In the middle of a valve adjustment on my 4.2L e type. Are the valve shims provided by the current vendors good quality? anyone have any problems? I've been using Welsh for quite a number of years so thought I would buy from them.

Submitted by b.woolf@sbcglo… on Sat, 10/24/2009 - 15:41

Hi Bob, I actually did call the local Jag dealer. got a 20 something kid on the phone who didn't have a clue. Checked Xk's, Welch, Moss motors; they all said that "they haven't had a problem with any" however Xk's said their shims were made in China!! and that they have been using them for some 10 months or so. My question to him was that I doubted you would see or hear many complaints on a car that had run only that short period of time. All the vendors passed the buck on to some other vendor. Lastly I called terry's Jaguar. I was told that the shims they have were made in the USA and were hardened. so, that's where I am now. I have a small assortment of original shims so I'll see this weekend (when cams are removed) if I have enough for the job. thanks for the advise; good hearing from you. Reguards, Blake

Submitted by NC19-03320J on Fri, 10/23/2009 - 17:57

Blake, If your Jaguar dealer still has any of these old shims left buy yours from him. Look for a letter on each one that corresponds to a certain size. It's been my experience that when buying after market shims to check each one very carefully as I've seen them that were several thou from the ordered size and at least a couple that varied from .001-.002 from side to side. Wonder how you can do that on a surface grinder?

Submitted by bonnettoboot@e… on Thu, 10/22/2009 - 22:01

It is a good question as a number of years ago a con man managed to convince the aftermarket to buy shims he produced, they were regular steel and not even finished smooth, Yet they sold them. We sent them back as soon as we seen them and contimued to buy from the dealer, Today, i/m sure there is no problem, a lesson was learnt.