Valve shim adjustment tool

Lowtechprime

Lowtechprime

Retro Grouch
Just a heads up! Just got this from Beta tools, off Amazon for $30 USD delivered .... Nice rubber grip and supposedly hardened.. Midwest usually have these made by a member here but they were out of stock... Looks like a nice alternative...
 

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Lowtechprime said:
Just a heads up! Just got this from Beta tools, off Amazon for $30 USD delivered .... Nice rubber grip and supposedly hardened.. Midwest usually have these made by a member here but they were out of stock... Looks like a nice alternative...
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When you have used it please leave us a comment to tell us how it was.

Yves
 
I have a similarly designed valve tool for another engine application, with this "stacked plate/riveted" design (see pic below).
Eventually it seems all valve adjusting levers wear down where their edges contact the lips on the shim cups (buckets), causing the tool's edges to become rounded (naturally it depends on how often you use it and for how many years). This makes them more difficult to use as they begin to slip off the buckets' lips when depressed.
Another point of wear is on the lower arched surface that 'levers' against the head to create the "lifting". With the one that is made by stacking plates (vs cut from one solid piece) I was able to remove the rivets, and either "dress" the edges square with a file or weld them to build-up the material (then reshape it), finally reassembling the plates back together. The tool then worked like new again. At the same time I also added a thin 'shim' between the layers of the tool, to slightly increase the width between the two outer surfaces that contact the adjacent cups (mine was a tad too narrow for my liking).
The solid style ones cannot be rebuilt as easily. Although the wear rate will depend on how well the tool was hardened more than the design, so I can't speak for the example listed above (mine is a different brand, but Beta tends to make decent tools). Just commenting on the general design of it.

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Lowtechprime said:
Just a heads up! Just got this from Beta tools, off Amazon for $30 USD delivered .... Nice rubber grip and supposedly hardened.. Midwest usually have these made by a member here but they were out of stock... Looks like a nice alternative...
Click to expand...
Well I think I am the reason they are out of stock. When I ordered mine last week she said I got the last one. But I must say, I hope yours works as great as mine does. Well worth the money to know what I got. My wife did mention with a smile that they could have at least painted it gold!

Stoney
 
I too noticed they were out of stock last week. Apparently it is a very abnormal month. I need to order both shims and the tool.
 
Midwest will have them in stock soon. Case hardening this morning and shipping tomorrow AM.
 
I'd say that the tool wears out because it's not meant to wedge the bucket down. I have this spoon that I bought from Bayless years ago, haven't used it yet. So you wedge the bucket down with this "pressure lever"
, then put the shim tool in place and remove the spoon.

upload_2018-4-23_13-25-30.png
 
myronx19 said:
I'd say that the tool wears out because it's not meant to wedge the bucket down.
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100% true. In fact the instructions for some (maybe all??) engines says to load the valves for the cylinder by rotating the cam to a position that pushes down on the valve first, then insert the tool, then rotate the cam again, etc. But I don't bother, quicker to force things and wear-out stuff. That second tool you have is a better way to do it. Brian, we have another product for you to make please. :)
 
Following on the Myron's post about the lever tool. For some heads there is a set-up that mounts a bar along the axis of the head, above the line if the tappets, with a lever that pivots on the bar...allowing the tappet (bucket) to be depressed easily with one hand while inserting the normal wedge tool with the other hand. That would be nice (hint to BP again).
 
It’s actually that I haven’t done.
All clearances was little bigger than needed. How bad is it? And if it is very bad, where I can get drawings of these tools?:oops:
 
Too big of clearance will increase the wear rate and to some extent reduce performance (and be noisy). Its a bit of a job to measure and swap shims for each valve to get the correct gap. And you will need to get the correct thickness shims to put in. But there is an exchange program where you can trade yours for the needed ones, guess you would have to pay shipping both ways:
https://xwebforums.com/forum/index.php?threads/reminder-valve-adjustment-shim-exchange.32787/

I don't know how to get the tool dimensions. You can get by with just the one "special" tool (like at the beginning of this thread). One option for where you live might be to find the tool like this made for early VW engines (Mk1, Mk2, Golf, etc). It is too narrow for the Fiat SOHC but you should be able to modify it to work (I've seen you do more than this already). And the VW tool should be available there at a low cost (I've seen them new for about $10 USD).
 
Dr.Jeff said:
100% true. In fact the instructions for some (maybe all??) engines says to load the valves for the cylinder by rotating the cam to a position that pushes down on the valve first, then insert the tool, then rotate the cam again, etc. But I don't bother, quicker to force things and wear-out stuff. That second tool you have is a better way to do it. Brian, we have another product for you to make please. :)
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Not enough detail in that picture to see what's going on, I could probably copy it if I had one to look at. and if there was enough demand for it.
 
Rod Midkiff said:
What are peoples thoughts on this trick?
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The theory seems good. And it would make things easier. But I get a little nervous about sticking anything inside an engine like that. Same for the "rope trick" to hold the valve up when replacing stem seals (at least rope isn't metallic). But that's just me.
 
myronx19 said:
I have this spoon that I bought from Bayless years ago,
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Maybe when Myron gets a chance he can offer some better images. In the motorcycle world they use a similar tool (click on images below to see different angles of it). Not sure how much these differ from Myron's .
images (3).jpg images (2).jpg AS9560_1899ed31-25df-41a5-b459-d0cc1c90fa04_large.jpeg images.jpg
 
The valve shim "spoon" is the tool for depressing the buckets. A common screwdriver can do the job as well. File the tip so it is thin enough to get started and then just force it in.

As to the retaining tool, we have had them on the shelf for quite a while.
 
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