Magnetized shims came in the mail!

[ZacharyB]

I ordered some shims from z1 enterprises and they are slightly magnitized, sticking to each other gently! Someone used a magnet!! Could I still use them in the engine? I don't want to waste the $29 I spent... (I'm unemployed, every dollar counts!)

GRRR

[first timer]

you sure they are not just oily? wash them in carb cleaner and dry. then see if they stick together.

-ryan

[ZacharyB]

No no, these were immaculate in a plastic bag. Hold one shim near another lying on a surface and it will click onto the held shim.

[flyingace]

I guess I would see if they stick to your camshaft lobes. If they do, and you think the force could actually lift them out of the buckets - you may have a problem with wear. I would guess that if they stick to the camshaft on one side, they will repel on the other. Just use the repel side up.

[Boondocks]

Contact Z1 Enterprises and advise them of the situation. Ask them to see if their other shim stock is magnetized. If so, let them fix the problem. If Z1's stock is not magnetized, then the Post Office probably did something to magnetize the shims. Maybe some "security" feature was used on the shims.

There are electrical devices called degaussers (I have one) which are used to remove the magnetic field in audio, video, and computer tapes. A high powered degausser that will erase metal particle tape might also wipe out the magnetic properties of your shims. If you call around to places that work with tapes, i.e., audio and computer shops and maybe a TV station, you should be able to find someone who has one. It should only take 30 seconds or so to degauss the shims. Let them do it if you don't know the proper technique.

[odl777]

You can also rubb the shims up against some non magnitized still and it will demagnitize them. youll just have to use different pieces of still for each one. it worked for me.

[duaneage]

Magnetized shims will obviously retain metal bits and that is not good. Engines generate shavings and the filter and screen in the oil pump clean them out. A bulk magnetic tape eraser will work as well.

[ZacharyB]

Thanks guys!!

[jeff.saunders]

They are not magnetized - I went and checked after I read this - they are sticky with a thick coat protectant.

I suspect the post office did something to them.

In a somewhat related area, we have had four packages fail to make it to our customers in the past few months. Three of these packages contained alternator rotors with permanent magnets in them - all shipped at different times to different locations. The local post office says being magnetic would not cause a package to be intercepted - but after three of them have failed to get delivered, I'm having doubts...

[duaneage]

magnetized items must be declared and labeled according to their rules. They may have to go surface because of fears they interfere with aircraft control systems. I sent a pair of woofers to someone and I had to send themground and declare they were magnetic.

[jeff.saunders]

All the packages went surface - all were international. The only regulation we could find is something we cannot measure.

g. Magnetized material with a magnetic field strength of .002 gauss or more at a distance of 7 feet.

I wouldn't have thought an alternator rotor would generate a massive magnetic field, but this is an area I have no knowledge on.... does any one?

[ZacharyB]

Jeff, I see, not z1enterprises's fault; they are new aftermarket shims. I had supposed that they might be used shims the way shims are always being traded out of engines, and someone might have used a magnet to pull some at some point.

Also, I used UPS ground to have them shipped, do they operate outside the post office? UPS may have its own magnetization policies... I ended up using them in the engine since they were not attracted to the cam caps. I have to get three extra ones from Suzuki today anyway because several valves were tighter than I expected! One is over .1 mm too tight...

I'd use z1enterprises again The GS is so reliable that the opportunity has a hard time presenting itself...

[rustybronco]

Jeff i'll see if i can dig up a schematic of a gauss meter, it should be possible to read magnetic field strength with a d.v.o.m., some circuitry and a pickup coil.

[rustybronco]

Jeff... http://www.web-ee.com/Schematics/Gau...GaussMeter.htm
if i get the time i'll build it.
then you can see if your alternator has a large magnetic field or not.

[SqDancerLynn1]

If you have a soldering gun, not a iron. You can demagnatise items by passing the gun over the parts while it is on. Put the gun arms lenght away before turning it off