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BMW S38 Valve adjustment tool

Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 9:18 pm
by raffi91
Hello my fellow shark lovers. I was wondering if anyone has found a source to buy the valve bucket compression tool for the S38. I did a search but seems like most places don't carry it anymore. The only one I found was the one VAC sold which is the OEM tool at $279. If anyone has found another vendor please let me no.
Thanks,
Raffi

Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2011 7:04 am
by Chris Wright
Is this what you are looking for? Holy crap, it's $128, but that is still half of what you found it for!

Image

BMW Specialty tools, $128 (Scroll down):
http://www.shoptoolsshoptools.com/shopd ... d=261&cat=
____

It can be found here also, but is $140:
http://www.samstagsales.com/bmwtools.htm

I seem to remember someone saying that they bought one but couldn't figure out how to use it, no instructions. Here it is in use:
http://www.malloc.nl/BMW/635CSi/pages/e ... l#refertoc

Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2011 5:24 pm
by Brucey
Koala motorsport sell an upgraded 'hook' piece for $65 that will fit the bolt-up version of the BMW tool (or your own version, the handle does not look difficult to make for a lot less than $60).

http://koalamotorsport.com/proddetail.asp?prod=s38ahook

they claim it is made in better material and is more resistant to breakage. Mind you it may only allow the exhaust valves to be done, not the inlets...

I've not done this job myself but it looks as if the tool has a ridge on it so that you can hold down the bucket by the edge, allowing the shim to be removed once the cam pressure is off. The tapered shape to the 'hook' allows it to depress the bucket as it is slid in beneath the camshaft.

I wonder how many people lose the shim completely, blowing it out with compressed air sounds a bit dicey....

cheers

Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 2:33 am
by m6csi
Brucey wrote:I wonder how many people lose the shim completely, blowing it out with compressed air sounds a bit dicey....
It is impossible to blow the shims out using compressed air. Using air is not a method in removing shims, mainly the air is used to break the oil suction and clearing excess oil between shims and tappet buckets and the oil that collects in the small chambers surrounding all the various valves. After blowing out excess oil and reducing oil suction, a hardened steel pick then is needed to separate shims from tappet buckets while pressing down the with the depression tool. A small telescoping magnet is then used to completely lift out shims due to the restricting and confined space in valve train area. The larger hook (A) on one end of tool is used for the intake valves and the smaller hook (E) is used for the exhaust valves.

This tool is indispensable for S38 valve adjustments and well worth the initial $128 or so investment.

Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 1:17 pm
by Brucey
I understand the basic nature of the procedure very well; I've done this job many times on other engines, just not this particular one.... I was referring to the BMW workshop manual instructions provided in the link in Chris W's post- where it says (having depressed the tappet of course)

'Blow out the valve shim with compressed air'

and mentioning nothing about picking it out carefully....

I take it from your response that you might agree with me that this is either misleading or it at least isn't necessarily the best way of doing it, albeit perhaps for different reasons....?

cheers

Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 3:19 pm
by m6csi
Yeah, another instance of the "factory way" is not necessarily being the correct or most efficient way of doing certain procedures. Also, using even semi-high pressure air, one will end up with oil splattered all over the engine compartment as well as on one's face. :(

Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 9:25 pm
by raffi91
Awesome, its always nice adding a new tool to the tool box. Ill post pics of the tool and quality when it arrives, thanks guys. Guess I just suck at searching, when I checked out skyway there was no match for the 1007 o_0 . Ive heard of people using magnets to help get shims out, but I cant remember why exposing valve train components to a magnetic field is a bad idea. Have you guys heard anything like this?
-Raffi

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 1:30 am
by m6csi
Brucey wrote:
'Blow out the valve shim with compressed air'

and mentioning nothing about picking it out carefully....

I take it from your response that you might agree with me that this is either misleading or it at least isn't necessarily the best way of doing it, albeit perhaps for different reasons....?

cheers
Possibly when the BMW shop manual instructions were being written, they had a dry bench top cylinder head with no oil, hence the easy removal of shims with only compressed air.

Also bought a pair of shims removal pliers when I purchased my valve adjustment tool and it proved to be totally worthless. Finally gave up using it without picking up even one shim and started using the magnet method.

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 8:10 am
by Brucey
re magnets; I suppose it is possible that the shim could become magnetised and then attract any metal particles in service. There are always some particles (the valve train is a highly loaded wear area in most engines) and you wouldn't want them hanging around the shim. Given that the shims are made in hard steel maybe this is more likely than with other components, especially if a really strong magnet is used to lift or replace shims.

For years I had access to a surface grinder and have successfully ground many shims using it. This (plus a little mix and match) can save a small fortune in new shims (if the clearances are mostly down not up; not every engine wears the same way). To avoid any magnetism problems later ( the machine had a powerful magnetic flat bed chuck) I was always sure to demagnetise such parts afterwards.

