Valve spring removal

[idosubaru]

will this work for an XT6 (or EA82)?

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=92900

[Ross]

It will work, be prepard for some profanities though, because those things dont force the little clips to come lose. So if they are stuck (all of mine were) you need to do some tapping with a hammer to get them loose.

 

If you have the head off, use a proper one, but using one of them is definitely better if you dont otherwise need the head off.

[[HTi]Johnson]

I've used one of those. They work. If the head is off, yes, you compress it and then push it down and tap the valve up. If it is still on the block, you could wiggle the compressor with the spring being compressed, it'll shake those little keepers loose.

[bratsrus1]

Hey Gary This is jerry, if you use that tool make sure that the piston is at the top of the cylinder. If you don't and the valve drops into the cylinder how do you get it back into the valve guide magic. Thanks Jerry

[211]

Hey Gary This is jerry, if you use that tool make sure that the piston is at the top of the cylinder. If you don't and the valve drops into the cylinder how do you get it back into the valve guide magic. Thanks Jerry

 

I made a nifty tool for that; you could buy one I guess but I had the stuff so I made one. I took the hose off an old compression tester (just because it had spark plug threads on one end), and on the other end attached a fitting with a schrader valve. Then you can thread the hose into the spark plug of whatever cylinder you're working on and inflate it with an air compressor (or bike pump for that matter).

 

When you release the keepers on the valve, the valves stay in because of the compression behind it.

 

When you're done just push in the needle on the schrader till it goes, "Tsst" and thats it.

 

Of course I used mine for mostly GM applications...

 

On a soob it's probably just as easy to turn the motor by hand

[idosubaru]

okay i bought a valve spring compressor at Advanced Auto Parts.

 

either the user or the tool was a piece of useless illwitted machinery. it would occassionally compress the spring...wanting to slip and pop out and break my fingers. typically the hooks wouldn't hold and it wouldn't want to compress at all at a setting where i could hold the handle closed with one hand and work with the other hand. and the keepers only came off on one that i tried. the rest would stay "with the spring" so to speak, i push down and the spring goes down and the keeper with it. leaving me no way to remove the keepers and spring. so it was pointless. i ended up taking it to the shop and letting them deal with. very annoying. is there a better tool for this?

[soobscript]

I tried both of the compressors available at my local AutoZone, one lever type, and one screw type. Neither worked, they were designed for different engines - likely big american ones.

 

I managed to get the springs out of two heads, but had a machine shop do all the work the other set.

 

The method for removal was primitive and risky. I put a big piece of cardboard on the concrete floor and set the head over two blocks of wood so the valves were free to move. Used a block of wood on the floor and the box end of a combo wrench over the spring retainer. With a friend's help, applied pressure to the spring by leaning into / standing on the wrench, using the wood block as a fulcrum. With the spring compressed, used a magnet and curved needlenose pliers to grab the keeper halves.

[Ross]

Ask for a proper valve spring compressor - one that you have to take the head off to use. They work very easily.

[BoostedBalls]

Those 'tools" suck. The best ones are the big 'c-clamp' type ones.

You can use a spark plug socket and a mallet to take them apart way easier than the tool you had in the pic. Reinstalling them is another story. The socket can be modified with a slot cut out of the side so you can get some needle nose pliers in there to drop in the keepers, drop the first one in and slide it around the valve stem to make room for the second one. A drill press comes in handy if you don't mind cutting the female end off a 3/8" drive extension. It's a poor man's valve spring compressor but it works awesome. You can set the head on a balled up grease rag to hold the valve tappets on the seats.

 

Remember- if you are pulling the valves out, don't get them mixed up. Now is a good time to lap the seats.

 

Pulling springs with the heads on the engine can be done but it is a PITA! Most compression testers have a quick disconnect that can hook up to an air compressor to hold the valves closed. Make sure the engine doesn't turn durring this. (trans in gear and brake set)

 

What is the reason you are taking the springs off?

[idosubaru]

 

What is the reason you are taking the springs off?

 

i'm putting together a motor for my XT6 and XT Turbo right now. valve job, heads milled and tested by the machine shop. i wanted to remove the valve train myself just to do it before i took the heads into the machine shop. and i was going to smooth out some of the casting flash in the ports.

 

thanks for the help all.