what valve spring compressor do you use?

[idosubaru]

while tolerable for older gen stuff the one i have doesn't really work for EJ heads.

 

how do you know if a valve spring compressor will work decent in an EJ?

 

They're easy enough to remove with out one (with goggles!) - are they equally easy to install without one too?

[Caboobaroo]

Gary I have a C-clamp style spring compressor I got from Matco tools but I have seen the same one from other makers. I will get a pic of it and post it up this week.

[idosubaru]

Gary I have a C-clamp style spring compressor I got from Matco tools but I have seen the same one from other makers. I will get a pic of it and post it up this week.

great, i should be able to google that tomorrow when i have real internet, thanks beast.

[Fairtax4me]

I've used a few and the large C clamp type works the best IMO. Of course that won't work if you have the head still on the engine (stem seal change) but anytime the head is on a bench, the C clamp type.

[ShawnW]

A majority of them work just fine. Its mostly a matter of dialing it in which is frustrating at first but easy after the first 2 valves on each kind of head.

 

Making an adapter to press thru the valve is done in my shop. I have multiple spacer adapters that I have made so that I don't have to set the spring compressor so often and just change adapters. Its as easy as a piece of pipe and slicing a window out of the side to put the keepers in thru. This way the compressor reaches down into the head to press it.

 

My favorite compressor so far is a Matco one like mentioned above but the generic one I got from a general tool store works almost as well and was 1/3 the cost. I use both on a weekly basis.

[idosubaru]

thanks, will be looking later this week. nice hit on the spacers, i hear you on that.

 

mine has two arms with flat hooks that are two wide to fit down between the spring and head casing. i can get one arm to grab the spring, but then the other is too far away from the spring and runs into head, can't get them both on evenly at all.

 

the two inner arms are also two wide to set on top of the valve spring cap - only one of the arms fits on it so it can only press down one side of the valve spring cap.

 

i've used it for older gen stuff.

[Greasyfingers]

I was wondering if a particular valve spring compressor would work for several EJ engines, so I sent my question to grossgary.

Here's the link:

 

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/index.php?app=members&module=messaging&section=view&do=showConversation&topicID=66841

[idosubaru]

i wouldn't even consider using that clamp on a Phase II EJ22 or EJ25, it looks exactly like some of the ones i used (valve side has no depth and will almost certainly bottom out on the head before compressing the valve enough. it simply couldn't get the right angle, depth, and there's very little clearance between the spark plug tubes and valves and head and valves, it's hard to get them to fit anyway - not counting the twisting and angling around stuff. 

 

there were a few valves it could get, others will not be possible or be a debacle if they are.  or require fabricating somethign else like shawn said.