Question, what happens when you have the thickest valve shim 4-50, and the valve to cam clearance is beyond spec. .025" using the 4-50 shim. max is .016" cold. I want to thank all those who have answered my questions in the past for your time and your experience, and caring to help others.

Hi,

Check your valve buckets. In order to do that you'd need to remove the camshaft first. Inside there is a pad for valve stem contact which may be worn down after a lifetime of hammering.

During my removal of the rubber valve hushers last time (I don't want the pieces to end up at the pickup's oil screen) I also noticed some of my pads are worn more than others but the clearances are still correctable via shims. You could compare the affected bucket with others.

Here's the inside photo of such bucket:



Regards,
Amarin.

"During my removal of the rubber valve hushers last time (I don't want the pieces to end up at the pickup's oil screen)"
Did you remove them and not replace them?

The reason I ask is because more than a year ago I adjusted the valves on my sister's '89-245. Did the measurements and calculations. Then installed/moved around shims based on those calculations. But seeing that the valve hushers were hardened and cracked, I replaced them also. Put everything back together, measured the valve clearances and realized that the fresh valve hushers had thrown off all the valve clearances.

The engine started. So I wasn't going to go back in and install other shims, figuring that the hushers would flatten after a short break-in period. But valve clearances were still small about 2 months ago even though the engine runs fine.

Comments?
--
1980 245 Canadian B21A with SU carb, M46 trans, 3:31 dif, in Brampton, Ont.

Yes. No hushers now. Two months is still a short time for the hushers to flatten out. My hushers still retain their cup-like shape about one and a half year later BUT with a slight tear as below...

The valve train is a bit noisy now but with the hood closed it doesn't seems to matter much, non-existent when sitting in car. I had set the clearances at 0.40mm for intake and 0.45mm for exhaust. At hot this would expand to 0.45 intake and 0.50 exhaust. This because I'm using the VX cam AND I lack three 400 shims to set them all equal. So I figured lets give the exhaust valves a bit more cooling and equalise all intake for smooth idle.

I installed new OE hushers from IPD on Feb 2014. I was just rechecking my clearances last month when it occurred to me I need to remove these hushers to get accurate results. To my astonishment some of the hushers had started to disintegrate (tears at their upper cup-like portion) which prompted me to remove all. Thats also when I noticed some pads within the valve buckets were worn (thinner/shorter) more than others.

In all fairness the hushers might be subjected to more forces via the VX cam. With stock cam I think they could last longer. I think they should be replaced at every timing belt change.

Regards,
Amarin.

One option would be to cut a piece of brass shim stock to the same diameter of an adjustment shim. Combine it and the adjustment shim that will give you the correct lash of .016.

This of course does not address just why it is so far out of specs at this time.

Randy

Hmmm,

I have never done a shim adjustment on these engines so I don't understand the number system.

What my first worry would be the shim kit should cover all the normal adjustments.

The worry continues for me that the valve seat is dropping out of the head or was not seated all the way into the head.
That would drop the valve tulip lower with the stem and all attached.

Is the engine running OK?
Has the head been repaired?

Phil

Having way too much clearance is an indication that something is not quite right. Cam wear is not common with the B21/23/230 motors--but may be possible I guess. But if you want to get the clearance within spec try International Auto Parts in Virginia. They are a mail order Italian car specialist. The 4 cylinder Fiat 128 models - sedans and coupes - use a shim that's exactly the same diameter as the Volvo shims but range in thickness from thinner too thicker than Volvo shims. -- Dave

I ordered some of these from a different website. Thanks for the tip and your knowledge on this!