mike...
Valve Spring Removal Tool
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 3,126
Likes: 15
I used the Auto Zone rental tool. I also used a soft nylon rope to hold up the valves while changing springs and valve guide seals. Remove spark plug, tie large knot on one end of rope to prevent loss into hole, insert rope into plug hole, rotate engine to bring piston to top of bore. When rope is inserted, enging will "lock up". This is normal. Apply tool to spring and after compressing spring tap on top of tool to break loose retainer and locks. Plug holes in head to prevent locks from dropping into engine. This tool allows you to compress spring enough to replace seals. If valve drops too much, back off on rotation of engine, reposition rope, rotate piston to top of stroke and ck. valve drop. Good luck with it, mike...
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/acc...fier=2052_0_0_
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/acc...fier=2052_0_0_
Last edited by mds3013; Jan 15, 2012 at 12:33 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,877
Likes: 13
From: Doha
St. Jude Donor '08
The last time I replaced the valve springs while engine still in the car, I used that tool :
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00999915000P
It worked great and made the job easily.
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00999915000P
It worked great and made the job easily.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 123
Likes: 0
From: Wertheim Baden-Württemberg Germany
I used the Auto Zone rental tool. I also used a soft nylon rope to hold up the valves while changing springs and valve guide seals. Remove spark plug, tie large knot on one end of rope to prevent loss into hole, insert rope into plug hole, rotate engine to bring piston to top of bore. When rope is inserted, enging will "lock up". This is normal. Apply tool to spring and after compressing spring tap on top of tool to break loose retainer and locks. Plug holes in head to prevent locks from dropping into engine. This tool allows you to compress spring enough to replace seals. If valve drops too much, back off on rotation of engine, reposition rope, rotate piston to top of stroke and ck. valve drop. Good luck with it, mike...
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/acc...fier=2052_0_0_
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/acc...fier=2052_0_0_
Sounds rough.
When changing springs and what not with the heads on,I always rotate the cylinder I'm at ,down to, or close to BDC.Back off the rockers so the valves will close .Screw an adapter for an air hose in the sparkplug hole and load the cylinder with compressed air. Be carefull not to have your fingers or other body parts around belts and pulleys cause if your not completely at BDC the motor will turn somewhat.Leave the air hooked up and flowing till your done.
The tool is fine.You need to ask about the adapter.Sure if they have the tool at Autozone ,they have the adapter as well.
Last edited by Ravoll; Jan 15, 2012 at 01:12 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 3,126
Likes: 15
Sounds rough.
When changing springs and what not with the heads on,I always rotate the cylinder I'm at ,down to, or close to BDC.Back off the rockers so the valves will close .Screw an adapter for an air hose in the sparkplug hole and load the cylinder with compressed air. Be carefull not to have your fingers or other body parts around belts and pulleys cause if your not completely at BDC the motor will turn somewhat.
The tool is fine.You need to ask about the adapter.Sure if they have the tool at Autozone ,they have the adapter as well.
When changing springs and what not with the heads on,I always rotate the cylinder I'm at ,down to, or close to BDC.Back off the rockers so the valves will close .Screw an adapter for an air hose in the sparkplug hole and load the cylinder with compressed air. Be carefull not to have your fingers or other body parts around belts and pulleys cause if your not completely at BDC the motor will turn somewhat.
The tool is fine.You need to ask about the adapter.Sure if they have the tool at Autozone ,they have the adapter as well.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 123
Likes: 0
From: Wertheim Baden-Württemberg Germany
Thats what the air presure is for.When the cylinder is presurised,how will the valve drop?
Anyway thats how we were shown at Bee County Junior College.
To bad they didn't teach me how to spell "Preasurized"
Last edited by Ravoll; Jan 15, 2012 at 01:20 PM.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
You are assuming he has spent $500 or more for a air compressor and accessories. I would be interested to know why he wants to change springs. 
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 123
Likes: 0
From: Wertheim Baden-Württemberg Germany
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 897
Likes: 245
From: Green Valley Ca
I rebuilt (l46) motor with the stock camshaft. The builder insisted installing 120# on the seat springs. I don't feel I need them or take the chance of a flat cam.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,948
Likes: 72
From: Oxford MA-----You just lost the game!!!!
Seriously, though, I've never done it with air pressure, don't trust it. Maybe the valve seal ain't that great, ya drop a tool or something onto the valve, it pops loose, now what? Gotta take the head off. What a drag. With the rope trick, you have the piston in position where the valves are closed already, and the rope guarantees no dropped valve. And it really isn't all that hard to feed a few feet of rope through the spark plug hole. I used some speaker wire one time, actually, it worked pretty good!
Scott
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 11,096
Likes: 990
From: Sierra Foothills CA
The last time I replaced the valve springs while engine still in the car, I used that tool :
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00999915000P
It worked great and made the job easily.
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00999915000P
It worked great and made the job easily.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,116
Likes: 5
From: Livonia MI
Been awhile, but changed the springs on an Olds engine using the compressed air method, and worked fine. Gutted an old spark plug, and brazed on a fitting. Not sure where I got it, but my spring compressor's a hook on type with a turn handle, rather than the pry bar Sears unit. Had to give top of the tool a quick hammer tap to break the retainers loose, but no big deal.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,231
Likes: 65
From: Seattle WA
St. Jude Donor '14
Your call - but I'd just stick with the installed springs myself...