Generation III Internal Engine 1997-2006 LS1 | LS6
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Valve spring shim for beehives

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jan 12, 2008 | 11:34 AM
  #1  
02BlackFirehawk's Avatar
Thread Starter
Teching In
 
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
Default Valve spring shim for beehives

I've searched and searched and I can't find a valve spring shim for the .880 diameter valve seat for the beehives springs. My heads were machined to fit a 1.900 installed height double valve spring and I recently swapped them w/ a set of PAC 1218's. Well I have been through hell trying to get the 1218's at the 1.80" installed height, I put shims underneath the seat to bring them up but all that does is push the seat up so the seal doen't sit all the way down onto the guide. So i need a shim that fits ontop of the seat instead. Anybody know of any shims that have at least a .885" ID? Thanks in advanced for your help.
Reply
Old Jan 12, 2008 | 11:44 AM
  #2  
JPH's Avatar
JPH
TECH Junkie
15 Year Member
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,776
Likes: 0
From: Fort Wayne, IN
Default

Originally Posted by 02BlackFirehawk
I've searched and searched and I can't find a valve spring shim for the .880 diameter valve seat for the beehives springs. My heads were machined to fit a 1.900 installed height double valve spring and I recently swapped them w/ a set of PAC 1218's. Well I have been through hell trying to get the 1218's at the 1.80" installed height, I put shims underneath the seat to bring them up but all that does is push the seat up so the seal doen't sit all the way down onto the guide. So i need a shim that fits ontop of the seat instead. Anybody know of any shims that have at least a .885" ID? Thanks in advanced for your help.
How thick is your locator/seat now and what's it's O.D.?
Reply
Old Jan 12, 2008 | 11:57 AM
  #3  
02BlackFirehawk's Avatar
Thread Starter
Teching In
 
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
Default

I'm not quite sure, i'd have to mic it but at the moment i'm about 10 miles away from my shop. But my brother is at the shop, i'll get him to Mic them for me.

He says the height of the seat where the spring sits is a .058 and the OD is a 1.303.

So with the measurment in hand I used my valve spring mic and mic'ed it to be a 1.890 w/ the seat installed. I don't have the double springs because I sold them to a friend.
Reply
Old Jan 12, 2008 | 12:03 PM
  #4  
JPH's Avatar
JPH
TECH Junkie
15 Year Member
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,776
Likes: 0
From: Fort Wayne, IN
Default

Originally Posted by 02BlackFirehawk
I'm not quite sure, i'd have to mic it but at the moment i'm about 10 miles away from my shop. But my brother is at the shop, i'll get him to Mic them for me.

He says the height of the seat where the spring sits is a .058 and the OD is a 1.303.

So with the measurment in hand I used my valve spring mic and mic'ed it to be a 1.890 w/ the seat installed. I don't have the double springs because I sold them to a friend.
who's heads DART? Yeah it looks like you need atleast a .090 worth of shims. Whats the diameter of the spring pocket also?
Reply
Old Jan 12, 2008 | 12:49 PM
  #5  
02BlackFirehawk's Avatar
Thread Starter
Teching In
 
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
Default

cats out the bag... Ported LT4's Eric Bradby did them for a friend of mine and the friend got out of the racing scene and i'm left w/ the headaches of them. I know this is a LS1 tech section but more LSx engines use the beehives/PAC springs due to they were orignally made for them. I'm just looking for a .885 ID shim set that fit the bottom seat. Any suggestions? I put the .090 shims under the seat and they fit lose on the guide but won't fit overtop of the seat. Plus, my guide diameter is a .562 and its impossible to find a seal that works w/ them. I've been stretching a .531 diameter so far but the .090 in shims won't let the seal sit down all the way onto the guide. So I need the .090 to be made up in shims to sit down on top of the seat.
Reply
Old Jan 12, 2008 | 12:56 PM
  #6  
JPH's Avatar
JPH
TECH Junkie
15 Year Member
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,776
Likes: 0
From: Fort Wayne, IN
Default

