Valve spring compressor......what's everyone use?

-
Yep I may be swapping springs as well. Piston at tdc and rope will work to help keep valve up. PITA cut should work.
dartfreak75 said:
I'm looking for one also so I'm following this! I been thinking about making one. I love making my own tools for me it's part of the fun of the hobby iv made about 3/4 of my gunsmithing tools including an action wrench, barrel vice, recoil pad fixture, scope mount jigs. Alot of other jigs also. So I'm considering making one. I do have a stupid question about changing them with the heads on what keeps the valve from just falling inside the cylinder. Doesn't seem like a very safe way of doing it. I guess you would have to do them one at a time and rotate the engine around to let the piston up on the one your working on? I'm thinking of making or buying a clamp type.
Click to expand...
 
dartfreak75 said:
I'm looking for one also so I'm following this! I been thinking about making one. I love making my own tools for me it's part of the fun of the hobby iv made about 3/4 of my gunsmithing tools including an action wrench, barrel vice, recoil pad fixture, scope mount jigs. Alot of other jigs also. So I'm considering making one. I do have a stupid question about changing them with the heads on what keeps the valve from just falling inside the cylinder. Doesn't seem like a very safe way of doing it. I guess you would have to do them one at a time and rotate the engine around to let the piston up on the one your working on? I'm thinking of making or buying a clamp type.
Click to expand...

One cylinder at a time. Rotate cylinder until piston is before top center and feed a long piece of rope into the spark plug hole, then rotate it more toward top center until it won't move, replace springs.
 
threewood said:
One cylinder at a time. Rotate cylinder until piston is before top center and feed a long piece of rope into the spark plug hole, then rotate it more toward top center until it won't move, replace springs.
Click to expand...
I went to O’reilly’s and borrowed their spring puller. Replaced all my springs while on the car. Took me a couple hours but it’s done. Made my first u tube video so don’t judge, but it shows the process. Right, wrong, or indifferent. Check it out.
 
dartfreak75 said:
I'm looking for one also so I'm following this! I been thinking about making one. I love making my own tools for me it's part of the fun of the hobby iv made about 3/4 of my gunsmithing tools including an action wrench, barrel vice, recoil pad fixture, scope mount jigs. Alot of other jigs also. So I'm considering making one. I do have a stupid question about changing them with the heads on what keeps the valve from just falling inside the cylinder. Doesn't seem like a very safe way of doing it. I guess you would have to do them one at a time and rotate the engine around to let the piston up on the one your working on? I'm thinking of making or buying a clamp type.
Click to expand...

Putting each cylinder at TDC works but it still leaves a little room for the valve to drop a little and makes it a pain in the butt.
As mentioned, start the cylinder up to TDC then feed about 5 feet of 1/4 nylon rope into the cylinder.
Then bring the piston on up until the rope is compressed against the valves and they don't drop at all.
Some use air in the cylinder, but I think that way is more trouble than it's worth unless you have all the stuff to do it already.
The rope is more positive and reliable in my own opinion.
 
I just made one up today using an old KB TOOLS piece, and a giant C Clamp. It works Great! Easy to use.
20180925_162301.jpg
20180925_162512.jpg
20180925_162356.jpg
 
Had to add a short stud and nut to the end of C Clamp, to keep the spring pusher from sliding off the end of the C Clamp under high spring pressures. If it slips off, it will launch the retainer 30 to 40 feet across the garage. (Trust me on this). And could also damage your fingers.
20180926_042418.jpg
 
72bluNblu said:
Yup, that’s exactly what mine looks like.

I have one that works on the engine as well, the kind that’s a big lever that bolts to the rocker stands. But off the engine I’ve got exactly the same style compressor.
Click to expand...
You have a link for the one that you used that works on the engine. Ordered one but didn’t have enough space side to side where the rocker stands bolt into
 
Take a hyd rocker arm, notch out for valve stem, weld a 3/4 socket to it....I'll see if I got a pic. I borrowed the idea from someone on here, @KnuckleDuster I believe.
Owen Diaz said:
You have a link for the one that you used that works on the engine. Ordered one but didn’t have enough space side to side where the rocker stands bolt into
Click to expand...
 
Mine is similar to the c-clamp above. Obviously, the drawback is that you can't use it with the heads installed.

fullsizeoutput_159b.jpeg
aHBC+K9wTPe85vruzMz0iA.jpg
fullsizeoutput_159b.jpeg
aHBC+K9wTPe85vruzMz0iA.jpg
 
jos51700 said:
A buddy picked up ones that are little cylindrical things and you smack then with a hammer to remove OR install the keepers. They actually worked really well with the head on the motor and the cylinder full of rope. They're made by lisle but don't know how they'd work with heavier springs
Click to expand...
They don't work well with heavy springs. Not bad for removing the keepers but not good for reinstalling. It's a gimmick tool.
 
toolmanmike said:
They don't work well with heavy springs. Not bad for removing the keepers but not good for reinstalling. It's a gimmick tool.
Click to expand...
16 valve seals later on a DOHC Neon, I beg to differ. I, too, thought it was gimmick when he showed up with it, but it worked awesome.
 
Glad this came back up to the top. I ended up springing ( see what I did there?) for this one.
goodson.com

Heavy Duty Manual Valve Spring Compressor | CF-1500

Easily handles high-pressure valve springs. Works faster and holds up better than any other valve spring compressor.
goodson.com goodson.com
This thing is nice too. It made quick work of those solid roller dual valve springs on this big block Chevy. Very easy to compress.
 
I see you already have something, but a couple things I built in the 1980s when I was racing a lot ....
This is small block Mopar only but could be adapted to BB Mopar. Not the best design but works well with heads on. Shaft is solid and handle is about 18" long so plenty strong for heavy valve springs. End plates are unique as each bolt hole in the end of the heads is different. Would probably cost more to build today than to buy something!
hmtool1.jpg

hmtool2.jpg

Next is one I threw together for heads with rocker studs. Made from a broken tool, The round part is threaded inside and screws over the stud. PITA to use, but necessity is the mother of invention; or at the the time, poverty was the mother of invention :)
hmtool3.jpg

But I now have one like the type you bought, and find it to be the quickest to use with heads off. Big block or small blocks with large flat tappet or small roller springs.

IMG_20240817_102749562.jpg
 
Last edited:
I may have posted pics of this year's ago, but this is what I use for double roller springs. Both home made. (Lever style is NOT used on double roller springs!)

20240817_110229.jpg


20240817_110240.jpg


20240817_110247.jpg
 
TrailBeast said:
Putting each cylinder at TDC works but it still leaves a little room for the valve to drop a little and makes it a pain in the butt.
As mentioned, start the cylinder up to TDC then feed about 5 feet of 1/4 nylon rope into the cylinder.
Then bring the piston on up until the rope is compressed against the valves and they don't drop at all.
Some use air in the cylinder, but I think that way is more trouble than it's worth unless you have all the stuff to do it already.
The rope is more positive and reliable in my own opinion.
Click to expand...
Air didn't work for me at all I put air into the cylinder in my mom's tired old 283, .it just pushed the piston down.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top