Changing valve springs on car

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Longgone

Longgone

John/68 Barracuda & Dart
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I need a new set of valve springs but don`t want to pull the heads to put them on. Is there an inexpensive(cheap) spring compressor available for the big blocks that works well? I would also need a fitting for the compressed air used to hold the valves in place, unless there`s a better method. Any suggestions?
 
You can get an on-head spring compressor for not too much from someplace like Sears or a parts store like NAPA. As far as a fitting for the head, I'm sure a parts store would be able to get you one or let you rent one. If you've got a 2nd person, they can always just hold the blow gun with a rubber tip in the spark plug hole while you quickly change springs!

Hope this helps some! :thumblef:
 
Some ont like this idea, but I've never failed with it. I use a couple feet of cotton rope from the hardware store. bring the piston up about 1/2 before TDC on compression, thread the rope in to the spark plug hole, leaving about 8" hanging out the spark plug hole. Then, bring the piston up towards TDC. When you feel resitience to the turning, stop. The rope holds the valves closed, while you work on the springs. Some have said the rope got stuck..I think that may be from the valve catching it and trapping it in the seat. If the valves are closed tight, I dont think they'll be any trouble. WHen you're done, rotate the engine backwards to realease the rope, pull it out, and do the next one. I dont like air. I've had the engine spin so the piston is at the bottom of the bore, and the valve can be pushed in or fall in if the pressure isnt high enough..the rope works fine, and there's no air line over the car.
 
I have a valve spring compressor that looks like a little gear puller. It fits into tight spaces and works well. I picked it up for under $20 at the local Autozone.

If you have a compression testor you can tke the hose off the guage and attach it to an air hose so you can presurise the cylinder. Or, use the rope method moper mentioned that works fine too.
 
As far as a fitting for the air compressor, you can use a compression tester hose. My Mac Tools has the quick disconnect already attached. Some of the cheaper compression testers have a scrhder va. you might have to remove, but should still work. The cotton/nylon rope trick works good also.

There are 2 different tools available that will work. One is a flat bar arrangement that you hook under the rocker arm shaft and push down. The other, more common one is a jaw type that works on engines that don't have rocker arm shafts.

Also, be sure to take a deep socket that is just a little smaller then the va. spring retainer. Prior to trying to remove the va. springs place the socket on the top of the retainer and give it a couple of good wacks with a hammer. This will allow the keepers to semi-release from the valve and make their removal much easier.

Use a little white grease on the va. groves upon reassembly will aid as a bonding agent to hole the keepers in place prior to getting the retainers back in place.
Mac
 
moper said:
Some ont like this idea, but I've never failed with it. I use a couple feet of cotton rope from the hardware store. bring the piston up about 1/2 before TDC on compression, thread the rope in to the spark plug hole, leaving about 8" hanging out the spark plug hole. Then, bring the piston up towards TDC. When you feel resitience to the turning, stop. The rope holds the valves closed, while you work on the springs. Some have said the rope got stuck..I think that may be from the valve catching it and trapping it in the seat. If the valves are closed tight, I dont think they'll be any trouble. WHen you're done, rotate the engine backwards to realease the rope, pull it out, and do the next one. I dont like air. I've had the engine spin so the piston is at the bottom of the bore, and the valve can be pushed in or fall in if the pressure isnt high enough..the rope works fine, and there's no air line over the car.
Click to expand...

where have i seen that before???? :silent:
 
Here is a KD tool that I used last spring to change mine. You can see the rope sticking out of the spark plug hole.

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Thanks for all the great tips.- Longgone P.S.- Why is it that when you finally get all of your parts and tools together for a job, the weather turns nasty? Is that Murphy`s Law of Car Repair?
 
The easiest way is a surplied air source to keep pressure on the cyl. via spark plug hole. And a on head valve spring compresor.
Comp cams sells a tool that bolts on the head like the shafts and has a handle on a pivot that pushs down on the spring.
This is a $90 tool. Expensive by compare to what others have showed you. I myself can use my body weight to compress the spring instead of turning the handle on top of the KD tool. with my aching hands. Since I have an air compressor, the other expense would be the air fitting.
 
I've used air before, never tried the rope trick. Make SURE the the cylinder your working on is at top dead center and the air will never fail. Just my 2 cents...
 
Dartsport, If you weld an old wornout 5/8 socket, 3/8 drive upside down to the 'hand crank'. Much easier and faster with a ratchet than turning by hand. Easier on the old pinky's too. Terry.
 
I finally got some good weather and the time to install my springs. This is a tool I picked up at Mancini Racing ($59.00)and it worked great! Just bolt it to the rocker arm pedestals and push. It cleared the m/c and wiper motor with ease. I used the end off my compression gauge to hold air pressure on the valves to keep them seated. Thanks to everyone for all the help.

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Longgone

I finally got some good weather and the time to install my springs. This is a tool I picked up at Mancini Racing ($59.00)and it worked great! Just bolt it to the rocker arm pedestals and push. It cleared the m/c and wiper motor with ease. I used the end off my compression gauge to hold air pressure on the valves to keep them seated. Thanks to everyone for all the help.
Click to expand...


:salut: That looks like the way to go!! Easy access to the retainers.
 
Ive used bolth air and the rope trick. Last time I used air I must have had the pressure up tp high and blew the hose apart, lol.
 
I tried the rope trick first and had a hard time getting it to seat the valves correctly,so I opted for the air method. The lead from the compression gauge worked great and I kept the pressure around 100 lbs. It took about 2 hrs. start to finish and with a helper I probably could have cut that time in half. Compressing the spring with one hand while working the retainers on with the other was a test of my dexterity. With someone else to put the retainers on it would have gone really fast. All in all ,it worked great, and I`d recommend it as an inexpensive tool that worked without a hitch.
 
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