Valve shims

Zrain25

New Member
Sep 30, 2012
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Pelham,New Hampshire
I bought a head without any shims in it. I'm taking it to the machine shop to get shaved, and valve job but he needs to set the valve lash and I need shims but I has no stock ones to base off. What should I order I never ordered shims before
 

Dan_Gyoba

Turbo Swapper
Aug 9, 2007
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Alberta
www.gyoba.com
Machine shop can do the valve job without the shims, but of course you need them for the gap.

The shims come in varying thicknesses, and what you'll need depends on where the actual valve stems end up after they're seated. Not having any at all makes the TSRM proceedure impossible (Measure the difference between what you have and what you need, then measure the shim you have, add the difference, and select correct shim.) What you could do, I suppose is install the buckets and cams, and attempt a measurement that way, then select appropriate shims.

If you can scrounge one or two that would be enough to measure at least. Use the TSRM proceedure to install a temporary one, then use the feeler gauges to determine the sizing. Remove the shim and go to the next valve. Once you're done, you'll have a list of 24 sizes to order.
 

Suprapowaz!(2)

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Apr 10, 2006
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You bought a head with no shims... where is your original head? If you still have it where are the shims from that head? Just let the machine shop do the valve job and shave it. You can set the valve lash at home. It's easy.

You just need any shims to get a start. You need at least 12 so you can pop them in to allow for the camshaft to rotate around and not ride on shimless buckets. You don't want to damage anything. Then you can start measuring them.
 

Zrain25

New Member
Sep 30, 2012
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Pelham,New Hampshire
Ya I have a perfectly running car. Found a decked and honed block on Craig's list for 100 bucks came with bare block head with no shims and crank.

The guy at the machine shop said the head has been redone at one time. And I am going to do my own shims he's just gunna shave and do a valve job and put the springs and seals in.
 

Suprapowaz!(2)

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Apr 10, 2006
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I see. You'll need at least 12 shims to get started on measuring for the correct sizes you're going to need. Do the valve lash job once your new cams come in. No sense in measuring for the stock camshaft just to change them out.
 

Zrain25

New Member
Sep 30, 2012
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Pelham,New Hampshire
Ya the head it came with has like a new plug in it that says if this plug is removed void warranty or something that's what the machine shop pointed out it means it's been remanufactured he said. Il take a picture of it and post it
 

Suprapowaz!(2)

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Apr 10, 2006
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Yeah post some pics. We'd like to see what you're working with. Personally, I wouldn't get a valve job unless it really needed it. If the valves are seating fine then run it.
 

Zrain25

New Member
Sep 30, 2012
639
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Pelham,New Hampshire
Ya I put the picture up. The guy I bought it off of said the head had work done to it a few years ago but his dad forgot what. The machine shop check it for flatness already and it passed but it still needs to be just decked for a mhg. And the valve seats didn't look to bad I might just get it hot tanked and see how they look before decided.
 

Zrain25

New Member
Sep 30, 2012
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Pelham,New Hampshire
Ya I got all the valves, keeps, retainers and lifters. I'm gunna order the new springs and take it down to them. They quoted me around 300 for everything. There gunna measure it first to see how much has been taken off before
 

supraguy@aol

Well-Known Member
Dec 30, 2005
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Atlanta
Can you post a closeup of the lower face of the head? Id like to see the detail around the exhaust side coolant ports.
Ps- i can sell you a set of 24 shims. I junked an old head, and pulled the shims before i did.
They would range in thicknesses between 2.80 and 3.15.

PM me if you want.