Folks,

what does a person do to replace the valve shims if he does not possess Volvo valve compressor tool #5022?
I guess I could pry a couple of them off with a big flathead screwdriver - but there's got to be a smarter way.
Do I have to pull the camshaft?

Thanks for any suggestions,

Peter

I've never had any difficulty using a wide bladed screwdriver. Turn the bucket round until the gap is accessible, and use thin-nosed pliers to lift the shim out.
If you haven't got a micrometer you can measure the DIFFERENCE between sample shims using a nut and bolt held in a vice. Screw the bolt in to just grip the thicker shim, then replace with the thinner and measure the difference. You don't need to know the absolute values, just how much wider, or thinner, any sample shim is compared with the one previous.

I have found it much easier to whip off the cameshaft after the clearance measurements have been taken. The printed size numbers may not be easily visible so best to have a micrometer handy to measure the thicknesses. If you are lucky you may be able to re-arrange the existing shims to achieve the best possible clearances without buying any new ones. Many Volvo indy shops have used ones lying around and will be happy to trade shims with you. Consider replacing the rubber "cushers" under the lifters while the cam is off.
--
David Hunter

Leave the rubber bumpers out when trying to measure clearances.

I would not risk damage using crude tools to depress the bucket while picking out the shim and replacing it, so I just measured carefully and backed the cam out to shuffle shims. The real tools look tempting when you have the work in front of you, but how often do you do this? It is just a trade of time for money, to pull the cam.
--
-K (hope springs eternal)

I would recommend buying the tool or paying someone to do it for you. Beyond that you need a set of feeler guages and a micrometer. Pull the valve cover and check all of the settings, if luck is with you it will all be within specs and you will not need to adjust it at all. If you find some out of spec you need to take the feeler guages and figure out just how far out it is. Typically it is just one shim size, about .002" or .05mm. Make note on a piece of paper which ones are out of spec and how far out they are, example being: spec is .016-.018 and you have a measurement of .022, you need a shim that is .006-.007 thicker to make your new measurement .016-.017. Problem is that you cannot get the shim out to measure it without pulling the camshaft or having the proper bucket depressing tools. With all of your measurements written down, pull the camshaft, measure up your shims, figure out which replacement shims you need and go to your local indy shop to get them. Myself, I would just pay someone the one hour labor plus gasket price to do it for me.

Mark

Thanks folks,

looks like pulling the cam is the easiest thing to do...
I've done 2-hour "training" yesterday at the junk yard taking the head off without doing any collateral damage - so I was hoping I could squeak by without much drama.

hello
i hope you mean taking the valve cover off? not the head. did you grab the shims since you had the cam out?
good luck
mike

Thanks very much, gents,

Looks like this one's out. I've replaced the shims - not that it is immensely easier to do with the camshaft out of the way, I wouldn't be able to get the shims out with the cam in if my life depended on it.

Found a bunch about .30 mm under the right size (valve lash about 0.6+ mm). One I had to leave at 0.432mm cold, one ended up a bit too tight at 0.297mm, the rest was okay. The head I pulled off at the junk yard had the shims of almost the same size - either 3.95 or 4.00 mm.
Engine runs by far quieter (before, when my son was coming home late, I'd hear it a block away); seems to have a bit more power, but it may be purely subjective. There's a persistent tapping sound, however, that did not go away. I hope it's not a bad rod bearing - in my experience, there's about a 1000mi from audible rod knock to oil pressure light on, that one's been around longer.

One thing I should say - after american V8s, and, especially, after Land Rover V8s (Buick 215 derivative), this engine is such a darling to work on...

SCHLEY PRODUCTS #81350 works well and is fairly inexpensive if you can find one. I believe it has been discontinued. I got mine off of eBay.
Sounds like you're already committed to removing the cam. You know the cam can break if you don't loosen the fasteners each one a little at a time, don't you? Be careful.
--
'80 DL 2 door, '89 DL Wagon

Yeah, this much I guess I should know by now :)