only to be abandoned

May 14th, 2011, 06:20 PM	#4
Alex ninjette.org dude Name: 1 guess :-) Location: SF Bay Area Join Date: Jun 2008 Motorcycle(s): '13 Ninja 300 (white, the fastest color!), '13 R1200RT, '14 CRF250L, '12 TT-R125LE Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 7	Definitely a neat idea. __________________________________________________ Montgomery Street Motorcycle Club / cal24.com / crf250l.org / ninjette.org ninjette.org Terms of Service Shopping for motorcycle parts or equipment? Come here first. The friendliest Ninja 250R/300/400 forum on the internet! (especially Unregistered)

May 14th, 2011, 06:23 PM	#5
headshrink ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Bob Location: CA Join Date: Dec 2008 Motorcycle(s): '08 Ninja 250r, '14 CBR500r Posts: A lot.	Thanks Sam & Alex, I hope you like it. I've noticed worksheets I have posted in the past didn't get much response either. I'm guessing that presenting information as an attachment probably doesn't draw as much attention than if someone can just see pictures in the body of the thread. I'll take a generic image of the Matrix and edit it into the OP to see if it helps. Since valve adjustments are one of the top maintenance jobs that creates the most questions around here (maybe second to tuning), I figured this will help make it seem a little easier. __________________________________________________ Honda Interceptor VFR800 DLX (2014, 8th gen) Honda CBR500r (2014) - FOR SALE Kawi Ninja 250r (2008) - Restored and passed-down within family, only to be abandoned

August 26th, 2011, 07:39 PM	#8
Alex ninjette.org dude Name: 1 guess :-) Location: SF Bay Area Join Date: Jun 2008 Motorcycle(s): '13 Ninja 300 (white, the fastest color!), '13 R1200RT, '14 CRF250L, '12 TT-R125LE Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 7	/linked from main DIY sticky __________________________________________________ Montgomery Street Motorcycle Club / cal24.com / crf250l.org / ninjette.org ninjette.org Terms of Service Shopping for motorcycle parts or equipment? Come here first. The friendliest Ninja 250R/300/400 forum on the internet! (especially Unregistered)

October 26th, 2011, 11:54 PM	#10
headshrink ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Bob Location: CA Join Date: Dec 2008 Motorcycle(s): '08 Ninja 250r, '14 CBR500r Posts: A lot.	My first happy customer Glad it was helpful. __________________________________________________ Honda Interceptor VFR800 DLX (2014, 8th gen) Honda CBR500r (2014) - FOR SALE Kawi Ninja 250r (2008) - Restored and passed-down within family, only to be abandoned

May 14th, 2011, 05:27 PM	#3
g21-30 ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Sam Location: Northern Virginia Join Date: Nov 2008 Motorcycle(s): Ninja 250R 2009 Posts: A lot.	Don't feel bad. Sometimes it takes time for a good thing to catch on. I downloaded it, but I still have roughly 2200 miles before I need to even check it! Thanks for the hard work!

May 14th, 2011, 06:34 PM	#6
kkim Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: Too much.	I'll look at it when I need to do my first valve adjustment in a couple of years.

October 26th, 2011, 11:19 PM	#9
pop0tart ninjette.org member Name: Dash Location: PA Join Date: Jun 2011 Motorcycle(s): stolen :( Posts: 158	I used it to double check my shim purchase. Thanks for the help! I used a micrometer to measure the shims I removed and most were 2.86-2.90 range, so my numbers were a little off because my measurements wre ore accurate, but it was reassuring to see that we're in the same ballpark. As a side note, I went by the service manual to choose what shims to purchase, but then saw that kawi now only sells them in .05 mm incriments, so I did a bit more rounding in the end. I just really tend to make mistakes whn the math is simple and the calculations are tedious, and I don't want to have to do this job twice. Thanks!

November 4th, 2011, 10:19 AM	#11
pop0tart ninjette.org member Name: Dash Location: PA Join Date: Jun 2011 Motorcycle(s): stolen :( Posts: 158	Yep..and I have it saved on the jump drive that I keep my service manual on for next time

October 8th, 2013, 02:56 PM	#12
mikedabike64 ninjette.org guru Name: mike Location: jackson, nj Join Date: Jun 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2008 ninja 250 Posts: 271	matrix I just plucked up a 250 with 14000 miles for track duty & I will use this so thanks , I am sure in the future you will get many folks using it as well,

October 8th, 2013, 05:10 PM	#14
mikedabike64 ninjette.org guru Name: mike Location: jackson, nj Join Date: Jun 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2008 ninja 250 Posts: 271	thanks I will enter the graduations on my feeler gauge, & thanks for sharing it.

October 8th, 2013, 06:23 PM	#15
red5 ninjette.org guru Name: Chris Location: Chattanooga Join Date: May 2012 Motorcycle(s): 09 ninja 15.256 Posts: 263	Thanks HS. Changed mine last year and will check again this weekend. This should make it a bit quicker. __________________________________________________ "We're not always doing business, but we're always open." "For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring." Carl Sagan

February 5th, 2014, 07:11 PM	#16
simook ninjette.org member Name: Kyle Location: Portland, Oregon Join Date: Sep 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Ninja 250R Posts: 106	I plan to use this to validate my math and measurements this coming weekend. __________________________________________________ - OMRRA Racer #83 - -- OMRRA Media Group Editor/Producer --

April 28th, 2014, 12:36 AM	#18
headshrink ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Bob Location: CA Join Date: Dec 2008 Motorcycle(s): '08 Ninja 250r, '14 CBR500r Posts: A lot.	I've got a potentially significant update regarding choosing the proper feeler-gauge in this thread: https://www.ninjette.org/forums/show...009#post852009 __________________________________________________ Honda Interceptor VFR800 DLX (2014, 8th gen) Honda CBR500r (2014) - FOR SALE Kawi Ninja 250r (2008) - Restored and passed-down within family, only to be abandoned

May 12th, 2014, 01:16 PM	#19
CZroe CPT Falcon Name: J.Emmett Turner Location: Newnan, GA Join Date: Apr 2009 Motorcycle(s): '08 CP Blue EX250J, '97 unpainted EX250F, 2nd '97 unpainted EX250F (no engine), '07 black EX250F Posts: A lot.	I plan to print this out and keep it with my service manual.

May 14th, 2014, 09:31 AM	#21
spooph ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Spooph Location: Golden, CO Join Date: Jul 2010 Motorcycle(s): '08 Ninja 250R Posts: A lot. MOTM - Oct '15	Nice! This will be a good double-check on the maths. __________________________________________________ My therapist has 2 wheels and a seat. If you are ever in doubt to my tone, please refer to my avatar.

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