high oil pressure and noisy head

Alright Bob thanks I'll check it out.

I need a couple of rocker cover studs too if that's the kind of thing you keep around? One had been sheared in the head.

yep got those

Lobe to rocker clearances checked today, according to the service manual the hot clearance is 0.20 - 0.23mm.

The feelers I bought only had 0.05mm increments but good enough for an initial indication, I'll order some better ones. Numbers below were the last size that would fit

Cold

Intake   - 0.25/0.25   -   0.20/0.20   -   0.20/.020   -   0.20/0.20

Exhaust - 0.20/0.15   -   0.20/0.20   -   0.15/0.15   -   0.15/0.15


Hot  

Intake   - 0.30/0.30   -   0.25/0.25   -   0.25/0.25   -   0.25/0.25

Exhaust - 0.20/0.20   -   0.25/0.25   -   0.25/0.25   -   0.20/0.20

So assuming I measured correctly the clearances when cold are what they should be when hot, especially number 1 intake. Still seems very loud to be this clearance but I can't think of anything else unless I start looking at the bottom end, but it definitely doesn't sound like that.

forget the Nissan specs
take inlet and exhaust down to 0.10mm
this works much better, do the clearances from cold as gaps get bigger the hotter the engine gets
if you do this youll have far lesser chance of throwing a rocker, engine will idle better and youll get a bit more power too. the main thing is that you have some kind of gap from cold

have you got titanium springs and retainers fitted?

I'll get some supplies for shimming them. Is it any harder with the engine in the car?

Looking at something like this for punching shims out. Have a couple of Kennedy tools at work and they are ok for moderate use.

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=131008843874&alt=web  

Punches a 5.56mm hole.

Standard springs and retainers to my knowledge. It has rocker stoppers though.

I use one of these which punch a 6mm piece out, better as you want to knock the shim piece in so its tight rather than it being slightly loose.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sealey-RE92-31-Metal-Panel-Joggler-Bending-Punch-Flanging-Tool-Spot-MIG-Welding-/370532802283?pt=UK_Body_Shop_Supplies_Paint&hash=item564579deeb

make sure you use engineer grade feeler blades and don't use any sizes less than 0.10mm which if your clearances are averaging 0.20 that will bring them down to 0.10mm or add a .15mm if its .25

you can do it with engine in situ no problem and itll take you around 4-6 hours to do it

Any recommendations on brands of gauges or better off buying shim steel sheets?

if they are tempered then will be fine graham

Ok I'll look for some sets.

Do you always do your measuring from cam lobe to rocker? I have seen a video measuring the rocker arm to valve cap/guide.

Did you get this sorted? Hope you have and all is well.
Just curious to know, was this the Gtir you bought as my mate was looking into getting it as well?

Looked like a good example. I know he had it for a while and had a few issues with it along the line.

Having a go at shimming tomorrow if parts arrive. Yes that's the one. I know all about his previous problems as he was very upfront about it. Shot blast from a rocker cover ruined his engine then it was rebuilt. He had it about 9 years

It's a good car just a bit rough around the edges, bloody good shell and It goes like a scalded rat.

Sorry to hi jack but is 0.10 best for all engines bob or just this set up? Gona do this wen i get home.

grim_d wrote:Ok I'll look for some sets.

Do you always do your measuring from cam lobe to rocker? I have seen a video measuring the rocker arm to valve cap/guide.

Yes it's much more accurate from cam to rocker so I always measure there either side of rocker but don't let rocker tip or you will get an inaccurate reading so always measure with 2feeler blades 'one either side' so holds straight



Rot box........yes we use that clearance on all the engines and never had a problem yet, you do not have to be bang on .010mm can be slightly under or over as long as clearance is the same on either side of the rocker then you know it's straight
Do not use smaller sizes than 0.010 thicknessers even if it means taking it slightly under the 0.010mm clearances it will be fine

GTI-R US wrote:
Do not use smaller sizes than 0.010 thicknessers even if it means taking it slightly under the 0.010mm clearances it will be fine

Decimal point in the wrong place? Do you mean not to use thinner than 0.10mm? Why not out of curiosity?

Rot box, where in Scotland are you?

Cheers Bob. He takes his sizes from the bottom of the rocker to the top of the shimmed cap. He cuts feeler guages down to fit in the wee gap.

Grim i'm up in Uddingston mate, where abouts in ayrshire are ye?

I'm down Killie way.

Having a bit of trouble here, can't get the shims into the buckets flat, using the punch you suggested. Fit is just too snug, persuading them in distorts the edges and messes up clearances.

Having a go at buffing the edges to make them fit but that makes for a very long job.

Any tips for getting them in flat? And indeed for removing them once in?

I've read that the punch size is 7/32" but not actualy tried it yet. Bob must have done loads of these he will be able to tell you better.

You could try drillin a tiny hole in the shim thats too big and putin a self tapper in an pull the self tapper out hopefully the shim material will be on the self tapper. If you've nae self tappers a right angle or pigtail pick might do. Bit rough but if it works........result!

I think that would be better but I bought the punch Bob recommended, maybe I have a different revision. Got them out by drilling a 1/16 hole in them.

Anyway we persisted with buffing the edges and got there in the end, shimmed 12 of the 16 valves as 4 were close enough. Just been out a run and the noise is gone, suspected no1 intake was the culprit. Happy days!

Happy days! Toot toot flat oot c'mon!

yeah if 6mm we just tap them in with a small bolt.
the centre of shim has a dimple so it pushes them up around that so shouldn't have any trouble really unless they have not punched out cleanly.

glad its all sorted anyway and problem solved   

The problem I was having was that the curve on the bottom of the bucket was catching the edges of the shims and making the clearances far too small, I would say my shims are around 5.8mm which was a good fit, a little oil held them in place.

Getting the proper shims and guides is something to look into for the future.

Many thanks for all your advice.

Yeah far better to use proper shims if you can get hold of them as technically it is a lash up doing it this way but it does work if you use engineers hardened tempered blades

Trouble is there's 86 different sizes I think and many are unavailable.
We've got a shim bank but the larger shims even were short of so have to make do