C3 Tech/Performance V8 Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine, Basic Tech and Maintenance for the C3 Corvette
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Old Apr 20, 2012 | 11:52 PM
  #21  
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Originally Posted by drwet
Woohoo! I finally won something!

Glad you solved your problem!

If you'll teach me how to post photos, I'll show you the setup I use for changing valvesprings on the car.
Sent ya a pm.......
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Old Apr 21, 2012 | 08:02 PM
  #22  
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Originally Posted by daanbc
Well I DID IT!!!!!!! Took me 2 hours and busted knuckles, but I got it out! I used a long screw to screw thru the knot, then used a long handle needle nose pliers to pull the screw out. Each time it ripped the knot some more. I would then use a tiny pair of needle nose to go into the hole and pull. I was getting threads with each pull. But I never gave up. I then used my big ol garage vacuum, and pluged it into the spark plug hole to suck up anything that was left in there. Nothing came out. Its clean. Here are some pic's.
Glad to read u solved then problem. Man, that was a difficult one but at least u didn't drop a valve. Most everyone that tries the rope trick say they hate it - now we know why. But u are fast becoming a top end expert - which is something everyone should do before tearing into the short block - while the majority of the time its not even needed for thier performance level.

Thx for posting and let us know how the new vlv springs work out,
cardo0
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Old Apr 21, 2012 | 08:21 PM
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I did valve seals once, and used the rope trick. Only I didn't use rope. I used a piece of speaker wire. Didn't have any knots to deal with, it went pretty smoothly.


Keep the shiny side up!
Scott
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Old Apr 21, 2012 | 11:38 PM
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I finished # 6 and # 5 cylinders tonight. Tomorrow I'll do # 2 and 8 and be done. I think im going to buy some new valve stud nuts. One was worn, and I'd rather replace all then take a chance. Here are some pics of my progress. LOL.
I placed each seal in the cap of oil to lube them before each install:



I then used a sharpie as a "condom" to slide them down the valve guides:



Used the tool to compress the old spring all the way to remove the clips:



Then just installed all new hardware:

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Old Apr 22, 2012 | 12:12 AM
  #25  
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Originally Posted by daanbc

Hey! those look just like my knuckles usually do except the oil is usually caked into the big holes.
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Old Apr 22, 2012 | 09:17 AM
  #26  
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Originally Posted by 63mako
Hey! those look just like my knuckles usually do except the oil is usually caked into the big holes.
Yeah, hurt like hell to clean off all the grim n dirt. I even did my nails..LOL.
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Old Apr 22, 2012 | 11:01 AM
  #27  
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Here's the setup I use for doing valvesprings. One end screws into the spark plug hole, the other connects to the quick connect on my compressor. 30-35 lbs. of air pressure is plenty to hold the valves in place while I'm working on the valve springs. The spark plug end of the tool is from one of the tool manufacturers (KD I think), but before I bought this one, I had one I made from an old spark plug. I busted it up and brazed a piece of tubing to the metal part of the plug. Ugly but it worked for me for years and cost pretty much nothing.
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Old Apr 22, 2012 | 02:33 PM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by scottyp99
I did valve seals once, and used the rope trick. Only I didn't use rope. I used a piece of speaker wire. Didn't have any knots to deal with, it went pretty smoothly.
Keep the shiny side up!
Scott
I was thinking use hemp rode instead of nylon - might be less prone to knotting up.

Originally Posted by daanbc
I finished # 6 and # 5 cylinders tonight. Tomorrow I'll do # 2 and 8 and be done. I think im going to buy some new valve stud nuts. One was worn, and I'd rather replace all then take a chance. Here are some pics of my progress. LOL.
I placed each seal in the cap of oil to lube them before each install:
Used the tool to compress the old spring all the way to remove the clips:
Very ingenious/resourceful using a donor sharpie and good detail lubricating before installing.

Thx again for sharing,
cardo0
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Old Apr 22, 2012 | 10:46 PM
  #29  
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Originally Posted by drwet


Here's the setup I use for doing valvesprings. One end screws into the spark plug hole, the other connects to the quick connect on my compressor. 30-35 lbs. of air pressure is plenty to hold the valves in place while I'm working on the valve springs. The spark plug end of the tool is from one of the tool manufacturers (KD I think), but before I bought this one, I had one I made from an old spark plug. I busted it up and brazed a piece of tubing to the metal part of the plug. Ugly but it worked for me for years and cost pretty much nothing.
Not all of us have an air compressor. In fact, I'd bet that most of us don't. Ya gotta do the best ya can with what ya got, right?


