Valve clearance. Notes and questions.

[BonChaton]

Did the valve clearance adjustment on my (new to me) 2006 GZ250 today.
Few NOTES:
I bought a set of feeler gauges at Kragen for around $7. I used a pair of scissors to cut pieces out of the 0.13mm, 0.08mm, and 0.04mm pieces to make myself a personal set of +/- gauges for the GZ. (Too annoying to get the full feeler gauge in there. Exhaust valve clearance 0.13mm - 0.08mm, Intake valve clearance 0.08mm - 0.03mm. The set didn't have a 0.03mm feeler. )



Made my own valve adjuster tool (09917-14920). Robertson screw (also known as a deck screw) with a #2 head, screwed into a piece of wood. I stole the screw from the hardware store. (I spend a lot of money there anyway. Didn't want to buy 100 to use 1. I have no moral compass. I sleep well.) Was a little long but worked great.



QUESTIONS:
The valve adjustment I encountered was way way too screwed down in. Couldn't get any feeler gauge between anything. In had to back everything off a bunch. (Yes, I was at top dead center. Yes the engine was cold. ) There was gasket sealant on the the valve cover seals, so I feel pretty certain someone did this job before me.

Q's: Would this be the way the valve clearance moves naturally? Would there be any reason to tighten the clearance this much? Could there have been a problem a shady mechanic was trying to hide with this adjustment?

Anyway. After it was adjusted to spec, it picked up very noticeable horsepower! This makes me think none of the valves had been closing the whole way.

Q: Having been run this way for some amount of time (who knows), is there anything I should check/look out for that comes to mind?

Thanks,
Bon Chaton

(A few more pics for kicks.)