not good, bad, real bad

[Robert Nelson]

Alright, I don't think I am in real trouble but I want to put it to the list
for thoughts.  I did my first valve check this weekend on my 95 GPZ1100 and
am waiting to check for shim availability at my local dealer.  

 

At the beginning I checked to see if there were openings I had to worry
about dropping things down like in my V-4.  I saw the gap at the cam chain
and I put a paper towel in there.  Yesterday things were basically ok except
for me losing the magnet I was using to pull the shims with.  I know it's
not in the engine because it was too big to fit down the cam chain slot but
I'll be damned if I can find it anywhere.  I went out and bought another
magnet and finished checking the sizes of all the shims.  

 

This morning I started to swap some shims around to minimize what I need to
buy.  On the very first shim, I was working on the #2 cylinder intake valve
on the cam chain side.  I dropped the shim and couldn't find it.  I looked
around the paper towel and couldn't find it.  I pulled the paper towel out
slowly and heard the dreaded tinkle sound as the shim fell down further into
the engine.  I was able to get my new magnet into the slot and down I think
to the bottom of the vee of the chain but didn't come back with a shim.
Looking at the service manual it looks like the end of the shaft that drives
the cam chain is segregated from the rest of the engine and appears that the
shim is probably sitting in a corner under the cam chain.  

 

I don't believe that there is any other way to open up that area other than
pulling the head which seems awfully drastic.  I have turned the crankshaft
and never heard any more sounds so I believe there is very little chance of
the shim being a problem.  But I figured it would not hurt to ask if anyone
else has had this problem and had any issues.  Any thoughts, besides calling
me an idiot, are appreciated.  Thanks!

 

Bob Nelson