Keep the shiny side up!
Scott
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Old Apr 23, 2012 | 01:15 AM
  #30  
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Originally Posted by scottyp99
Not all of us have an air compressor. In fact, I'd bet that most of us don't. Ya gotta do the best ya can with what ya got, right?


Keep the shiny side up!
Scott
I have an air comp. But I don't believe the air pressure alone would be enough to hold the valves when I had to use a hammer and socket to break the seals. A couple of them I really had to make a couple of hard blows to! If I was to use just air, and the valve gave just a little, that would have allowed the pressure in the cylinder to fall, thus valve falling. The rope gave the vqalve a cushion from the blows and kept them in place.
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Old Apr 23, 2012 | 06:10 AM
  #31  
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The air pressure will hold it. If your compressor is running at 125 PSI I'd figure the surface of the valve head at over 1 square inch so your hammer blow would have had to have been substantial to overcome that. The pain is listening to the air leak around the rings while it's under pressure.
Keep in mind that the air pressure will push the piston to the bottom of the stroke when the pressure hits, so be clear of the fan blade.
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Old Apr 23, 2012 | 08:29 AM
  #32  
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Originally Posted by Indiancreek
The air pressure will hold it. If your compressor is running at 125 PSI I'd figure the surface of the valve head at over 1 square inch so your hammer blow would have had to have been substantial to overcome that. The pain is listening to the air leak around the rings while it's under pressure.
Keep in mind that the air pressure will push the piston to the bottom of the stroke when the pressure hits, so be clear of the fan blade.
I have to admit I had the same reservations the first time I tried it, but I've done it many times, and it works. Do the math. Your exhaust valve is 1.60" in diameter. That is just over 2 square inches. At 35 psi that's 70 lbs. pressure on the valve. The intake will have even more. You can hit the valve pretty much as hard as you want, and its not going anywhere. If you still don't believe me, just use more pressure.

This is the way it is done by the pros. Its fast and effective and doesn't risk introducing dirt into the cylinder. Try it. You won't go back to the rope trick.

The other advantage is it supports the valve evenly. I would be concerned about hitting the spring retainer with a hammer to release the retainer with the valve supported by a rope. You run the risk of bending the valve.

Last edited by drwet; Apr 23, 2012 at 08:33 AM.
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Old Apr 23, 2012 | 08:31 AM
  #33  
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Originally Posted by Indiancreek
The air pressure will hold it. If your compressor is running at 125 PSI I'd figure the surface of the valve head at over 1 square inch so your hammer blow would have had to have been substantial to overcome that. The pain is listening to the air leak around the rings while it's under pressure.
Keep in mind that the air pressure will push the piston to the bottom of the stroke when the pressure hits, so be clear of the fan blade.
A couple of my blows were BIG. I had to put my reg. hammer down and take out my Big one. LOL About half of them required several blows.
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Old Apr 23, 2012 | 08:37 AM
  #34  
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Originally Posted by daanbc
A couple of my blows were BIG. I had to put my reg. hammer down and take out my Big one. LOL About half of them required several blows.
That's because the valves weren't well supported. If you used air pressure to retain the valves, you wouldn't have to hit the spring retainer as hard.
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Old Apr 23, 2012 | 09:23 AM
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Originally Posted by daanbc
A couple of my blows were BIG. I had to put my reg. hammer down and take out my Big one. LOL About half of them required several blows.
If you will hit the retainer instead of the valve stem, you'll have better results. Use an impact socket. Otherwise you distort the valve stem tip, and that's where your rocker has to mate. Roller or OEM.
Some times the socket method will kick out the keepers when you hit it. SO watch where they go. I can tell you where to look for them if they come out.
Look as far under anything in your shop they look like they can't get under. Or just beyond the reach of your magnet stick will reach taped to the next longest thing in your shop. If that fails look in your living room or whatever room you remove your shoes in.
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Old Apr 23, 2012 | 09:58 AM
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Originally Posted by drwet
That's because the valves weren't well supported. If you used air pressure to retain the valves, you wouldn't have to hit the spring retainer as hard.
Ahhh, I see say the blind man. That makes sense. I was hitting the retainers. I know better then to hit the stems. But I guess the cushion of the rope was making the blows softer. Ok, I will admit, you guys are right about this one. I was just very leary about loosing pressure and watching a valve drop.
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Old Apr 23, 2012 | 11:04 AM
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So when is the car going to be running? I'm anxious to hear about it.
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Old Apr 23, 2012 | 12:59 PM
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Originally Posted by BKbroiler
So when is the car going to be running? I'm anxious to hear about it.
BK read my thread in the general forum under "You guys are not going to believe this:"
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