lead free cylinder head

[Mad Mart]

Cam specs:-

[xvivalve]

yeah we know they are crap but since you can't get them any where else its tough s##t

This attitude is exactly why I was off my arse doing somthing about it! Now you can get them elsewhere and they are not only far superior, but also cheaper!

[tinweevil]

Ta Mart, sorry Eric.

[shauniedawn]

Just wanted to point out - Jag shims (for the XK engine) do not fit - they are of a different diameter.

As I have an old Jag too, I've plenty of these and had hoped I could use them - you can't!!

Regards

Shaun

[Dolly racer 33]

Rover SD1 2300 & 2600 shims will fit & go up to 0.200"
If you have to use shims that thick then the cam base circle will be very small & you could possibly break the cam.

Ken.

[grelley]

Another posibility is to build up the ends of the valve stems with a hard facing material such as Brightray or similar, and bring it back into the range of standard shims, of which I am sure there are plenty about.I have done this on Jag engines in the past after they have had new valve seat inserts installed.

[Eric]

Hi Group,

Thank you all for your help especially Hans and Mad Mart (thanks also to you tinweewill, the intention counts). I managed yesterday evening to finish the installation of the head and to run the engine. I measured the valve clearances twice but after installing the new shims and running the engine I found out after checking the valves clearances that they are more near to 8-9 thou than 9-10 thou at the exhaust valves. I hope that I will not burn a valve on the first 100 km.

Now comes the first oil change and retorquing the head

Eric

[Hans ten Broeke]

Lucky you, that the inlet valve clearance is ok.

The exhaust shims are very easy to remove, take a tube little bigger than the spring retainer, with a hack saw make 2 openings in the side, one for the rocker and one to remove and install the shim.
If you want to make it a luxury version, make a bracket what grab under the camshaft and weld that to this tube, also a long lever.
Now you can push the valve collar very controllable down, to take with magnetic screwdriver or something the shim away.

Normally the exhaust clearance is more critical anyway, and easy to adjust in this way.
It probable only will cost a new valve cover gasket.

An other tip, with the engine installed in the car the cover is angled about 45' so the gasket tend to slip down.
Just take 6 suitable screws, cut the head of, and make with a hack saw a cut in 1 end to operate a normal screw driver.
Putting first the crews in the head, now the gasket over the screws, the gasket will stays in place.
Putting the cover over the screws, and one by one take a screw out and the original screw, ore even better a hex screw in.

Hans

[Sprintinbits]

I do love these little tips...
It will make reassembling that little bit easier when the time comes.
No amount of theory will provide the experience that people on this board have