Should I re-shim?

[Dakar09]

Had the 530 head reworked with new valves and seats (after dropping a valve seat a few months ago). IPD turbo cam.

Previous valve lash was set at .018-.019" but I had put hushers in...was fairly "quiet" as 8Vs go.

After the head was redone this time, he set valve lash at .018" to .021" (highest gap at 2 exhaust valves) and didn't put hushers in...thing sounds like a cummins now. I checked all the clearances with a go-no-go gauge tonight, as I was afraid to break something in the motor again, but I'm not inclined to pull the cam and change shims out.

I know the IPD cam isn't that hot, per say, but would any of you re-shim this motor if it was yours? It runs great otherwise, just noisy. And with Targa Newfoundland only 2 weeks away, I'm thinking I should let it ride like this, so long as it won't damage anything.

Feedback appreciated.

[mikep]

Is it really that hard to
A: check it
B: read some of the thousands of threads on this topic

[gottarollwithit]

Why not just get a real set of feeler gauges and check the clearances? Ya can do it in like a half hr...
And.. ya don't need to pull the cam to change shims. There's a tool that'll allow you to push the bucket down, which will give you enough room to pop the shim out and swap it. Then after that all ya need is the right shim.... hence renting the iPd shim kit...

Then again, i know where you're comin from when it comes to not having the right tools and shim kit. Ultimately, get yourself a set of feeler gauges anyways... they're cheap. At least this way you'll know if things are right or not.

[7mgtesup]

I fitted an IPD cam at the weekend and all my clearneces were 0.020" my cam is as quiet as the stock T cam which came out and had clearences of 0.016" so I don't know why yours is noisey.

[Dakar09]

MikeP...
A) I did check it - if you read the post you would've seen that.
B) I read the threads I could find on it, but none answered the PARTICULAR concern I have.

Gottaroll...I did check with a go-no-go feeler gauge, but I don't have the tool to change the shims in the car, nor do I have time to get it from IPD and do it that way. I wish I had the time to rent the kit from them.

Only option I have at this time is pulling the cam, which really isn't a big deal in the long run. It would just add something to the large "to-do" list that needs to be completed over the next two weeks, and if the general consensus was to leave it alone among the people who posted, then that's what I'd do.

In other words, I'm looking for advice, not useless comments.

I don't know why my IPD cam is so nosy compared to yours. The head does have larger valves and stiffer springs in it after a recent rebuild by a HIGHLY qualified machine shop. Did you put hushers back in yours?

[towerymt]

I have feeler gauges, caliper, and stacks of shims. I would pull the cam and reshim if it were my project.

You don't have to, though.

On our 24hr lemons car that runs endurance races at low boost, sees a lot of 4000-6000rpm, I aimed for the low end of the spec on intakes and the high end on exhaust. .015-.016 on intakes and .017-.019 on exhaust. it worked out fine on our engine...til the driver overheated it on day two. it ran well for 9+hr saturday during our last race.

[7mgtesup]

Originally Posted by Dakar09

I don't know why my IPD cam is so nosy compared to yours. The head does have larger valves and stiffer springs in it after a recent rebuild by a HIGHLY qualified machine shop. Did you put hushers back in yours?

Mine still has the stock 100,000 mile old valve springs in so that may be alot of the reason yours is noisey compared to mine. I don't have any hushers on my car as they were all brittle and falling apart so I just tossed them about a year ago.

[Fitzy]

Couple things I've learned/read/found/stolen...

Loose valves are mostly just noisier. Tight valves will burn up. Hushers = moar bettar for noize, none = dieseling truck soundz

[vvpete]

Originally Posted by Dakar09

After the head was redone this time, he set valve lash at .018" to .021" (highest gap at 2 exhaust valves) and didn't put hushers in...thing sounds like a cummins now. Feedback appreciated.

It isn't the absolute lash you should be worried about, it's the spread across the valves which is OUT of SPEC.
No matter where you set the lash, and 0.018" cold is just fine, as is 0.020", but Volvo calls for an 0.002" total difference across all valves for "check & adjust", if just checking, a spread of up to 0.004" is within range, but an adjustment should be 0.002" or less, preferrably NO spread.
I've posted before on my thoughts and procedure and especially with a new cam you will find the lower spread the better with a goal in mind of less than +/- 0.0005" which can be attained by hand lapping the shims until you get it right.

Another note is to measure your cam bearing cap clearances, and if worn to greater than 0.0005" you may as well forget it. And taking a cam out, setting lash, then putting it back in will be a strech to get the total lash below 0.002" as just R&R of the cam gives more deviation than that.

Then it will be quiet, produce better engine vacuum and run smoother.

[mikep]

Google gave me 7,000 returns on "turbobricks cam shims", even with the draconian filtering and "safesearch strict" set by the sys admins here at school.

[Dakar09]

Originally Posted by mikep

Google gave me 7,000 returns on "turbobricks cam shims", even with the draconian filtering and "safesearch strict" set by the sys admins here at school.

You're a searching God then. I read quite a few of those last night into the wee hours of the EST morning, but felt it prudent to ask for my particular scenario. And here's the thing...people that have chimed in here may not have chimed in on those old threads. Maybe new members or those not active as much back when those threads were created will have something else to add. So, while I appreciate your help in telling me to search, I don't think this has been a waste of anyone's time, except maybe your own. My apologies for that.

Pete...thanks for the info. I'm probably going to wind up re-shimming it now, as your comment on the spread is what has me concerned as well.

[klr142]

You will run just fine as is, but will make a hair more power, be a hair quieter and a hair smoother by setting the valves a little tighter. .016" on the intake and .016/.017/.018" on the exhaust will be best.

[Dakar09]

Took the cam out and was able to bring everything to .018 - .019" spec. It'll have to be good enough, though one valve can't be shimmed tighter than .020" due to the size limitations of the shims. I decided to order new hushers since the cam was out, so I'm waiting for those to come in before I put it back together.

And I know it's an easy process, just took up time (away from tuning) that I don't really have right now. Oh well. We're still "on schedule" for Targa, all things considered.

[vvpete]

Originally Posted by Dakar09

....though one valve can't be shimmed tighter than .020" due to the size limitations of the shims I currently have. I decided to order new hushers since the cam was out, so I'm waiting for those to come in before I put it back together.

And while you order and wait for hushers order the correct shim for that 0.020" valve lash.