Are these shims good or not?

[SHOman24v]

I pulled these from a junk yard sho today to use on my car. Can anyone tell me if they are worth using or not....

 

[SonicRiot]

I would say no.

You'll spend a ton of time getting them in right just to have to replace them soon. Get new, unused ones.

 

[shobikes]

Discoloration, but no pitting - I'd say yes. If you have a micrometer, double check by taking edge and center measurements.

 

[Ishodu]

You could always flip them and use the unworn side. If they haven't been flipped before.

 

[SHOman24v]

uhhh, i dont think you can flip the shims, they have two surfaces one shiny (for use of the cam) and one rough (not for use of the cam)

 

[Dr. Tweak]

SHOman24v:
uhhh, i dont think you can flip the shims, they have two surfaces one shiny (for use of the cam) and one rough (not for use of the cam)

Acually, you can. ****

 

[Bizzy]

mic them and flip them. if you're in spec just put the same shim back in flipped over

 

[91taurisho]

On my valve adjustment all I used were junkyard shims! **** Hehe!!! They were free...

 

[SHOman24v]

Uh, im still not convinced on this flipping the shims, someone elaborate....

 

[yamahaSHO]

There is nothing wrong with flipping the shims... If one side looks rough then something has happened to them.

 

[Ishodu]

yamahaSHO:
There is nothing wrong with flipping the shims... If one side looks rough then something has happened to them.

Thats right usually all there is different is that the shim will have a dark spot in the center from oil deposits clean that off and your ready to go.

 

[Bizzy]

Nothing wrong with flipping them as long as they aren't damaged. You might want to write down the measurments before you clean them though, the cleaner used might take the printing of the size off.

Edit: After looking at the pics you have, I'm not so certain I'd reuse those. They have some interesting marks in the centers and a lot of them look like they're pretty work near the edge of the shim. Could cause them to not be the same thickness across the entire shim.

If you need some shims, get in touch with Fred Hurder, he's got oodles of them. Or at least he did.

<small>[ February 16, 2004, 08:25 AM: Message edited by: Bizzy ]</small>

 

[sdpatt]

Yes, you can flip the shims and use the numbered face as both sides are usable.

Always use a new shim face shim against the cam lobe when gapping.

If a shim is used on both sides, I wouldn't use it again. You can, but I would recommend against it.

Measuring the thickness of the shim with a micrometer can tell you how close the thickness is to the printed size, but only the final, "as installed," gap measurement will tell you if it the correct shim for the job.

 

[SonicRiot]

After looking at the pics you have, I'm not so certain I'd reuse those. They have some interesting marks in the centers and a lot of them look like they're pretty work near the edge of the shim. Could cause them to not be the same thickness across the entire shim.

I'm still with Bizzy on this one. They look a bit rough and nasty.

 

[revhardSHO]

dont use the front side.

 

[Bizzy]

A shim that looks like this one should't be re-used front or back IMO. It appears to almost be deplated or something, and the score marks in the centers of those......what the heck caused those?

 

[pjtoledo]

Bizzy:
.......... and the score marks in the centers of those......what the heck caused those?

I would suspect optical illusion as the result of micro-scratches and camera flash or overhead lights. Or maybe just really weird shims!!

Perry

 

[Mike Kopstain]

The purpose of the shim is to be softer than the cam lobe so that the shim experiences wear and not the cam, which is a significantly more expensive part to replace.

With that said, EVERY shim will have a darker 10mm cirlce in the center. Why? Because the camlobe always makes contact with the center 10mms. The shim spins, so everything outside of that 10mms is less worn, and therefore a different color.

The reason the shims are dull on the other side is because they have never been in contact with a cam lobe. It is still fine to use them.

I wouldn't think twice about using those shims, just flip them, and if there is no pitting, you don't even have to do that.

 

[Bizzy]

pjtoledo:

Bizzy:
.......... and the score marks in the centers of those......what the heck caused those?

I would suspect optical illusion as the result of micro-scratches and camera flash or overhead lights. Or maybe just really weird shims!!

Perhaps so, but I've never seen anything like that before.

I do know that there'd be no way those would go in my car...uh uh...no how, no way. Maybe I'm too picky, but then again, that's not always a bad thing is it?

 

[sdpatt]

Bizzy:
A shim that looks like this one should't be re-used front or back IMO. It appears to almost be deplated or something, and the score marks in the centers of those......what the heck caused those?

Looks like the reflection of an overhead two-bulb flourescent light fixture.