Source for valve spring shims

V

vista525

Junior Member
Can someone point me to a source for reasonably priced valve spring shims for an 8BA. Red’s has them in three sizes for a great price but the shipping is a killer ($22 bucks on an $18 order). I suppose $21 of that cost is California taxes so I can’t hold it against them. Speedway only carries them in one size and apparently they must be gold plated and hand forged by hot rod monks on a mountain top in the Himalayas. As proof that I’m not a cheapskate I’d like to submit that my 49 F1 does not have a small block Chevy. Any chance there’s a NAPA part number(s) I’m missing? Thanks
 
GOSFAST here on the 'Barn handles a lot of flathead valve related parts. you might try to PM him.
 
Valve springs need to be measured with a special valve spring measuring
machine. A load is put on the spring and it should be a specific length at
a measured amount of pressure. G.M.
 
Go to your local machineshop and ask for A-101 B-101 or C-101 valvespring shims...not sure i ever used a .015 balancing shim on a flathead though.
They cost $20 for a box of 100 so even if they double their money it cant be to bad...lol
 
flatheadmurre said:
Go to your local machineshop and ask for A-101 B-101 or C-101 valvespring shims...not sure i ever used a .015 balancing shim on a flathead though.
They cost $20 for a box of 100 so even if they double their money it cant be to bad...lol
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Great idea. Thanks for the part numbers!
 
what do you need them fore the higher the spring pressure the more load on the camshaft & lifters let us know how maney times you put your eng over 4,000
 
richard crow said:
what do you need them fore the higher the spring pressure the more load on the camshaft & lifters let us know how maney times you put your eng over 4,000
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A properly done valve job always includes measuring the spring load at a very specific compressed height. To simply take a spring out of the box and install it is less than professional. Especially these days when quality of parts is too often questionable.
 
Kube said:
A properly done valve job always includes measuring the spring load at a very specific compressed height. To simply take a spring out of the box and install it is less than professional. Especially these days when quality of parts is too often questionable.
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Amen
 
Measuring to verify is good...then comes the question of how good between springs is enough...i have never ever installed a balancing shim on a flathead at this low springpressures it´s not a hair between make it and break it...
 
If you end up ordering the spring shims don't waste your money ordering the "C" series (.015") you won't have much use for them!

Thanks, Gary in N.Y.

P.S. A single "C" shim (.015") will change the pressure by about 1 pound, we gave up stocking them a few years ago! We only keep the "A's" (.060") and the "B's" (.030"). The "B's" will change it by less than 5# and the "A's" less the 10#.
 
richard crow said:
what do you need them fore the higher the spring pressure the more load on the camshaft & lifters let us know how maney times you put your eng over 4,000
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I’m not building a racing engine but I have to agree with Kube on this one. If I’m going to assemble the engine I’m going to do it to the highest possible standard I can. If nothing else it will make me feel better.
 
GOSFAST said:
If you end up ordering the spring shims don't waste your money ordering the "C" series (.015") you won't have much use for them!

Thanks, Gary in N.Y.

P.S. A single "C" shim (.015") will change the pressure by about 1 pound, we gave up stocking them a few years ago! We only keep the "A's" (.060") and the "B's" (.030"). The "B's" will change it by less than 5# and the "A's" less the 10#.
Click to expand...

Awesome post script! Glad you shared this info. The #change for each shim will definitely be helpful for anyone who stumbles on this thread.
 
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