Comments on shimming under rocker arms

Hi, I'm back!

I replaced the pistons and head on my beetlemex engine.
Replaced with: Mahle pistons ( stock) and stock (VW heads which turned
out to be made in Brazil - felt cheap and the inlets were very rough -
almost gouged)
With either my stock or EMPi steel pushrods, I have about 2 mm of valve
lash with adjusting screws being backed all the way out. One valve cap
is against the rocker arm.

I noticed with these heads that the valve spring stem is above the
height of the top of the spring - in my old heads, they are not.

What is the consequence of putting a shim under the rocker arms to give
me an adequate valve gap? - I know I'll loose some "pushrod throw"

I don't understand why I'm having this problem, I'm guessing the heads
are seating deeper into the piston sleeves than what they should be.
I'm guessing my compression would then be too high(?)

No I did not cc my heads, - I'll kill myself later over that fact.
and I'm assuming that the Mahle piston sleeves are not shorter than
stock.

Thanks again for your comments

Matt S

"Matt S" > wrote in message

>
> No I did not cc my heads, - I'll kill myself later over that fact.
> and I'm assuming that the Mahle piston sleeves are not shorter than
> stock.
>
> Thanks again for your comments
>
> Matt S
>

Matt, if you are comfortable assuming things are "okay" and hoping for the
best then go ahead and shim the rocker bases...i would be more concerned
about the situation than you seem to be, but im OCD that way....can i assume
that you haven't checked for proper rocker geometry?

Thajks Joey,
I am pretty concerned about this problem, I guess I'm going to admit to
myself that I will pull the engine again and cc the heads to see what
is going on.
As for rocker arm geometry, to me that means whether ther rocker
arms should be shifted slightly to the left or right from their current
position to properly hit the valves tops off cener- and if this is
correct, I don't know how that would change my lack of valve lash
problem.
Am I missing something ?

Thanks, I really apprectiate it

Matt S

"Matt S" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Thajks Joey,
> I am pretty concerned about this problem, I guess I'm going to admit to
> myself that I will pull the engine again and cc the heads to see what
> is going on.
> As for rocker arm geometry, to me that means whether ther rocker
> arms should be shifted slightly to the left or right from their current
> position to properly hit the valves tops off cener- and if this is
> correct, I don't know how that would change my lack of valve lash
> problem.
> Am I missing something ?
>
> Thanks, I really apprectiate it
>
> Matt S
>

rocker geometry isn't how the rocker contacts the valve stem, but at what
angle...the ideal rocker geometry would be that the rocker and valve stem
will be perpendicular at exactly half lift.....this is what would be
affected by just adding shims...but being a stock engine(i think?) it is a
very good possibility that the rocker geometry was never set properly in the
first place...
check these out..:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/144844.jpg

http://groups-beta.google.com/group/...eometry&qt_g=1