Tappet Shims

[Pierce]

I am about to do my tappets. The owner of the local garage (old school) has shims of all sorts back to the XK engine and says I can have what ever I want if by some chance I can find a set identical to a Roadster. So, does anybody have a spare shim they would be willing to post to me.If if LE9 area I could collect.

[m1tch]

I am about to do my tappets. The owner of the local garage (old school) has shims of all sorts back to the XK engine and says I can have what ever I want if by some chance I can find a set identical to a Roadster. So, does anybody have a spare shim they would be willing to post to me.If if LE9 area I could collect.

The shims are a bucket and shim and are together as 1 piece, they aren't unfortunately something you can just add to the whole bucket and shim needs to be swapped out - most people don't bother changing them as the cams etc have to come out.

[Pierce]

So I have to buy the buckets from Toyota at vast expense. I have done overhead cams before,just need to remember the chain tensioner and to tie the chain up so that it doesn't disappear into the sump. I need to do the tappets not only because some are wide and noisy (though still within tolerance) but some have closed up and are very close to the lower limit. Nice winter project.

[spit]

If/when you decide to go ahead..........Bucket Bank:

 l viewtopic.php?f=11&t=63429&p=742332#p742332 l

These are back with me now after Carolyn's head work.

Those who've done this tend to find that the majority of buckets can be re-used on other valves. You may only need to substitute one or two.

[m1tch]

I was about to mention there is a 'bucket bank' on the forum, if you measure up the clearances you need you should be able to swap some over from other valves meaning you probably only need a few.

[Carolyn]

Helps to have a 0 - 25 mm micrometer, so you can measure the shims as they come out.  They will not be the same as their number(on the underside).  

If you want to know exactly how to do it, just ask.

[a]

I will be changing my cams (stage 1) over the winter months and replacing the chain kit.
I have bought a complete spare head so I will have 16 more buckets of different sizes to play with. Head,cams and cover only cost me £55.

[ptennisnet]

I will be changing my cams (stage 1) over the winter months and replacing the chain kit.
I have bought a complete spare head so I will have 16 more buckets of different sizes to play with. Head,cams and cover only cost me £55.

I'm thinking of doing the same.  It'll be my first so I'd like to take my time and not have pressure to get the car back on the road.  Where did you get the head from?

Thanks

Nick.

[Pierce]

Is it good practice to use a shim from one valve on another? Do they 'bed in' with the cam lobe that they have been running with for,in my case,getting on for 80K as push rod cam followers do? I know these can cause problems if you get them mixed up on a rebuild.

[a]

I will be changing my cams (stage 1) over the winter months and replacing the chain kit.
I have bought a complete spare head so I will have 16 more buckets of different sizes to play with. Head,cams and cover only cost me £55.

I'm thinking of doing the same.  It'll be my first so I'd like to take my time and not have pressure to get the car back on the road.  Where did you get the head from?

Thanks

Nick.

Managed to buy one from ebay lucky at that price I think.

[a]

Is it good practice to use a shim from one valve on another? Do they 'bed in' with the cam lobe that they have been running with for,in my case,getting on for 80K as push rod cam followers do? I know these can cause problems if you get them mixed up on a rebuild.

Yes i think your right but how about when you change the cams....the lobe will be different?

[Alex Knight]

Is it good practice to use a shim from one valve on another? Do they 'bed in' with the cam lobe that they have been running with for,in my case,getting on for 80K as push rod cam followers do? I know these can cause problems if you get them mixed up on a rebuild.

I swapped shims about on my 100K+ 2ZZ. No issues at all.

[Carolyn]

I've found swapping used shims around it not a problem, as Alex says.  If you first measure, and make a note of all your valve clearances, then you will know what adjustments you need.  Then you can measure each shim as you take it off, so you know how thick it really is (this is where you need the micrometer).  Generally it will not be quite as thick as is ideal. Though that won't always be the case and it might now be too thick.
Then you can pick a shim for a particular valve that will give the optimum clearance.  Having a few measured spares will help to make sure you can adjust them all.
I tend to aim for the middle of the clearance range, .20 mm inlet and .30 mm exhaust. That way you are covering both going tight and going slack...