Valve spring help (2 Viewers)

[Tennessee80]

Can someone school me on this?

I’ve watched YouTube videos, it doesn’t look difficult at all, but when I compress the springs using this valve spring compressor tool, it doesn’t give me any way to get the keepers out so that I can remove the spring…

My number four cylinder that is on my 60 series needs to be swapped, and I have some perfectly good springs here, just need to get them out of the old head and swapped onto my truck.

Anyone have any tips? This can’t be that difficult…

Thanks!

 

[cruisermatt]

Before you put the tool on: grab the classic orange Harbor Freight deadblow and give the top of the valve a good whack. That will knock the keeper that’s been sitting in that spot for 40 years loose. Afterwards you’ll compress the spring with the tool and the keeper will stay in place so you can grab it with a magnet.

That style spring tool sucks. Get the style that grabs the valve from it’s face.

When doing valve springs on a head that’s installed on a block (assuming your cylinder head is still installed on the truck) - hook up a compression tester adapter to your air compressor and put full air pressure in the cylinder. That will hold the valve up while you compress the spring.

 

[cruisermatt]

I have a junk rocker arm here. Maybe I’ll build and post up what my ideal 2F valve spring tool would look like.

 

[Tennessee80]

Thanks, great advice @cruisermatt

Got the donor springs out of the 2F head

Going to swap in the #4 cylinder tomorrow. My #4 cylinder had very low (20) compression while all others were consistent and normal. The #4 spring is so worn out it spins freely when messing with it. Not at all like the other 11 in the rest of the head (on my 60)

Cheers

 

[cruisermatt]

For anyone else, brand new OEM valve springs are only about $10 each.

 

[Sacto60]

Maybe just whack off-to-the side of the valve stem itself w the dead blow. Not right square on top.

 

[cruisermatt]

I had a 60 come through my shop for valve stem seals last month (the first time I've done them with engine still in the truck) and I did end up making the tool, will post up some pics of the process here.

 

[cruisermatt]

Shop air in the cylinder using a compression tester adapter to keep the valves from dropping.

Extra rocker arm, pedestal and cut-down shaft. I cut the end of the rocker arm off and welded some 1” square tube to the end. 1.25” round would be perfect, but that was all I had. Then use whatever various 20-36” bars on the end as a lever. I didn’t weld a handle to the rocker as I wasn’t sure how it was going to work at cyl 5/6 towards the firewall.

Next time I think i am going to cut .25”-.40” off the bottom of the rocker stand since the spring gets kind of crooked when fully compressed

Total job time was about 3 hrs including making the tool.

 

[Tennessee80]

Nice work dude!

 

[RDub]

Shop air in the cylinder using a compression tester adapter to keep the valves from dropping.


View attachment 3340081

Extra rocker arm, pedestal and cut-down shaft. I cut the end of the rocker arm off and welded some 1” square tube to the end. 1.25” round would be perfect, but that was all I had. Then use whatever various 20-36” bars on the end as a lever. I didn’t weld a handle to the rocker as I wasn’t sure how it was going to work at cyl 5/6 towards the firewall.

Next time I think i am going to cut .25”-.40” off the bottom of the rocker stand since the spring gets kind of crooked when fully compressed

Total job time was about 3 hrs including making the tool.

View attachment 3340082View attachment 3340084

Hey, Matt. A bit of an aged thread, but I'm getting ready to do the valve stem seals on my 60 and I'm curious how you fit the new seals onto the guides. Do they slide on easily or press on? How did you set the depth so the rubber lip doesn't distort? The FSM shows a dimension and tolerance, which makes me think I need to take care how far I push them on. Thanks!

 

[cruisermatt]

Hey, Matt. A bit of an aged thread, but I'm getting ready to do the valve stem seals on my 60 and I'm curious how you fit the new seals onto the guides. Do they slide on easily or press on? How did you set the depth so the rubber lip doesn't distort? The FSM shows a dimension and tolerance, which makes me think I need to take care how far I push them on. Thanks!

They tap on pretty easily with a 12-point socket (I think 13mm) and a small hammer.

 

[RDub]

OK, thanks. I assume lightly tap until the bottom of the rubber ring just seats against the top of the valve guide? I may be overthinking this but I don't want to damage the rubber seal by pushing the seal collar down too far.

 

[kody472]

OK, thanks. I assume lightly tap until the bottom of the rubber ring just seats against the top of the valve guide? I may be overthinking this but I don't want to damage the rubber seal by pushing the seal collar down too far.

I did mine about 2 years ago. Just tap the socket on the seal until you feel it's solid. You'll know it once it fully seats on the guide.