valve clearance question

Kinda hard to read! Might have to measure it with a set of calipers.....

 

Looks like it says 230, but as chacal said, use a pair of calipers to check. If you don't have them, take them to an autoparts store, mechanic, etc. and ask them if they could do it.

As for the one that is stuck, I believe the problem with using magnetics is that it magnetizes the shim, collecting metal bits, increasing wear. I believe that if you are willing to sacrifice that on shim, you could magnet it out.

 

i can't, though. there physically is not enough clearance to get it out. I tried lifting it up with a pair of needle nose pliars and it actually broke the tip off. now i have to get new pliars too! Seriously though, I don't know how to get it out. would taking the cam shaft off be an option? It looked like it'd be a heck of a job what with the timing chain and all. I didn't know how, and quickly discarded the thought in hopes of a better way i could learn about here.

 

jdoggsc, try using the zip tie method. Maybe it will hold the valve down a little more. One of mine was very hard to remove. it took several tries with a larger screw driver, that just fit into the small slot on the bucket. i pried on it so hard i thought the screw driver was going to break.

 

if there isn't enough clearance to remove the shim, then the tool didn't catch the lip on the bucket. Set the cam lobe so it is away from the tool, but not all the way to the center of the shim; and has pressed the bucket down just below the edge of its "pocket" in the head. Then be sure the tool is centered (L-R) on the bucket (you can't see, have to guesstimate) then be sure the tool is snug up against the heel of the cam. When you rotate the cam back, you should see the bucket stay below the edge of the head. If not, you missed and will need to try again.

I have two XJs and have done this procedure countless times; however the last time I had to swap my #3 intake shim it took about 8 tries to get the blasted tool to catch. It happens to the best of us.

 

Fitz, i know it was catching. it was pushed down as much as any of the others. While it was down, i loosened the screw holding the tool down and it popped up. Like i said, i did that 7 times and it still didn't have enough clearance.

Tman, what's the zip tie method?

 

Take a 1/4" wide zip tie(i us the HD black ones) bend about 2" of it over its self(the smooth end). You just double it up. Remove the spark plug and rotate the cam so it presses down on that valve. Then bend the zip tie enough to slip it between the the valve and head through the spark plug hole, you can see it with a flashlight. then turn the cam so the lobe is 180 away from the bucket and the ziptie holds the valve open enough to remove the shim. I did all of mine that way and it worked just fine. I'll look and see if i have a pic of the ziptie i used.

 

wow, clever. you opted to do that instead of buying the tool? you didn't have to hold the bucket down or anything? the shim just came right out?

I think if i do that in addition to the tool, i could get it out (provided there's enough clearance between the shim and the cam lobe...its clearance is already less than .004 (the smallest feeler gauge i have)).

yeah, get me a pic if you can

 

Sounds brilliant, there must be a downside, someone will tell us why we can't do this. :cry:

 

just watch the size of the ZIP tie. This one has been on this site for awhile. Search for zip tie and one (or more) of the posts has a pic. Someone mentioned that they broke the zip off in the cyl and to spend a good amount of time fishing it out...

 

Occasionally, rarely, you get a really cheap zip tie that the valve scissors off, or so I've read, so I use the 12/2 household electrical wire stand-in for the zip tie and had complete success. You bend the last 5/8 inch over about 70* and stick it in there.
Is 12/2 wire an American thing??

 

12/2 is power cable, 14/2 is for lighting, in the rest of the world the power & lighting cable is measured in mm. the thickness of the copper wire, known as twin & earth.