I would suggest that if using a magnet to replace the shims, try to do it using a magnet that only just lifts or holds a shim; a good magnetised screwdriver tip might do it. This way there is much less chance of magnetising the shim.

When replacing shims on some engines they can be slipped back in various ways using a piece of shaped thin brass shim stock but it depends how much clearance there is once the tappet is depressed. If possible this would be the preferred method.

Re the compressed air; the BMW air nozzle shown is tiny I suppose, and they do stipulate that the tappet is rotated so that the notch is presented at the point where the nozzle is shown later. The notch will help the shim be lifted out whether it be compressed air or a pick tool which is used.

I still have visions of needing a squad of trained (and oil-spattered) BMW fielders poised for action round the engine bay to catch the shims as they are blown out....

:wink:

cheers

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 8:40 am
by ron
Anyone remember the Wolsley 6/80? I had one in the early '60s. This is how you adjusted the valve clearances. No messing with shims etc. The valves were sodium-filled as well.

"The camshaft cams operate directly on to flat-headed, mushroom-shaped cam followers screwed
into the tops of the hollow-stemmed valves with half inch diameter stainless steel stems. There are
thus no push rods or rocker arms. Tappet clearance is adjustable in discrete steps of 1/1000 inch
by rotating the cam followers on their threads against a notched surface by special spanners."

Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2011 4:58 am
by Anri
Hi,

One thing I dont like about this non BMW tool is, it gets wear very fast ! I adjusted the valves on my 5 BMW cars ///M-S38 powered engines and I can see it ware and its getting kind of harder to release the shim from the bucket not the same way when the tool was brand new.

I think the tool should be made from stronger material so it does not wear as fast as this one. Well dont get me wrong I dont want the tool to last 100 years but not adjusting the valves on 5 engines....

I helped people all over the world with small article I made how to adjust the valves hear http://euroclassicmotors.com/articles/v ... tment.html

Cheers
Anri

Re: BMW S38 Valve adjustment tool

Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2011 5:02 am
by Anri
raffi91 wrote:Hello my fellow shark lovers. I was wondering if anyone has found a source to buy the valve bucket compression tool for the S38. I did a search but seems like most places don't carry it anymore. The only one I found was the one VAC sold which is the OEM tool at $279. If anyone has found another vendor please let me no.
Thanks,
Raffi

Raffi if you need one time valve adjustment I do mobile service to a friends and members/owners of E34 M5, E28 M5 E24 M6.. I have all the kit to to professional valve adjustment.

Let me know if you need me

e-mail me at [email protected]

Thanks
Anri

Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2011 6:29 am
by ron
Great write-up and pics Anri. Thanks for posting.

Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2011 6:33 am
by m6csi
Thanks Anri! That is one of the best and most concise "how to write-ups" I've seen in a while.

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 5:36 am
by Anri
m6csi wrote:Thanks Anri! That is one of the best and most concise "how to write-ups" I've seen in a while.
Bert,
Trying to help people all over the place. I will be calling you to buy one of your trunk tool rag.

Thanks
Anri

Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2011 2:12 am
by m6csi
Anriart wrote:
Bert,
Trying to help people all over the place. I will be calling you to buy one of your trunk tool rag.

Thanks
Anri
Anri,

That would be the other Bert. Mr. Poliakoff resides in Arizona.

Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2011 2:30 am
by bpoliakoff
Hey Bert, how you doing??

Bert

Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2011 3:47 am
by m6csi
bpoliakoff wrote:Hey Bert, how you doing??

Bert
I'm doing very well Bert! Hope everything is well with you also!

Thank you for all your effort in reproducing the red screwdrivers and in particular, the blue tool kit polishing cloth. Please keep your treasure trove of nice FS parts coming for us enthusiasts! =D>

Re:

Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2023 9:58 pm
by montreal
m6csi wrote: Sun Oct 23, 2011 2:33 am
Brucey wrote:I wonder how many people lose the shim completely, blowing it out with compressed air sounds a bit dicey....
It is impossible to blow the shims out using compressed air. Using air is not a method in removing shims, mainly the air is used to break the oil suction and clearing excess oil between shims and tappet buckets and the oil that collects in the small chambers surrounding all the various valves. After blowing out excess oil and reducing oil suction, a hardened steel pick then is needed to separate shims from tappet buckets while pressing down the with the depression tool. A small telescoping magnet is then used to completely lift out shims due to the restricting and confined space in valve train area. The larger hook (A) on one end of tool is used for the intake valves and the smaller hook (E) is used for the exhaust valves.

This tool is indispensable for S38 valve adjustments and well worth the initial $128 or so investment.
It is the opposite. The A side of the tool ( the narrow side ) is for exhaust and the E side ( the wide side ) is for intake. For a given cylinder, the space between 2 intake buckets is wider than the space between 2 exhaust buckets...