"Stubborn Valve Shims"

[prometheus578]

Just a little tip I stumbled on last week.
Changin' shims on a Triumph. Bloody things wouldn't release from the buckets!
Screwdriver, dental pick... to no avail.
Put the nozzle from my blow gun(no comments, please), next to the shim and gave a short blast of air.
(Cover the cam chain cavity with a rag first, in case the shim goes frisbee)

[planedick]

I know what you mean...

I had the same problem, so I just unbolted the cam chain sprocket, and the cam caps and took out the cam. Of course I had to time it anyway and one of the caps was on backwards too. Took out the shim and bucket so I could just slide the shim off of the bucket.

[prometheus578]

I know what you're sayin', PlaneDick... but I was holdin' the bucket in my hand at the time... oil-adhesion/surface-tension/vacuum-bond just wouldn't let go.

[ZXDavid]

I have used some carb or brake cleaner spray before. Just spray it around the shim and it will let go usually.

[Geezer]

Hmmm, I thought that was an old trick. I guess it's one of those handy tricks old guys think is so obvious they fail to pass it on.

Geezer

[mro]

fail to pass it on

Hmm,
could a tried that in stead of fighting a few

Nissan special valve tool



mro

[prometheus578]

"New guy... old tip"

That's how we young guys learn, Geezer. Abstract thinking around a problem, or by trial and error.
I was so pleased with myself... I brewed a fresh pot o' coffee and sat back the rest of the day, basking in my brilliance. I had no idea that my new idea had been done previously by older and grayer heads.
Now Geezer... all these great tips that you have...all this insight... you must pass on a'fore you pass on. It's only the natural way of things. You have been too silent all these past years.
I believe that the last time you passed on a tip, it was:
"Put a little bear grease on that axle before you put the wagon wheel back on."
(A mechanic's tip is a mechanics tip, but please try to be more current, next time)

I hate it when people burst my bubble!

MRO: Quit playin' with your old erector set and get some work done.

("He said erector!" hee hee hee huhuhuh huh)

[mro]

Quit playin' with your old erector

Nissan has about 9 "special" tools for working/rebuilds for the CG-13 engine. This one cost me 25 minuets to make from stuff layying around shop. About $130.00 savings and probably got the job done in half the time.

P rom, GENPEG and Geezer are holding out on us mere mortals for the really good fixes/tips????


mro
btw, my "erector" set works just fine

[Geezer]

The problem with these tips is that if I could remember them all at once, I'd write a book. A problem has to pop up to get me to remember how I did something in the old days.

Another mechanic showed me the air blast valve shim trick probably 30 years ago but I only used it when one was really hard to get out. Yamaha and Kawie shims usually pop out quickly with a dental pick.

Geezer