hey guys. I'm currently gathering info and necessary tools for my first valve clearance and possible adjustment.

I've found that Motion Pro makes a Valve tool here:Motion pro Valve tool (http://www.jcwhitney.com/product.jhtml;$sessionid$WFEM0ZQAAAOPYQSNDV0SFE0CJ UOXKIV0?CATID=70405&_requestid=28901)

Aside from the necessary tools to get the cam and valve cover off what else is necessary?

I'm looking for people with expereince with valve clearance/adjustment to help. I'd really appreciate it. I plan on not buying shims just yet - only if my valve clearances are out of spec - I've heard from Geek that his have been in spec and I currently have a very faint to virtually very little engine ticking heard only with helmet off at 15,000 miles.

save your money. that tool is only useful on engines where you can change shims without cam removal (e.g., shim over bucket setups). on late model gsxr engines, the cams must come out because the shims are under the bucket tappets.

As jeff said you don't need any special tools to adjust valve clearances on a gixxer just experience and common sense, make damn sure you have the valve timing EXACTLY as it was before you restart the engine! you don't get a 2nd chance. If in doubt get someone who knows to check it. Don't worry too much about ticking noises it isn't neccessarily a loose valve clearance
Good luck
Mike

All you need is the tools from the toolkit (or your own versions), a long #2 phillips screwdriver for getting the throttlebodies off (if you want more room to work), feeler gauges, and a 10mm allen wrench (or socket) for the crank end cover. I have a set of angled feelers and straight ones, each come in handy for different valves.

I would add two other tools not mentioned here so far, the factory manual (and a clymer doesn't hurt either) plus a small mirror on a stalk,
so you can see the cam sprocket index marks (between the frame and sprocket) if you need to take a cam out. Just do some homework,
its a straighforward job. This would be the time to install some yosh stage-I cams also.....

1) Feeler guages have to be skinny on one end.
2) When you put the cams back in start counting the pins directly over the 2. Start above the 2 on the exhaust and count 14 pins to above the 3 on the intake. It is important to start with the pin over the 2. The manual is a translation from Japanese and the words are a little vague. The illustration in the inset shows clearly the correct way.
3) The manual is good at providing such backup for questions that might arise.

Very good information thanks I'm going to copy/paste it!!!

I do have a manual and I'm patient and good with tools.... but have no experience with cams/valves......

So all I really need is

" skinny feeler gauge"...anyone know a good place to get a good one for my engine one????

any more specific info and/or websites/books that would help me would be appreciated...

I got mine from McMaster-Carr. You should be able to get one at any good place for tools.

As long as the marks on the crank and cover are eyeballed right; you will no problem getting the cams right. The Suzy system is foolproof, if you do it right.

That manual will get you through anything. It makes the engine a joy.

By the way, .002" is 005 on the pads. So going from a 150 pad to a 155 pad will tighten your clearance by .002".
For example, I just had an exhaust valve with .013". Spec is .008"-.012". I replaced a 150 pad with a 160. The new clearance is .009". A 155 would have brought it into spec, but I wanted the tighter clearance.
If your pads have nice legible #s, some shops will trade them out. At about $5- per pad, it is good to investigate that angle.
ENJOY.