Using Rope when changing valve springs
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,207
Likes: 27
From: Sun Diego CA
Using Rope when changing valve springs
Does the old rope trick still work on the LS1?
Pull the spark plug, put some rope in the cylinder, turn the motor over by hand.
When the piston gets near TDC, the rope squishes and keeps the valves from falling.
Anyone still do this?
The air fitting is OK, but this way used to be fool proof.
Pull the spark plug, put some rope in the cylinder, turn the motor over by hand.
When the piston gets near TDC, the rope squishes and keeps the valves from falling.
Anyone still do this?
The air fitting is OK, but this way used to be fool proof.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 22,025
Likes: 192
From: At the beach in little Rhody
I used the TDC method, no rope. Just make sure the piston is at the top and the valve will only drop 1/4" and you can change the springs. I don't like the compressor as I had a failure once and dropped a valve. I always used the rope until this last time on the Vette and used the TDC method. I have access to a boroscope though, so ensuring the piston is at the top is easy.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 3,398
Likes: 2
From: Allentown PA
Originally Posted by vettenuts
I don't like the compressor as I had a failure once and dropped a valve.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 22,025
Likes: 192
From: At the beach in little Rhody
I had to run back to my house to get a tool (I was in a neighbor's garage), compressor stopped and valve dropped. Fortunately (this was my daughter's Nissan) I had gotten to the point with that particular car that pulling the head for me was like a NASCAR team changing tires, don't ask me why 
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
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 3,452
Likes: 3
From: Spring, TX
Originally Posted by CYA-Vett
How did it fail??? Power went out? Hose sprung a leak? Forgot to turn the compressor on? I Simply can't see how it could fail, but maybe I'm missing something???
