swapping valve springs on the engine in the car

[grumpyvette]

BTW if you go to change the valve springs with the heads still on the engine, most guys use the hose they use to do a compression check and the spark plug adapter and pump the cylinder up with about 125 psi of air to hold the valves shut while they do it, yeah it usually works just fine.

 

(yeah theres a differant method)

(1)disconnect the battery

(2) remove the spark plugs, and rocker arms

(3)turn the first cylinder to BDC BYE HAND or someplace close to that

(4) insert one end of 5 ft of 3/8" rope into the cylinder thru the sparkplug hole and be sure you tie a KNOT in the other end

(5) rotate BYE HAND,the engine until the rope compresses against the valves holding them in place

(6)REPLACE THE SPRINGS on that cylinder while the valves are held to the combustion chamber roof

(7)rotate the cylinder back to BDC

(8)pull out the rope

 

(repeat 7 more times):thumbsup: :laughing:

 

yeah! the air USUALLY works but I don,t trust it EITHER, I want those valves locked from falling into the cylinder PHYSICALLY:D :thumbsup:

 

BTW youll want one of these or something similar

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=SUM%2D906784&autoview=sku

 

IVE done it both ways many times, Ive never trusted the air alone but Ive used it without problems in the past, the ropes usually not a problem,, and yeah theres the potential for it to tangle but I have not had that happen either

[pparaska]

Grumpy, the way I've done this is to bring the piston for the cylinder in question to Top Dead Center and use the piston there to keep the valves from falling down into the cylinder. If you can lock the crank in that position (put in gear with a manual trans) it's safer. But putting the rope (or flexible plastic or rubber tubing) into the combustion chamber is even safer.

 

I use the Moroso tool you show above. I suggest people just pay that money for that tool - it is many times better than the cheaper lever type that you see.