valve lifter problem on 89 Royale

[sizzling sam]

I could use a little good advice about a situation I have. I was checking my valve clearances on my 89 Venturer. Things were going pretty well. I bought the special tool and after struggling with it I was able to make a map of all the pads and their numbers. Out of 16 I had 10 that needed attention as some were minimum. I had no shims so I ordered some from Sudco at $6.55 each. I got antsy and decided to move a couple around to fix the clearances. It worked fine when it was on a pair of exhaust or intake. I repaired one and then looked for more. I had no spare shim but I thought I could take one exhaust shim out and then put it in where the intake shim needed replacing. When I rotated the crank I heard a metallic crunch. Not good. The exhaust cam chipped a piece from the lifter where the shim was removed. I was able to put the shim back in but the lifter doesn't rotate like it is supposed too. It will move up and down. I ordered a new lifter. I was trying to confirm my course of action to remedy the situation. If I take the cam out I should be able to replace the lifter. If it works then and spins like it should all should be well. If it doesn't I would use a compressor and check the springs and anything that didn't look right. If that didn't work I would pull the head and check the valve and cylinder. Am I on the right track with this? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Sam

[Condor]

I could use a little good advice about a situation I have. I was checking my valve clearances on my 89 Venturer. Things were going pretty well. I bought the special tool and after struggling with it I was able to make a map of all the pads and their numbers. Out of 16 I had 10 that needed attention as some were minimum. I had no shims so I ordered some from Sudco at $6.55 each. I got antsy and decided to move a couple around to fix the clearances. It worked fine when it was on a pair of exhaust or intake. I repaired one and then looked for more. I had no spare shim but I thought I could take one exhaust shim out and then put it in where the intake shim needed replacing. When I rotated the crank I heard a metallic crunch. Not good. The exhaust cam chipped a piece from the lifter where the shim was removed. I was able to put the shim back in but the lifter doesn't rotate like it is supposed too. It will move up and down. I ordered a new lifter. I was trying to confirm my course of action to remedy the situation. If I take the cam out I should be able to replace the lifter. If it works then and spins like it should all should be well. If it doesn't I would use a compressor and check the springs and anything that didn't look right. If that didn't work I would pull the head and check the valve and cylinder. Am I on the right track with this? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Sam

 

Wish I could help you Sam, but that one area I don't mess with. I'm sure somebody will chime in here shortly with some good advice....

[bkuhr]

just went thru my valves, had heads machined due to low compression, also had bent exhaust valve, and sticking lifter. machine shop 'touched' lifter bore with brake hone, and free'd up sticking lifter. replaced bent valve(possible bent when sticking lifter kept valve down until contacted by piston)

 

for shim adjustment found it easist to loosen cam caps, and raise cam to get shims out

*first-remove cam chain tensioner bolt and spring, but i left tensioner in place

*match mark all cams where they are with end cam cap centerline

*when finished make sure all chain slack is toward tensioner, and put tensioner spring/bolt back in

*do not turn crank when tensioner out, or chain will jump cam, and you will have to go thru complete cam setup from start

 

in this way you can get all shims out, and mix/match as necessary

as long as crank did not turn, and match marks are the same when done should, be ok

 

how it did it anyway:2cents:

 

cam caps go in specific locations, they should be labled, but make sure

 

good luck

brian

[dingy]

just went thru my valves, had heads machined due to low compression, also had bent exhaust valve, and sticking lifter. machine shop 'touched' lifter bore with brake hone, and free'd up sticking lifter. replaced bent valve(possible bent when sticking lifter kept valve down until contacted by piston)

 

for shim adjustment found it easist to loosen cam caps, and raise cam to get shims out

*first-remove cam chain tensioner bolt and spring, but i left tensioner in place

*match mark all cams where they are with end cam cap centerline

*when finished make sure all chain slack is toward tensioner, and put tensioner spring/bolt back in

*do not turn crank when tensioner out, or chain will jump cam, and you will have to go thru complete cam setup from start

 

in this way you can get all shims out, and mix/match as necessary

as long as crank did not turn, and match marks are the same when done should, be ok

 

how it did it anyway:2cents:

 

cam caps go in specific locations, they should be labled, but make sure

 

good luck

brian

 

I am surprised you could get enough slack in cam chains to lift cams without removing tensioners.

 

The tensioner body has a ratcheting mechanism that will not return to allow slack unless the prawl on the tensioner body is depressed. This requires removal of the entire tensioner. The spring only serves to press the tensioner rod in, it should not release on its own.

 

 

Gary

 

http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af193/gdingy101/tensioner.jpg

[bkuhr]

Remove tensioner spring to prevent tensioner from expanding further when chains are loose, with caps off can lift up 1 side of cam at a time just enough to get shims out/in

 

But come to think about it, you may be right Dingy:D

 

The last time, of 3 times I set shims, I only needed to get one out/in, and with caps off I could pry cam up enough as above

 

2 previous times I removed whole tensioner body, but had to make sure tensioner was fully reset and installed before rotating crank taking up most if not all chain slack or chain would jump the cam, and I would have to start over again:doh:

 

Good Catch:thumbsup2:

 

Also noted not all used, and maybe new shims are the same. Using shims I had, I needed 1 I didn't have, don't remember exactly, think I needed 268 or 270 and only had 265's that was close. Started mic'ing 265's and found 264,265,267. Used 267. Would have prefered all gaps near high limit, but settled for some at low limit

 

Brian

[sizzling sam]

Thank you Brian and Gary for your help. I have the valve lifter ordered and once it comes I will be able to see if I need to go deeper depending if I'm lucky and didn't bend the valve. I should have it sometime this week. Thank you again for your knowledge. Sam