8v Valve Shims needed

[MSOEMiller]

The Saabsite couldn't fill my order for shims, so now I don't know where to look. I'll go to a dealer as a last resort.

This is putting a hold on getting my 8v back on the road, so PLEASE reply if you have some leads . . . .

7 shims
sizes needed in mm
2.36
2.36
2.39
2.34
2.44
2.39
2.41

or as close to those as you can get them.

THANK YOU

[pda]

eurocarparts Ltd they will have some or Saab dealer they should not be that dear


Paul

_____________________________________
Full Throttle until you see God, then Brake..

[NSE]

I have a bag of various sizes somewhere but couldn't find them when I looked a couple of weeks ago. I'll have another look tonight.

[MSOEMiller]

The guys at www.eeuroparts.com are searching for me. So, thanks everyone for looking in their parts bin.

FYI. The stocked shim sizes came out to . . .

2.33 mm
2.35
2.39
2.41
2.43

Later

[MSOEMiller]

Good news and Bad news

Good = I have 2 of the sizes ordered.

Bad = Time to call a dealer.

[REDTURBO84]

Shame that no one had them laying around.The Saab dealers always treat me like s**t when I tried to buy parts.I'm done with them! I wonder if a motorcycle shop could have the right sizes? They also use shims to set the valves.I once had a Kawasaki KZ750 head redone and they stocked them .Pat

[MSOEMiller]

Well, this is turning out to be a needle in a hay stack.

My shims from www.eeuroparts.com never arrived. Who knows what happened to them.

The Saab Dealer can't fill my order! The &*#@ wouldn't take an order over the phone and then made me drive there to place the order which can't be filled!

Here's what I need.

2.35 mm Part #7524358, quantity 3
2.39 mm Part #7524390, quantity 2
2.41 mm Part #7524416, quantity 1
2.44 mm Part #722443(6?), quantity 1

My car has been sitting for months! It wants to be driven.

[nutcase]

7524457 is 2.45mm I believe.

[MSOEMiller]

Originally Posted by nutcase

7524457 is 2.45mm I believe.

??? Don't need that size, but thanks for the part number.

[nutcase]

Well they don't list a 2.44 and that's the closest match

Actually, looking at your eeurocarpats list there, the only one Saab list is 2.41mm Something lost in the conversion from imperial?

[MSOEMiller]

Thanks to "Nutcase" I have ordered the shims from www.partsforsaabs.com. It's amazing that I couldn't find these in the U.S.

FYI, the sizes ordered were 2.33, 2.35, 2.39, 2.41, and 2.43.

[Si]

So I perhaps should add this to 'Questions that are to stupid to ask' but, what's a shim?

[nutcase]

On the 8v engines, to adjust the cam follower clearances you use different thickness shims under the cam follower.

I think as the engine was originally an imperial lump there's been something lost in the translation from inches to millimetres, but I'm glad you got there in the end

[MSOEMiller]

Originally Posted by Si

So I perhaps should add this to 'Questions that are to stupid to ask' but, what's a shim?

FYI - The "valve shim" is also known as an "adjusting washer" or "adjusting pallet".

Simply, the shim adjusts the valves so that they open and close properly. For example . . . A shim too large on a valve may keep the valve open a bit. A shim too small on a valve will not allow the valve to open enough. Such a little thing can really screw up the engine.

I am installing smaller shims, because the valves were lapped in after I had the head off and skimmed. Lapping is like sanding and makes the valve sit properly when closed. The valve sits a tiny bit higher in the head and the age of the car also means there has been some wear. The smaller shim will make the clearances dead on to spec.

End result should be a car that has good valve clearances for another 150,000 miles.