Help Please: Removing Rocker Arms, Afraid of Dropping a Valve into Motor

[dano]

*edited to be clearer on valve numbering terminology*

 

Hi Folks,

Long time lurker first-ish time poster. I do apologize in advance if this has been covered elsewhere. I tried searching but honestly don't know which search terms to use.

 

I'm going through the headache that is dirty hydro lifters on a P90a and was hoping you folks could help me out with a few issues I'm having. First of all I'm doing this with the head still on the motor. Not sure if it matters or not but this is a freshly build motor (~35mi on it). I'm using the KD 3087 valve spring compressor to help with rocker arm removal and installation.

 

The first few valves that I worked on (specifically #6 intake) went just fine. Then I got to #3 exhaust and #4 exhaust and am having issues. Basically when I compress the valve spring with the KD tool, the valve only opens a bit and seems to get stuck. The retainer and springs compress. I noticed it at first when the lash pad would not go down with the spring retainer ring. I've compressed the spring several times and the valve is still doing the same thing. I've checked to make sure the valve wasn't touching the piston. I'm really concerned that I'm going to drop a valve at this rate. Any advice or ideas?

 

Thank you very much!

-Dan

Edited June 9, 2010 by dano

[Tony D]

I think you should look again, it sounds like you are hitting a piston and the valve travel is stopped. Or have two bent valves, that would cause a bind as well...

 

There is another tool for removing rocker arms that goes on the ball pivot end, but I've never seen one here in the USA.

 

You should probably specify #3 and #4 Exhaust valves as well (middle-most valves in the head), as that is how the FSM refers to them. That is "#6 & #7" from the front or rear of the engine, regardless.

 

When you say something like 'the first few valves, expecially #11' it confuses the hell out of someone who works on these, as you have just put all logical disassembly aside by starting from the 'rear first' and going forward.

 

First section in any engineering discussion is explanation of terms, so everyone knows what they are talking about, exactly...insofar as that goes, the FSM terminology should be used as it's the most common reference point people can go to and look something up.

[dano]

Thanks Tony! I will double-check the piston is down and out of the way. Assuming that it is down, is there anything else I can try to test for bent valves?

[dano]

Update: I was able to open the valve in question without incident. What I ended up doing was pushing down with the end of the rocker arm while I pushed down with the valve spring compressor tool. Also I found that instead of pushing all the way down in one step, I would do the "two steps forward, one step back thing". So push down some, let off a bit, push down some, lift off a bit.

 

I make no promises that any of this is valid or safe. All I can say is that in this particular instance, on my particular engine it worked.