Savage X 4.6 head shims?

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Grego

Member
Messages
14
Location
Eastern Ontario Canada
I have a question reqarding head shims.
I bought a 2010 orange version and have blown 2 one way starter bearings in a short period of time.
When starting the motor it seems to have a lot of compression and hard to turn over and will pop breaker on roto start.
I took head off and there is no shims.
The reason i ask is i bought a spare truck for parts and when i took that motor apart it does have several head shims.
I am wondering if this is making too much compression causing too much stress on the 1 way bearing?
 
I'm not sure about the shims but I know that the one way bearings cant take a whole lot of pressure they crack pretty easy I have broke several of them as well as popped the breaker on my roto start as well and my motor is 100% factory stock.. seems to be a common problem and since those bearings are like $20 a pop it can get costly
 
The f4.6 should have 2 possibly 3 headshims stock,
But after break in I always run just one headshim,
This will really wake up the power in the f4.6,
Perhaps your headshims are stuck tight on the underside of the head button and might not be easily seen,
Either way you'll need at least 1 headshim in place or run the risk of the piston burning up,
or hitting the underside of the head button once up to running temp.
 
Ive double checked and zero shims.
I will take at least 3 out of spare motor and install.
I believe the spare motor has 5 or 6.
Its a purple 1st generation one that had very low use.
I just find the motor has way too much compression when trying to start.
If so that has to put a lot of stress on that bearing.
First one split, 2nd one the insides came apart.
On another note, Canada has universal health care, but what they pay when you go to hospital or Docs office is less and less.
Drugs and Dental are not covered unless you are senior.
 
I have a question reqarding head shims.
I bought a 2010 orange version and have blown 2 one way starter bearings in a short period of time.
When starting the motor it seems to have a lot of compression and hard to turn over and will pop breaker on roto start.
I took head off and there is no shims.
The reason i ask is i bought a spare truck for parts and when i took that motor apart it does have several head shims.
I am wondering if this is making too much compression causing too much stress on the 1 way bearing?


The Nitro Star S-25 engine F4.1 V-1 takes 3- #1445 shims.
The F4.1 Big Block V-2 engine takes 1- #1445 shim.
The F4.6 V-1 Big Block that came in the first version of the Savage X takes 2- #1460 shims.
The F4.6 V-2 that is currently out takes 2- #1460 shims.
Keep in mind BOTH the 1445 & the 1460 shims are 0.2mm thick. Even the Nitro Star 21BB shim #1418 is 0.2mm

In regards to starting have you tried a heat gun / hair drier to pre-heat engine ?? It really makes a difference .
 
I just fuel and prep truck in house and bring outside when actually ready to start it.
Both my grey version and purple version motors have 3 shims each.
Pretty sure i have figured out the cause.
Its a bad habit of mine after fueling tank.
I fill tank then before connecting fuel line to carb i hold fuel line from tank up and pump the primer bulb until fuel comes out to eliminate air bubbles.
Then i conmect to carb.
The bad habit is i give it a couple little squeezes after connected and its enough to put too much fuel in motor making it jard to turn over.
With cleaned out motor and glow plug installed, the roto turns motor over with ease.
Live and learn.
 
I just fuel and prep truck in house and bring outside when actually ready to start it.
Both my grey version and purple version motors have 3 shims each.
Pretty sure i have figured out the cause.
Its a bad habit of mine after fueling tank.
I fill tank then before connecting fuel line to carb i hold fuel line from tank up and pump the primer bulb until fuel comes out to eliminate air bubbles.
Then i conmect to carb.
The bad habit is i give it a couple little squeezes after connected and its enough to put too much fuel in motor making it jard to turn over.
With cleaned out motor and glow plug installed, the roto turns motor over with ease.
Live and learn.




HOLY ENGINE STRESS BATMAN !!!!!!!!!!! I fuel my rig, when is cold I plug exhaust with a finger, click the roto unit a time or 2 and install my igniter and start the rig, doing it the way you doing it it is a wonder you do not have a 2 piece connecting rod...... SMH !!!!!!
 
Grego...I'm pretty confident you are simply flooding the engine. I'll try to post up an example of me doing this, but I rarely even prime the engine before starting it these days. When the pressure system is truly tight, the fuel will get to the carb with a few rotations on its own.

If I've not run it in a while, I might put my finger over the stinger for no less than a second as I've learned anything more will hydro-lock it. If your head shims (or lack of) are truly affecting anything, your engine most likely won't start....but won't really trip the wand breaker switch as you've described. Try taking off the plug, turning the truck upside down, unflood the crap out of it.

Then...try to start it without any of that priming. If it won't stat in a few seconds, then place finger over the stings very briefly. All these engines really need is a whiff of that fuel and they are ready to go :) Let us know how you do.
 

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