Masierati Tc valve adjustment shims

[Holset8vOmni]

Are you having trouble locating 31mm valve adjustment shims for your 16v Tc? Here's some useful sites to help get you back on the road.

http://www.autohausaz.com/search/pro...djuster%20Shim

http://www.cylinderheadsupply.com/va...iscs-31mm.html

Best of luck,
Andrew

[2.216VTurbo]

Great links, thanks Andrew. I haven't shimmed a head in a while(need to do one soon tho) and last time I had one set up I cheated a little and just had my cylinder head guy 'tip' (grind off a little) the valves to set the adjustment. The valves 'grow longer' as they settle into the head/seats with miles and almost universally need to be shortened(thinner shims) when it's adjustment time BTW way, while were talking about adjustment, IMO the factory setting are waaay to loose and adds to valvetrain noise, I set mine at .008 for intake valves and .010 for exhaust, much quieter and I've never held a valve open.

I don't recall what model or engine it is but isn't there a volkswagon engine that uses these size shims? There's gotta be a mainstream application that these companies are offering them for, it's not like they are gonna sell very many to the TC Masi guys The issue I remember is(and my memory is not as good as it used to be lol) is that the thickness of the shims is very thick compared to what we need to set up a Masi head. The list in the link starts at 2.85 and goes up from there, I know common thicknesses in 'our' heads are as thin as 2.30- 2.50. When this issue came up years ago someone suggested having them ground thinner and using the ground side facing down twards the valve tip (so the cam lobe rides on an OE surface that's not been ground) but I've not tried that.

I am glad you've put these links up and this discussion has come up again A couple months ago I loaned my Turbo Woody Mini to a friend to take his kids to a concert and he called me at like 10pm dead on the side of the road. Yep, bottom end is blown, no rod thru the block but the distributor/oil pump drive isn't in the center of the hole and its certainly not turning anymore I doubt it was his fault (stock 170K 2.5 bottom end) and he's offered to help pay for a 'new' engine but since I plan to keep Woody for years, it's gonna get a top end freshend up Masi motor-you know once I get caught up on a couple other projects

[Reaper1]

Having the VW shims ground is actually a pretty decent idea. It shouldn't be too hard for any machine shop to do. I have/had a couple of VW shims, buckets, valves, etc. from a junkyard find. It was an older VW DOHC engine, but I was stupid and forgot to really try to find out which one. It was only after I got to looking things up that I found out there's not just "one". DOH! The parts are fairly close to Masi stuff, and maybe with some ingenuity could actually be used.

As for the valves "growing" over time...they are actually "seating" into the head. My Honda Shadow 750 did the same thing. You could actually tell when it wasn't adjusted when the valvetrain got too quiet! If it didn't sound like a little sewing machine ticking away, it was not right. I'm fairly sure that the adjustment only got out twice on it. Once when it was brand new (expected), and once after I topped it out (it would only do about 115mph...no more gear) which I found out afterward those engines don't really like that. I didn't hurt mine, but it is possible apparently. With the new valves I would expect that you might have to re-shim it once...ever. O course I'm not speaking from experience, just somewhat educated speculation. LOL

[Holset8vOmni]

I also ran a tighter lash than what the manual calls for. Went with .013 exhaust and .011 intake. The thinnest shim I had to use was 2.95mm this is an engine with only 29k miles. I'm running synthetic oil from now on which I'm hoping will cut down on wear. Thanks for sharing your experience with tighter lash. I was a little nervous about it but I'm glad it won't sound like a sowing machine any more. Also note some volvos and fiat's also use 31mm shims.

[2.216VTurbo]

Gotcha Andew I'm not sure I know your car, care to share pics? And here I thought Wisconsin Holset cars were all Lotus 16V powered

[johnl]

Thanks too for the link.

I've been getting by with a gift from a deceased friend (Shelby Thompson); he gave me an organized box of shims of the correct range of thickness that were originally for some kind of Fiat. Only problem is that they are all too large in diameter by one or two millimeters. I just lay them on the anvil of my bench grinder and carefully rotate them around until the diameter is right. Then I make sure they're round with the vernier and polish the edges with the wire wheel on the other side of the bench grinder. And, yes, stock clearances are loose. That said, loose is safe and allows for valve recession.

[Reaper1]

Gotcha Andew I'm not sure I know your car, care to share pics? And here I thought Wisconsin Holset cars were all Lotus 16V powered

I know you are aware of a certain black car in Wisconsin that most certainly isn't Lotus powered.

[2.216VTurbo]

His MOM's car doesn't count She wouldn't even let us drive it last time I was there before SDAC. What, she doesn't trust us??

[Holset8vOmni]

I got a ride in Jacksons Tc Masi he did for his mom. I had to have one after that! Best way I could describe the feel would be sit in a rocket powered lazy boy recliner. I couldn't stop smiling after that ride. As for mine I'll most likely keep it all original. That's a tough thing for me to commit to. My holset 8v Omni I sold to fund the Tc. It was a fun project but figured, I can always find another Omni, I'll never come across another Tc like this. So far I've been happy with my decision! I'll be sure to share some pics. I haven't uploaded photos on one of these forums in years. I'll have to figure it out. Do people still use photobucket?

[iTurbo]

I'd love to see some pics! I'm nearly done converting my SL which will be pretty much all stock except the 3" exhaust and a grainger boost controller. Got a bunch more done on it today too. I did get a set of "tappet" feeler gauges today when picking up the timing belt for it. Having to check lash is all new to me so hopefully the procedure is covered in the FSM. The engine supposedly had about 50k miles and ran good..

That reminds me of the ride I got with Jackson at SDAC. That was in his green IROC R/T and it was terrifying fast! Definitely the fastest car I've ever been in. I didn't know he had worked on the Masi 16v too.