Shimtastic! 8 valve engine valve check and adjustment

[rpiereck]

It's come to that time in the lifetime of an 8 valve owner where one must pull out the camshaft cover, check for valve clearances, and replace shims accordingly.

So that is one of my next projects and I am getting geared up for it. I have secured a Saab Parts camshaft cover gasket, have the feeler gauge, Bentley manual, etc. I just need to set time aside someday to just do it.

So before I do it, I am looking for advice from those of you who have already done the 8 valve valve clearance service. What are the dos and don'ts, the pitfalls, the tips and hints you guys have? How do I turn the engine? Do I put the car in gear and turn the front wheels? I heard there is a lug on the camshaft where I can turn it and the crankshaft. Correct? What are other "must do" jobs, or those "might as well do it" while doing the check? Do any of you guys have shims laying around in case I need some not available for sale? Are these shims flat, pellet-like, or are they concave? If pellet-like I can probably get the machine shop at work to make some if I need them.

Again, any and all input is greatly appreciated.

[s900t8v]

Done it, absolute waste of time. I can almost guarantee it's pointlessness. Save your time for something more important (and expensive to rectify if you don't DIY)

The valve clearance should not really change, and for an 8v N/A there won't be any noticeable difference even if they were out. It's so improbable I'd almost say impossible for the valve clearance to be so far out that you'd burn a valve, or have some other issue etc.

You must never turn the engine over by the camshaft, EVER. You can turn the camshaft if the chain is disconnected from the valves (don't do this or you'll hit the pistons with the valves.

The shims are flat, round 10mm or so diameter, varying heights obviously.

Again, I would not worry about it. Almost every person who knows anything about cars says leave well enough alone, you'd only bother if Saabs had a rep for valve clearances resulting in a burnt out valve, which they do not.


if you're so dead set on completing a highly pointless highly time consuming and potentially expensive (getting shims) task.

Drive car to temp, park for 15 mins, remove plugs (ouch), get big flat blade, move flywheel until at TDC, read valves at cyl 1 (cam lobe must be pointing up)
it goes from left to right

Intake
exhaust
exhaust
intake
intake
exhaust
exhaust
intake

intake valves 0.10-0.25mm or 0.15-0.3mm turbo
exhaust 0.3-0.5mm

IIRC

Did this years ago, before I realised how totally and utterly pointless and time consuming it was..

measure the shims, sometimes you can swap them between valves to get them back within

One more time lol

WASTE OF TIME

[jskrebs]

But Ed,

How do you really feel?

[s900t8v]

I think you get to a point in life where you regret every time you wasted a dollar or time, I guess when you have neither (but in the past you had both) that will turn you into a lemon faced saab enthusiast

sorry for my rant

tend to rant a lot think I use saabs + the forums as release from the daily grind of study....

btw I feel better

lolabears