rockthepouch

I just had my heads re-done but my shop didn't reinstall the cams as you need them out to torque down the heads...

So...upon install on the block, 4 cam lifter buckets fell out. All 3 exhaust and one intake...

How in the world will I know which one went where?

This is holding me up from installing my cam and getting this motor back in the truck!

rockthepouch

It is the driver's side head with the distributor on it.

rworegon

Some shops will write on them where they belong with a marking pen. I take it yours did not?

Valve adjustment, page EG2-19:

http://www.ncttora.com/fsm/1993/engine/64tuneup.pdf

scope103

You're going to have to install the cam to the head (before it goes on the block) and then check the clearance of each valve. A little math will show how to switch the shims (not the buckets) around so all the clearances are correct.

But, huh? You can't figure out any order where they're all correct? It is unlikely that all (any?) of them are correct once you had the heads done. My machine shop did the valve adjustment for me, which was a big help because they have the stock of spare shims and I didn't.

Good luck!

rockthepouch

actually he did! I even have some left overs...I just don't know which one goes where...? Shall I make a list of the different sizes I have?

PismoJoe

Yeah you're going to have to play musical shims until you get the right clearances. We mark the clearances and then erase them, because over time clearances change so they won't always be correct.

The driver side (left bank) has the distributor. This camshaft will have the distributor gear on it, and of course the head will have the hole for the distributor.

rattlewagon

Bring it back to the shop and have them do it. You can defiantly torque the heads down with the cams in. you just have to rotate the cams to get to the bolts.

Or...I have some left over shims from when I did mine if you need any. I can get measurements on them if you like.

rockthepouch

That would be awesome rattlewagon!

Here is a pic of what I am missing. I also have extra measured out shims plus the shims that are still in the buckets. As you can see I need all; 3 exhaust and the intake on the back cylinder (driver's side).


I REALLY appreciate your help. I want to install my motor! Long rebuild process needs to come to fruition

rockthepouch

Here is what the valve shims look like. From left to right 87, 85, 85, 84 so two are the same that should make it somewhat easier?

rockthepouch

oh, btw my machinist told me to add two zeros before those #'s so... .0087, .0085, .0085, .0084

MudHippy

You need to install the camshaft. There's no way we can measure the clearances for you. And there's no other way to figure out which one goes where. Lucky you, they're even pre-measured. So you'll know exactly what you'll get by switching them around if you don't guess right on the first shot. Meaning, you should really only need to install the cam twice(if that even).

Anyways, quit wasting more of your time by asking us for the impossible, and just go get it done. There's no quick fix on this one. And in reality, it's not that hard a job at all. Just time consuming.

rattlewagon

^^ Yup. Just gotta do it. Install the cam with buckets and shims check the clearences, and that should tell you where you need to move them or if you need a different size. The FSM will tell you how to do this.

scope103

No, you better call him back. I've got two shims on my desk, and they're 2.83mm and 2.85mm. So my guess is he said to "add 2 point" in front of them.

The other possibility is he measured them in inches, but I really doubt he has a caliper that can read to "tenths" (0.0001"). (And the numbers wouldn't mean anything, if he did.)

With the right tool you can install the cam, and then move the shims around (after measuring) without removing the cam. Others on this site really dislike the tool, and it is true that removing the cam one more time when the head is on your bench is not that difficult. (After the head is installed on the engine, it's a different story.)

Leviticus6432

or... you could install the 85 shim. if its perfect your good. if you need more gap go with the 84, if you need less go with the 87. If thats all there is to work with, it doesn't really matter how they are measured. as long as 84 is the thinnest and 87 is the thickest.