Originally Posted by 02BlackFirehawk
cats out the bag... Ported LT4's Eric Bradby did them for a friend of mine and the friend got out of the racing scene and i'm left w/ the headaches of them. I know this is a LS1 tech section but more LSx engines use the beehives/PAC springs due to they were orignally made for them. I'm just looking for a .885 ID shim set that fit the bottom seat. Any suggestions? I put the .090 shims under the seat and they fit lose on the guide but won't fit overtop of the seat. Plus, my guide diameter is a .562 and its impossible to find a seal that works w/ them. I've been stretching a .531 diameter so far but the .090 in shims won't let the seal sit down all the way onto the guide. So I need the .090 to be made up in shims to sit down on top of the seat.
gotcha. Why don't you just cut the guide down? I never put a shim on top of a locator/seat, it will wanna dance/move around on you. I will keep looking for you in me books man, and see what I find.
Reply
Old Jan 12, 2008 | 01:03 PM
  #7  
vettenuts's Avatar
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (4)
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 8,092
Likes: 13
From: Little Rhody
Default

Not familiar with the LT head, but having said that, will the newer style seat/seal fit? When I shimmed my beehives, they sat on top of the seat/seal. They were Comp shims. I can get the part number if you need them. You can see them in the various stages of installation below.

Reply
Old Jan 12, 2008 | 01:13 PM
  #8  
02BlackFirehawk's Avatar
Thread Starter
Teching In
 
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
Default

I would cut the retainer but as **** as I am about metal/dust/dirt then the heads would definatly have to be taken off the car. And I would almost rather pull the motor out than try to take the heads off of the motor being that its fully studded, its going to be a fight

Vettenuts, if you can get me a part number I can see if the ID of the shims will work the OD of the seat where the spring sits onto.

But I really appreciate both of your replies. I am at a dead end with this mess
Reply
LS1 Tech Stories

The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time

story-0

Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-2

Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

 Verdad Gallardo
story-3

Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

 
story-5

Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

 
story-9

10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Jan 12, 2008 | 02:02 PM
  #9  
vettenuts's Avatar
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (4)
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 8,092
Likes: 13
From: Little Rhody
Default

The ones I used are the top three on the list, 0.015", 0.030" and 0.060" thick shims. They look to be slightly small on the ID though. Wonder if you can open them at all on a drill press. Won't take much. Notice also there is a kit that includes all three thickness in the kit section.

Also, have you considered an offset retainer to bring the top of the spring down?

Reply
Old Jan 12, 2008 | 02:10 PM
  #10  
02BlackFirehawk's Avatar
Thread Starter
Teching In
 
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
Default

very good points, i'll check into that. I'm quite the fabricator of metal and i'm sure I can just touch them up a tad bit. Thanks for the help
Reply
Old Jan 12, 2008 | 02:19 PM
  #11  
JPH's Avatar
JPH
TECH Junkie
15 Year Member
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,776
Likes: 0
From: Fort Wayne, IN
Default

use a -.050 lock like a comp #630-16 (10* degree stuff though) or a crane #99073-1 (10*) or #99088-1 (7*)
Reply




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:46 PM.

story-0
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

Slideshow: This heavily modified 1971 Camaro mixes classic muscle car styling with a fifth-generation Camaro interior and modern LS3 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-12 18:06:42


VIEW MORE
story-1
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

Slideshow: From wobbling harmonic balancers to failed EBCMs, these are the issues that define long-term C5 ownership and what repairs typically involve.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-07 18:44:57


VIEW MORE
story-2
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

Slideshow: A modern Camaro transformed into a retro icon, this limited-run "Bandit" build blends nostalgia with brute force in a way few revivals manage.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-21 13:57:02


VIEW MORE
story-3
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

Slideshow: Cadillac didn't just crash the high-performance luxury vehicle party, it showed up loud, supercharged, and occasionally a little unhinged...

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-16 10:05:15


VIEW MORE
story-4
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

Slideshow: Top ten most powerful Chevy trucks ever made

By | 2026-03-25 09:22:26


VIEW MORE
story-5
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

Slideshow: Hennessey has turned the Silverado ZR2 into a 700-hp off-road monster with supercharged V8 power and a limited production run.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-24 18:57:52


VIEW MORE
story-6
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

Slideshow: A one-off sports car that looks like a vintage Italian exotic-but hides a C6 Corvette underneath-just sold for the price of a new mid-engine Corvette.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-23 18:53:41


VIEW MORE
story-7
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

Slideshow: A heavily reworked 1972 K5 Blazer swaps its off-road roots for a low-slung street-focused build with modern V8 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-09 18:08:45


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There are thousands of used Camaros on the market but we think you should avoid these 10

By | 2026-02-17 17:09:30


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

Slideshows: Which one of these myths do you believe?

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-28 18:10:11


VIEW MORE