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View Full Version : Valve spring work-around.


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iceminion
11-16-2008, 11:21 AM
Lets say you have a complete longblock 4G63 with a new stock head gasket.

Now lets say you want to upgrade the springs.

Ideally you would have taken care of this before you coppercoated the headgasket and torqued it down.

I have been brainstorming this one and rather then taking it apart and being forced to buy a new $40 head gasket + cleaning of block/head.

All that is needed is to have force put on the bottom of the valve, one recommendation is to get a spark plug adapter and hook it up to an air compressor, pressurize the cylinder = force on the bottom of the valve.

unfortunately, in practice, this does not work, when you use your custom valve spring removal tool, and you push down on the spring, the retainer/keepers are stuck together and all you succeed in doing is opening the valve allowing the pressurized air to excape.

practicing on another head, it seems like you need a quick 20-30 LBS of force to break the bond between keeper/retainer.

so I have been thinking about things you can put INSIDE the cylinder (other then AIR) that can resist compression.

First thing that comes to mind is OIL/Trans fluid. You could put the piston at BDC fill the cylinder with the fluid, put the spark plug in, and have a friend crank the crank to provide the pressure needed to break the keeper/retainer. It would leak, but alot slower then air, and this would give you more time to work and possibly a better result.

My other idea, which would be less messy (but more dangerous) is fill the cylinder with Airsoft ammunition, and turn the crank so the piston is providing positive pressure on the plastic BB's so you can press down on the valves all day long.

you could remove the airsoft ammunition pretty easily, take the spark plug out, let em drain out upside down, maybe blast a little compressed air in through the spark plug hole.

And if you were to miss one round, it would just bounce around/melt as you the car warmed up.

Any thoughts/insight?

Halon
11-16-2008, 11:30 AM
People have put string inside the cylinder before. Soft enough that it wont damage anything, and easy to remove, as long as you leave a little end on it hanging out the spark plug so you can just pull it out

95talonracer
11-16-2008, 12:42 PM
People have put string inside the cylinder before. Soft enough that it wont damage anything, and easy to remove, as long as you leave a little end on it hanging out the spark plug so you can just pull it out
I have done this many times and works great. I also use a socket and give it a quick hit and the retainers will come out.

Super Bleeder!!
11-16-2008, 01:04 PM
Yup, string or rope is what i have also seen used.

Febo
11-16-2008, 03:17 PM
Been there done it. A good, non fiber rope is the best, you just fill cylinders 1 and 4, and 2 and 3 at a time and you can do two cylinders at once :D, I also have a home made tool that works pretty decently.

Goat Blower
11-16-2008, 06:17 PM
With all that f'ing around, it's easier to just take the head off and do it right. Stock headgaskets are cheap.

Febo
11-16-2008, 06:34 PM
I say no to that.

aaronspeed
11-17-2008, 04:23 AM
Just bring the piston on the cylinder your going to change to the top and compress the spring. Remember this is an interference engine and the valve will hit the piston and just remove the keepers. Fast and Easy. Been doing it this way for 20 years on 4 cylinders that have no valve to piston clearance

Pushit2.0
11-17-2008, 03:21 PM
I would think the valve could bend doing it that way. Rope or use a leak down tester to pressurize the cylinder you are removing the springs from. Snap-on sells a tool that bolts to the cam caps to press down on the spring one at a time, I am sure some place would sell one for cheap. Block all the drain passages from the head to the block with something to avoid have a keeper find its way into the oil pan. Or pull the head, but that cost money a little time at this point.

~John

iceminion
11-17-2008, 05:20 PM
ceeper or keeper?

anyways...would it matter if it did end up in the oil pan? it wouldnt get picked up by the oil uptake tube, it has a strong filter on it.......wouldnt it eventually just come out with the oil? or sadly reside on the bottom of the oil pan for all eternity?

I don't understand why everyone equates anything in your oil with a ruined motor....