Need suggestions with valve shim !

I'm such a dufus. Last night while checking my valve play, I found out I need to open the exhaust valves. I successfully removed the existing shims BUT, when I went to insert the new one a big oops on my part when it jumped out of my long nosed pliers and fell into the head. I cannot find it. I've spent about 1.5 hrs with mirrors, floodlights, magnets, and my sons eyes (I'm 50 so my eyes don't work right ). Do I have any other options other than removing the engine and shaking it upside down ? Where could it have gone ? There is a hole going from the valve cover/head area through to the camchain etc area. If it went through that hole, could I flush it out somehow ? Maybe removing all the filter screens and the drain plug etc and then flush it with something and hope it falls through ? Any help please.........thank you
Jerry

What BillF said. I have NEVER pulled a shim without dropping it. Ever.

If it just dropped into the head, and NOT down the cam-chain, then 10-to-1 it is hiding behind the right side exhaust cam spring, or decomp (every-damned-time!). A magnet on a stick is your friend, $2 at Harbor Freight (or $8 at Kragen). Everybody should have at least one (I have like 10 of the things, can't pass them up without buying one). Fish around in there, you'll find it. There is literally no where it can go - the cam sump does not have any large ports to anywhere. (now, if you had dropped a cam bearing ball - ask me how I know...)

If it DID jump down the cam chain - then it is still no big deal. Drain the oil (you wanted to change it anyway), remove the stator cover (clean the flywheel, you wanted to anyway), it is probably stuck to the back of the flywheel (ask me how I know...). If not, then fish around with the magic magnet-on-a-stick.

It really is no big deal, the thing is big and magnetic - and there are only a very limited number of places it can go.

The magnet-on-a-stick with a little LED light is the best invention of the last 47 years. No, really.

Good luck - don't panic.

^^^what they said.

I have dropped valve shims in the head too.
Here's what I did to get them back.

1) Telescoping magnet on an extendable/collapsible antenna like stick (auto parts chain stores and sears has em). They come with or without LED lights. They are indispensable, but try to get the smaller, narrower one as it can go places that the larger one won't.

2) If the magnet trick doesn't work, try blowing compressed air into the head into places you can't see, ie behind the right exhaust spring & decompressor mechanism. In my experience, this always gets the shim to appear. Just stand off a little with the compressed air (hold the air back a little bit so you don't blow the shim into the next county). Also, cover the cam chain opening with a clean rag.

Slight hijack but to make life easier for the swapping shims, I just stick a rare earth magnet (strong as phack) on my needle nose pliers when working with the shims so if you happen to loose grip on the shim, it will stay stuck to the pliers. When pulling the shims out, the shim will just just out of it's keeper when the pliers touch it and then when replacing the new shim, set the shim in the keeper and then pull the pliers away at 90 degree to the keeper (straight back, not up) and the shim will stay in place. Turn the shim swap into a 30sec job witl little worry og loosing a shim.

And good luck fishing, you'll find it! And if you don't get it with the magnet, I would cover the floor with some drip protection and flip the bike upside down as Coffee suggested.

Thanks everyone for the responses. I have not given up yet. I have tried fishing with the magnet that I have but it is too big to get where it needs to go. Will look at the auto parts store for a small flexible unit with an LED !

Found it ! I ended up using a magnetized scribe (dull tip). Could not really tell where it was lodged, and I did sleep better after finding it Thanks again !

Gotta love a happy ending.

*phew* So glad you found it!

My valve clearance check was due again, so this thread was a timely reminder - I just bought a "magnet on a telescopic stick" thingy...