Dipstick and the Lifetime Achievement Award

[Don S.]

Re: Dipstick and the Lifetime Achievement Award

congratulations on your award. I enjoyed reading all about you and it is nice to put a face to the posts. I now know that you are not as good looking as I imagined.

[Chuck S.]

I'm Too Young...

To remember much of Dennis' contribution, but I've heard talk.

Dennis, I always expect to see your face at these NCRS events...to paraphrase the NRA, "You ARE the NCRS". At NCRS meets, you always seem to be busy with responsibility, and I've only seen you once when you didn't seem busy with a job. In that instance, you seemed uncomfortable with this awkward condition, and unclear on what to do with yourself.

Congratulations, and thanks for your years of service to the organization.

[Duke W.]

Re: Put me in Coach, I'm ready to play...

Congrats, Dennis! XKEs are beautiful cars. I especially like to see them in pieces. The front subframe and monocoque body are like an airplane. It's a good thing your Corvette collection is now minimized as the Jag will require as much time for normal maintenance as six Corvettes.

Let us know how long it takes you to swap in a new set of pads on the inboard rear disk brakes. Valve adjustments are real fun, too. You have to remove the cams to swap out the button shims between the tappet and cam. And to think than some guys think mechanical lifters are a PITA on Corvettes...

Just think how good that baby would run with a Special 300 HP Corvette V-8!

Duke

[Chuck S.]

How The Heck Do You...

Ever get them RIGHT?...or, is "RIGHT" a subjective term with Jag valve adjustments?

All the shim valve adjustment methods I've read about were trial and error. Some late model Toyotas have button shims (with hydraulics?), but I think it's only included in the service manual in case you put a million miles on one. You feeler gauge it, try the shim, adjust the shim as necessary. If you miss a couple or three valves on the first try with a Jag, I guess you have to take it all back apart? Or, do you just say, "Close enough for a Jag", and button it up?

[Duke W.]

Re: How The Heck Do You...

It's fairly simple - just time consuming. You measure all the clearances then remove one or both cams as required, mik the shims on the valves that aren't in the proper range, compute the new shim thickness, order the shims, wait two weeks, then install the proper shims when they arrive. Check the clearance before you button it up and it should be in range. Old Alfa Romeos twin-cam fours are the same deal.

While you're waiting for shims to be delivered, mik and record all the remaining shims so you know what's installed. Then the next time you can preorder shims before you take everything apart.

I have three vehicles with "shim over bucket" adjustment. The Cosworth DFV head is shim under bucket, which is light weight, but fortunately Chevrolet changed the design to shim over bucket for the production Cosworth Vega. With a shim over bucket design all you need is a special tool to R&I the shims.

Over the years I've gathered a collection of spare shims for each vehicle. In particular, I have one size thinner shim for each valve because the clearance tends to tighten with time as the valves/seats slowly erode.

One the plus side, as long as the valve and seat materials are durable, the rate of valve recession is very low.

On my Honda CB1100F the inlet valves have literally not moved in its entire 25K mile life, though I have swapped shims to get the clearance right where I want it. The exhaust valves clearances actually increased a thou - probably from lead oxide buildup on the seats from when I ran leaded fuel in it back in the eighties.

Duke

[John D.]

Re: Dipstick and the Lifetime Achievement Award

Don, You got it right for sure. All the posts were kissing up except yours. That was funny.
Dennis congratulations are in order. You deserve it for sure. John D.

[Philip C.]

Glad You didnt have to die to get Recognized *NM*