Started my valve spring swap!!!
Pro
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 693
Likes: 6
From: Lancaster Ca. & Post whoring here.
The TDC method should work I did it when I had my 2000 Pontiac Firebird.
Your firing order is 1 8 7 2 6 5 4 3.
Follow the firing order, turning the crank 90* everytime so that the next cylinder per firing order will be at TDC.
This will give you an idea of where your motor is on its compression stroke for it's respective cylinder.
Your firing order is 1 8 7 2 6 5 4 3.
Follow the firing order, turning the crank 90* everytime so that the next cylinder per firing order will be at TDC.
This will give you an idea of where your motor is on its compression stroke for it's respective cylinder.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,517
Likes: 319
From: Hewitt TX
I actually just got back on it and this is what I did. I figured my air compressor didnt have the volume output to hold the valves good enough so I opted for the top dead center method and to back myself up I added the nylon cord method. How I did it was I put as much nylon cord in the spark plug hole as I could and the rotated the enging by hand until it wouldnt go anymore. I then knew the cylinder was packed so to say. I began to compress my springs and what do you know, they both released easily and I was able to continue. This method seems to work great and seems safer in my opinion!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 831
Likes: 2
From: Houston Texas
I actually just got back on it and this is what I did. I figured my air compressor didnt have the volume output to hold the valves good enough so I opted for the top dead center method and to back myself up I added the nylon cord method. How I did it was I put as much nylon cord in the spark plug hole as I could and the rotated the enging by hand until it wouldnt go anymore. I then knew the cylinder was packed so to say. I began to compress my springs and what do you know, they both released easily and I was able to continue. This method seems to work great and seems safer in my opinion!
I guess this is a silly question- but do you get the rope out merely by rotating the engine the opposite way a little? Another words can you manually rotate the engine either clockwise or counterclockwise?
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 22,025
Likes: 192
From: At the beach in little Rhody
I actually just got back on it and this is what I did. I figured my air compressor didnt have the volume output to hold the valves good enough so I opted for the top dead center method and to back myself up I added the nylon cord method. How I did it was I put as much nylon cord in the spark plug hole as I could and the rotated the enging by hand until it wouldnt go anymore. I then knew the cylinder was packed so to say. I began to compress my springs and what do you know, they both released easily and I was able to continue. This method seems to work great and seems safer in my opinion!
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
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 831
Likes: 2
From: Houston Texas
Questions _
The rocker arms require 22foot pounds of torque - and I think you have to rotate the engine manually to a point where there is no pressure against them to torque properly.
Do you use blue loctite as well to secure the rocker arm nuts ?
Also - what kind or, and size of wrench, is best for manually turning the engine ( access looks too tight for a racket).
Thanks ( I am about to do the same job on my car)
The rocker arms require 22foot pounds of torque - and I think you have to rotate the engine manually to a point where there is no pressure against them to torque properly.
Do you use blue loctite as well to secure the rocker arm nuts ?
Also - what kind or, and size of wrench, is best for manually turning the engine ( access looks too tight for a racket).
Thanks ( I am about to do the same job on my car)
Last edited by NatB; Apr 22, 2011 at 03:39 PM.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,450
Likes: 1,155
From: Dyer, IN
Hmmm.......Rocker arm nuts have not been used in 15 years.....
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,393
Likes: 17
From: Belleville Mich.
No loc tite on the rocker bolts (not nuts)
Bolts have a small head (8 mm??) Get a H/D impact socket for the rocker bolts. Otherwise you will crack your small reg socket.
Rotate motor w/a 15/16" or (24mm) - 45 degree off set box end wrench about 15" long. Standing from the passenger side to turn crank bolt (w/plugs out) The motor will turn easy using this method.
You can mark the crank w/chalk etc, to see how far you have turned it.
You can look into the plug hole to see when the piston is at the very top. You may need a flashlight & a telescoping small machanics mirror.
Bolts have a small head (8 mm??) Get a H/D impact socket for the rocker bolts. Otherwise you will crack your small reg socket.
Rotate motor w/a 15/16" or (24mm) - 45 degree off set box end wrench about 15" long. Standing from the passenger side to turn crank bolt (w/plugs out) The motor will turn easy using this method.
You can mark the crank w/chalk etc, to see how far you have turned it.
You can look into the plug hole to see when the piston is at the very top. You may need a flashlight & a telescoping small machanics mirror.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,450
Likes: 1,155
From: Dyer, IN
.....or...you can just use a compression tester in the appropriate plug hole, and watch valves as you rotate. The needle will jump as the piston approaches the top of the cylinder.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 6,276
Likes: 227
From: Farmington CT
Cruise-In VII Veteran
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,517
Likes: 319
From: Hewitt TX
Actually with all the plugs removed I was able to grab the balancer pulley with one hand and the belt with the other and rotate it by hand. I still have not competely finished. I freakin dropped the very last keeper I had to install and I heard it hit the header and thats all. Vanished like a fart in the wind! I spent half the day looking for that damn thing. I guess I will have to buy another if I can find some. Sucks because everything was going so smooth.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 831
Likes: 2
From: Houston Texas
No loc tite on the rocker bolts (not nuts)
Bolts have a small head (8 mm??) Get a H/D impact socket for the rocker bolts. Otherwise you will crack your small reg socket.
Rotate motor w/a 15/16" or (24mm) - 45 degree off set box end wrench about 15" long. Standing from the passenger side to turn crank bolt (w/plugs out) The motor will turn easy using this method.
You can mark the crank w/chalk etc, to see how far you have turned it.
You can look into the plug hole to see when the piston is at the very top. You may need a flashlight & a telescoping small machanics mirror.
Bolts have a small head (8 mm??) Get a H/D impact socket for the rocker bolts. Otherwise you will crack your small reg socket.
Rotate motor w/a 15/16" or (24mm) - 45 degree off set box end wrench about 15" long. Standing from the passenger side to turn crank bolt (w/plugs out) The motor will turn easy using this method.
You can mark the crank w/chalk etc, to see how far you have turned it.
You can look into the plug hole to see when the piston is at the very top. You may need a flashlight & a telescoping small machanics mirror.
Now I have a question - are the new GM LS6 valve springs BLUE instead of Yellow? I received a set and they are BLUE.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 5,245
Likes: 25
From: Blue Ridge Georgia
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 831
Likes: 2
From: Houston Texas