Help On Shimming Up The Head

[Obey_R 23]

Many thanks to Anthony for supplying me with a nicely refurbed head, after I found mine to be cracked.

 

Anyway its skimmed and 'valved up' I'm now in the process of shimming the new valve to suit my old cam. I've got feeler guages, but I'm unsure about how 'tight' they are meant to be under the cam lobes. Is it a case of writing down the biggest one you could push through (without huge amounts of force)? Or does it work on 'bite'?

 

If it does it will confuse me as I can feel 'bite' on even the smallest (0.05) feeler 'finger'. Whereas on some valves I could push through a 0.35, but a .4 wasn't going to go without forcing it.

 

If so, my results (for reference more than anywaything) are...

 

(Pulley end) 0.45 - 0.25 - 0.20 - 0.20 - 0.40 - 0.25 - 0.30 - 0.35 (Dizzy end)

 

With shims measuring...

 

2.93 - 3.07 - 3.14 - 3.10 - 3.07 - 2.98 - 3.05 - 3.00

 

They were measured with a digital vernier, which measures in 0.01mm.

 

Any advice?

 

Thanks!

Ross

[Anthony 1,003]

The feeler gauges will be tight when right, but won't need to be forced as such.

 

Looks like you aren't a million miles out with the shims that you've got, and with a bit of juggling around you can probably get most of them to be roughly right. The standard Peugeot specified clearances are a little on the large side IMO, and I'd use something more like 0.15-0.20mm inlet, and 0.30-0.35mm exhaust.

 

To achieve the tighter end of those clearances, you'll want shims approximately (as they're supplied in 0.05mm increments) :

(cambelt) 3.05 - 3.15 - 3.15 - 3.00 - 3.15 - 3.05 - 3.15 - 3.05 (dizzy)

 

That said, it's just the second exhaust valve (4th from cambelt end) that's stopping it being usable as it stands, as 0.20mm is too tight and you'll risk burning the valve out. The others are all reasonable, if a little on the large side which will lead to the valvetrain being a little noisy.

 

Remember that the valve clearances can change a little once the head is torqued down on the block.

[smithy 1]

when i did mine i used whatever feeler would go in for example a .35 will go but a .40 would take a lot of force then the clearance is .35

 

i aimed to get the clearance bang in middle of range the feeler should go in with a nice bit of resistance as you pull blade back out,it is one of them jobs that is more down to feel in my opinion.

if the blade goes in and when moving back and forward you can feel it gripping on the bottom of cam and top of bucket and also you are unable to get the next size up blade in you are good.

 

let me know if you need any shims i have a load of spares,just give me a measurement and i will see what i have got.

[Obey_R 23]

Brilliant, just what I was wanting to hear, thanks guys!

 

I'll do a bit of number crunching today at work and see how much I can swap them around to get them as close as I can with the shims I've got. I'll pop into Peugeot on Monday as it's my only day off, if they've got them in stock I'll get them there for the ease of things, if not, Smithy, I'll take you up on that.

 

Thanks again!

 

EDIT, If I remember rightly it was the 4th valve from the cambelt where the head had a crack. Anthony, do you think this could be down to the shimming? I know it's difference valves and head, so could just be coinsidence...

Edited July 17, 2011 by Obey_R

[smithy 1]

Not just me having to work on a Sunday then?

 

The cracked head won't be down to shimming,most likely over heating at some point caused it

[Obey_R 23]

Fair enough, worth asking.

 

Yeah I'm working today, because of the car is the, now normal, 10 mile bike each way Oh well, we won't be busy so I can work out how to fix the 205!

 

Only down side is I can't post from my mobile

[DamirGTI 342]

Do the clearance measuring and adjusting once the head is back on the block and all the head bolts fully tighten to the spec. torque ...

 

Why ? well , the clearances always close down by amount of around 0.10mm when torque force of the head bolts nips the head onto the block .. so if you do the measurement/adjustment on the bench count in this 0.10mm extra clearance which will tight once the head is bolted on the block ...

Personally , i always do the measurement and adjustment on the end , when the engine is fully assembled (try measuring the clearances before and after and you'll see what i mean ...)

 

Damir

[Obey_R 23]

Ok thanks Damir, I'll do it that way.

 

I had everything prepped ready to get the head back on today, had the engine mounts off, all surfaces cleaned etc, and ECP sent the wrong f*cking headgasket! Will have to wait until tomorrow now

[mhyphenl 10 1 Cars]

I'm about to do this tomorrow so good advice on measuring when the head is on! I would have co@ked that up royally if I hadn't checked out this topic!

[Obey_R 23]

Just checked all the clearances now the head is torqued down, but it would be good if someone could double check my workings out! Turns out all bar valve 1 are 0.05 tighter than before!

 

Measurements are: (Pulley - Dizzy)

0.35 - 0.20 - 0.10 - 0.15 - 0.35 - 0.20 - 0.25 - 0.30

 

Working to the tighter end...

0.30 - 0.15 - 0.15 - 0.30 - 0.30 - 0.15 - 0.15 - 0.30

 

Leaves a difference of...

0.05 - 0.05 - (-0.05) - (-0.15) - 0.05 - 0.05 - 0.10 - 0.00

 

Shims being:

2.93 - 3.07 - 3.14 - 3.10 - 3.07 - 2.98 - 3.05 - 3.00

 

So shims needed should be...

2.95 - 3.10 - 3.10 - 2.95 - 3.10 - 3.00 - 3.15 - 3.00

 

I've worked out out with the difference measuring to the tighter side of the scale, so when it doesn't quite meet a factor of 0.05 I've rounded up to make it a little looser.

 

But with a bit of re-working of my shims, and buying of new ones I will have shims of the following...

2.95 - 3.10 - 3.10 - 2.93 - 3.10 - 3.00 - 3.14 - 3.00

 

Meaning valve 4 and 7 will be 0.02 and 0.01 looser than the tightest settting.

 

Should give me clearances of...

0.33 - 0.17 - 0.14 - 0.32 - 0.32 - 0.18 - 0.16 - 0.30

 

The 0.14 will end up bigger, becaues although it measured 0.10 I could fit a 0.15 with a bit of force, so I'm guessing it was more like 0.12-0.13.

 

So all I need to buy, after a bit of swapping about is; 2.95, 3.10 x 2 and a 3.00.

 

I don't expect any replies because I wouldn't bother to read through it all but writing it all out has helped me work through it a bit better and be sure that it's all fairly accurate.

 

 

Thanks!

[smithy 1]

Looks about right to me I will have a look through my shims tomorrow and see if I have the sizes you need.

[Obey_R 23]

I'll probably send my mum to the engine centre tomorrow morning as I've had enough of biking to work now! The sooner I can get the shims on the sooner I can do the belt etc.

 

If I don't have any luck I'll let you know asap, that way I'll probably still have them by Tuesday.

 

Thanks all the same!

[Obey_R 23]

Although, if someone could tell me the dia. of the shims for XU/XUD's that would be great. I've just done a search and came back with a post from Pug_ham saying about 13.5, but just wanted to check!