Valve Clearance.
 

I'll be attempting a valve clearance check in the next week or so. If adjustment is a special tool required? I notice the service manual calls for a special tool but am wondering if there's anything special about it?

Re: Valve Clearance.
 

Yes, It makes tightening down the lock nut easier while holding the set screw. I would also try and find an off-set 8 mm wrench. A good set of off-set feeler guages will make it go easier too.

Re: Valve Clearance.
 

You definitely want to have the valve tool, you can order it thru your local Suzuki dealer, mine cost about $5 (it took about a week to get here)and I couldn't find any other tool that would work in the tight clearance space you have to work in to do the valves. I'll also 2nd the recommendation for an 8mm off-set wrench, you might even find it handy to cut the handle in half just to give you more room to move it around, it doesn't take much torque to tighten and loosen the nut but you do have to get the wrench in a fairly tight place.

Re: Valve Clearance.
 

Thanks guys, that was very helpful. I was just in the local dealership and the parts guy had no idea what I was talking about. He mentioned getting an offset wrench but said he'd never actually done it himself.

So, if I understand correctly I need the following:
- offset 8 mm wrench: for tightening/loosing lock nut
- offset feeler guages: for checking clearance (can I just bend regular ones?)
- valve clearance adjustement tool: to adjust set screw. (from dealership)

Is that right?

Re: Valve Clearance.
 

Last one I tried to bend didn't bend straight and then broke.
They are usually quite brittle......due to being hardened so they won't "flatten out".

Re: Valve Clearance.
 

The part# for the tool is in a post in the maint. section of the forum. I'm with Easy, I broke my feeler guages 3 times trying to make the bend. I priced a set that went to .001 at my dealer and they were around 25.00. That's the rub, most of the guages at the auto parts stores don't go small enough for the GZ.

Re: Valve Clearance.
 

Just for curiosity - what's the average price a dealer charges to check and/or adjust valve clearances for the GZ 250?

Re: Valve Clearance.
 

In my area, a "complete" service cost me about $200.

That included oil, filter, valve check, chain check and (supposedly) all the other checks you are supposed to make every 3000 miles or so.

Some areas might be a little less; New England and California probably more.

Re: Valve Clearance.
 

I bought my feeler guages at Sears. They go down to .0015", didn't cost a whole lot, and I have had no trouble bending them to a shape to get at the GZ's valves. I even cut them down with tin snips to get in there more easily. Obviously the ones I modified are now special purpose tools for this job only.

I bought the special purpose valve adjustment tool. I paid a lot more than you guys did. Prices have gone up, or I got taken. Anyway, I was kind of disappointed with it. It's too long to get in there easily. I got the job done, but I had to cut the tie holding some cables and move them out of the way to do it. After I got done, I took the tool down to the shop and shortened it. I cut it about half way down with a hacksaw. Then I put the plastic handle in a vise, and heated the steel shank with a torch until the plastic was just soft enough to pull the shank out. Then I put the shortened tip back in the handle, heating it with the torch just enough to melt its way back into the hole in the handle. It was still too loose, so I pulled it out and superglued it in the handle. Next time I use it, it should work better. I also bent my own 8mm box end wrench, and shortened it. That worked quite well.

Re: Valve Clearance.
 

Now you REALLY have the right tools for the job. A one job dedicated tool is pure pleasure compared to fighting with a standard do it all tool. As I found in the past, modifying a $5 wrench is much better than buying a specialized wrench for $20 because they can be hit or miss too.