Quote:
Originally Posted by Clifford Pope
Some time ago I succeeded in removing shims just by levering the edge of the bucket with a large screwdriver braced against the underside of the camshaft.
It was a bit frustrating and kept slipping, so I improved on the idea by cutting slots out of a piece of gas piping, about 2" diameter, so that the two remaining prongs could be pressed down on the bucket, freeing the shim to be retrieved with long-nosed pliers.
I used a flat bar of steel for leverage, with a projecting nut and bolt that located over the pipe so it didn't skid from under the bar, and a chain with hook on the short end of the lever. I can't remember what exactly it hooked on.
I replaced (or actually ground down the underside of the shims that were only slightly too thick) most of the shims.
Another time I used the "tool" successfully to compress each valve spring in turn to remove the collets, cap and valve spring and replace the oil seals.
I locked the valves using the "rope trick" method.
It was a very makeshift sort of tool, basically just a development of applying a wide screwdriver.
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Hi Clifford,
I'm thinking of something similar. I've just had a look round the garage and found what I think might be the ideal basis for a home-made tool:
The pry bar is 15" long and has a 9mm square section. I'm thinking that if I cut the end off, then applied a bit of heat to give it something of a bend in the vice it would probably hook under the camshaft between two cams and hold one down whilst I rotated the shaft away - just like the US made one.
I'm pretty sure the pry bar came from somewhere like Aldi or Lidl, and so probably cost no more than a few pounds.
I'm not likely to need this very often (maybe once a year - if then because generally the tappets will not need any adjustment).
Alan