Valve shims

[nitro_warrior]

I've been working on my classic Panda's head (999cc 8v) and it looks as though I need half a dozen new shims.

I rang the local Fiat place in Edinburgh and they want £6 each for 4 of them and £9 each for the other 2!!

Does anyone know of anywhere online you can get them, or local to Edinburgh?

Failing that it looks like a trip to the scrappy is in order, but if I can't find any the right size can anyone recommend a good local machine shop in Edinburgh I can get my current ones reworked?

 

[dave]

a motor engineers shop will grind your old ones down to size. i used to have loads but made the mistake of lending them to another member and i never see them again

 

[s130]

a motor engineers shop will grind your old ones down to size. i used to have loads but made the mistake of lending them to another member and i never see them again

NO NO NO.... do not grind them down.

These shims are made to size and then case hardened. Grinding removes the case hardening so the will wear and unevenly at that. This then causes uneven cam lobe wear and after that you are on an expensive down hill ride.

Yes they are expensive but over the years I have invested in a total 35 shims with 8 in use and 27 available.

When/if we no longer have our Strada Abarth then these shims may come up forsale......

 

[nitro_warrior]

I haven't had much luck finding or been recommended an engineering workshop who could grind the shims. At the weekend I made it to a scrap yard and got a whole load more but i'm still short 3 of the thinnest ones
3.73-3.85
3.76-3.85
3.80-3.89

I have about 30 now ranging from 3.90 to 4.10

I was going to try grinding some and carefully smooth them with emery paper, I wouldn't of thought the lower side of the shim would have caused much abrasion in the seat, but I would definitely prefer to get correct ones to start with. Might make a trip back to the scrap yard £18 is still a bit much to swallow for 3 small bits of metal!

 

[dave]

NO NO NO.... do not grind them down.

These shims are made to size and then case hardened. Grinding removes the case hardening so the will wear and unevenly at that. This then causes uneven cam lobe wear and after that you are on an expensive down hill ride.

Yes they are expensive but over the years I have invested in a total 35 shims with 8 in use and 27 available.

When/if we no longer have our Strada Abarth then these shims may come up forsale......

you only grind the bottoms

 

[nitro_warrior]

I've not had time to work on this so I have established older VWs use the same 31mm shims. So I ordered some from Brickwerks With postage for 3 shims it worked out at £4 a shim, still quite expensive but cheaper than fiat and delivered to the door.
I'll let you know if they work! Fingers crossed...

 

[s130]

you only grind the bottoms

Sorry Dave, I disagree.

Although the majority of the wear and surface stress occurs on the top cam facing side, the rear follower facing surface not only has pressure wear but also rotational wear. While such wear would not damage cam shaft lobes it can lead to uneven follower wear. This then leads to shims not contacting the cam lobes at exacty 90 degrees.

Yes I'm being a little (possibly over) pedantic but stating facts and then allowing people to knowingly deviate from correctness is then their choice/decision.

Lampredi / Ferarri / Fiat went to state of the art and industry leading engine/cylinder head/camshaft/follower and belt design so it would not be appropriate (IMHO) to suggest anything but the correct practice.

 

[nitro_warrior]

Yeah I have to admit grinding shims would make me a little nervous. Though I actually think if you were careful it would be ok.

In anycase that's possibly academic for now as my VW shims arrived. And it's official;

31mm VW SHIMS FIT FIAT 8v ENGINES!

However one shim is just on the edge over the edge of tolerance number 1 inlet is measuring 0.242mm Which is -0.058mm out, the maximum stated in the Haynes is +/- 0.05mm. I think I can live with that.

 

[dave]

Yeah I have to admit grinding shims would make me a little nervous. Though I actually think if you were careful it would be ok.

its not a diy thing, it has to be done in a shim grinder

 

[s130]

Saw this the other day:

http://www.eurocarcare.net/timing.html

Plenty of shims here for £1.50 each.

 

[nitro_warrior]

Saw this the other day:

http://www.eurocarcare.net/timing.html

Plenty of shims here for £1.50 each.

Yeah would you believe I found them, typically just after I ordered the other ones. I decided to order the correct shim from them for the one valve that's out of tolerance. The thing to search for is valve "tappet" not valve "shim"