How do I keep my valves from dropping?

[starnsey]

Tomorrow I'll be attempting to replace my valve springs (due to necessary repair). How do I keep the valves from dropping when I remove them?

I've read that I can put each cylinder to top-dead-center and that should generally keep the valves from dropping. Is this a certainty? Or do I need go about it a different way?

Engine is out of the car on a stand. All tips will be greatly appreciated!

Brian Tooley springs going in. Using Freedom Racing tool to remove them.

 

[svtshadow]

Compressed air through the spark plug hole. Thats the only way i have seen it been done.

 

[starnsey]

How do you even do that?

And if I put each piston at the very VERY top of their stroke for each set of valves, that won't be enough to keep them from falling to the extent of messing anything up?

 

[ViperRed91GT]

Compressed air is preferred. In a pinch, I've seen rubber hose put in to the cylinder through the spark plug hole (make sure to leave some hanging out, or use a flange of some sort) then put the piston at TDC. The hose SHOULD make up the gap between the piston and the valves to hold them in.

 

[Quick Strike]

Rope trick is similar to the hose trick above, but it is a long way through the valve covers to the spark plug hole. Compressed air is the way.

 

[ugotbit03]

Use a hose from a compression/leak down tester. Remove the valve core and then hook up to air source.

 

[starnsey]

Alright. I don't suppose anyone has a picture showing an example of the setup?

 

[ctgreddy]

Use a hose from a compression/leak down tester. Remove the valve core and then hook up to air source.

This. It's the only right way to do it. with compressed air theres a lot of pressure in the cylinder the valve wont drop at all even when messing with the springs and retainers.

Basically if you dont have a compression tester, go to harbor freight and buy one or go to autozone and rent one. then on the end that screws into the plug hole there should be a valve core exactly like what's in your tires. remove that by unscrewing it and that's all you need.

 

[starnsey]

This. It's the only right way to do it. with compressed air theres a lot of pressure in the cylinder the valve wont drop at all even when messing with the springs and retainers.

Basically if you dont have a compression tester, go to harbor freight and buy one or go to autozone and rent one. then on the end that screws into the plug hole there should be a valve core exactly like what's in your tires. remove that by unscrewing it and that's all you need.

Alright cool, I think I've got it. Thanks! What pressure should I set my compressor to when doing this?

 

[tnuce10]

I think the air was around 90psi when I did mine and it was more than enough to hold the valves in place.

 

[Tractionless1]

Brian Tooley springs going in. Using Freedom Racing tool to remove them.

Finally, someone using the search function!! :thumbsup: Nice work, good luck!

 

[starnsey]

Haha, thanks!

Alright, I'm going to swing by harbor freight today and pick up a tester. I'll probably run a compression test for shits and giggles (or, ya know, to make sure my broken-in-half spring didn't cause any unseen damage, then Dr. Frankenstein the tester to my compressor hose. I'll post some pics of my setup when I get to it.

 

[starnsey]

...or not. Guess I need to grab some sort of adapter that goes to the type of fitting that came with the compression tester.

 

[Kcobra99]

The leakdown testers work better, you'll have to Frankenstein the compression tester.

 

[SecondhandSnake]

I didn't use compressed air. I measured the distance between the roof of the chamber and the piston at TDC, and it wasn't low enough to drop the valve. It's maybe 1/4". I just put every piston to TDC when I replaced the springs.

 

[starnsey]

Okay, used the compressed air as stated. Used my freedom racing spring compressor tool to compress the broken spring and remove the retainer as so:

Then, I had to remove the rocker arm. In order to do that, I had to push the valve in a little bit. No problem, went in a bit and stayed in place. Lowered enough to pull the rocker arm off and remove the retainer and broken spring as so:

So: retainer halves are off, spring retainer is off, rocker arm is removed, broken valve spring is removed, valve is sitting low and is unable to be pulled up.

How the **** do I install the new spring? I can't compress it with the tool because it's too tall uncompressed and has too many components for it to flop all over and even if I could compress it down all the way, I probably wouldn't be able to compress it down to where the retainer-halves can be put on and ultimately impossible to be able to install the rocker arm with all of this crap.

I know people have used this tool in the past because I've seen threads referencing it but absolutely NOBODY ever writes how they actually used it. And don't tell me to buy a tool that requires me to remove the cams blah blah blah because **** that noise (and $$$ that I've already spent). Obviously this can be done, so does ANYONE out there have ANY sort of write up on how to install the new springs?

 

[starnsey]

Actually got the valve back up and found out you can install the rocker arm after everything else is in. So is reinstalling the springs a two person job?

 

[ugotbit03]

Actually got the valve back up and found out you can install the rocker arm after everything else is in. So is reinstalling the springs a two person job?

It helps.

Playing the compressing the spring game and installing the keepers is a test in patience to say the least.

 

[starnsey]

It helps.

Playing the compressing the spring game and installing the keepers is a test in patience to say the least.

Yeah, I'm honestly not sure how it's even possible. It looks like with the spring fully compressed, there's barely any distance at all for the keepers to get installed. Hell, even with two people, I'm not sure if there's enough room for two sets of hands to get in there. Makes me want to vomit knowing I'll have to do this 32 times. Wish I had more friends in town willing to give a helping hand.

 

[starnsey]

Bump. I know there's at least one of you out there that has used this tool before.