-Joseph-

iTrader: (12)

This writeup will help you and your friends save time swapping valvesprings. Usually there is one guy doing valvesprings while 3-4 others have to set aside and watch/wait since usually you can only do one cylinder at a time. It takes me about 1.5 hours to swap springs by myself using the conventional air method so I'm always thinking of ways to cut down time. I've tested my new method on a C5 using double springs (PITA to begin with) and the total time required was ~35-40 minutes. Its kinda a hybrid between the conventional air-in-cylinder method and the TDC method, it won't save you ANY time unless you have a buddy to help, if you don't have access to air, then use the TDC method I helped write on jmX's site www.ls1howto.com, as its very detailed also.

What you'll need is:

-Yourself and a Buddy (most seem to have these around drinking their beer anyways, so put them to work)

-Two valvespring compressor tools (one for you, one for your buddy) I use the lever type compressor on cylinders 1-4 and the screw type on cylinders 5-8.

-Source of compressed air and the air adapter tool to air up cylinders

-Make sure you are in Neutral if you have a Manual Transmission!

-----

You need to have all the rocker arms off and pushrods out of the way, all of the spark plugs will need to be removed also. Keep your timing chain gear bolted up like normal to the camshaft... as if the chain is hanging loose, it can bind up against your oil pump and crack it and/or the block.

What your going to be doing is have one cylinder filled with air, usually this will force that cylinder to Bottom Dead Center (BDC). Because everything rotates in sequence... that will force 2 pistons to Top Dead Center (TDC, see where I'm going with this?) You can verify this with a screwdriver to the matching cylinders I will write in below. Now with that cylinder filled with air, and TWO other cylinders at TDC, you can safely do the springs on THREE different cylinders now, two is all that I would do for each pass as you will get in the way if you both work on the same engine bank. Make sure your apprentice checks to make sure the cylinder he is working on is at TDC with a screwdriver through the spark plug hole.

This is where your buddy comes into play, you replace the springs on the cylinder you have the air hose connected to, and your buddy can work on the opposite side of the engine outta your way. Sometimes if you attach the air hose to a cylinder and its at absolute TDC, it will not force that piston down, what you do here is disconnect the air hose...turn the crankshaft by hand 1/8 turn and reconnect the air hose. That will be enough to push the piston to BDC. If you see the crankshaft turn as the cyl is filling with air you did it right.

Now here's the diagram showing what cylinders to add air to and which springs can be changed at the same time, remember you only have to follow the directions for half, you can use the air on either side of the engine and have the same results. Also some of the cylinders overlap, these are shown just for reference, you don't have to do any cylinders twice. You can use air in either the right bank or the left bank, but not both since you will have all the springs swapped by the time you finish one bank!

• [*]
• [*]
• [*]
• [*]
• [*]
• [*]
• [*]
• [*]

Remember to always verify TDC on the cylinders without air.

TDC=Top Dead Center: Piston is at absolute highest it will travel in Cylinder
BDC=Bottom Dead Center: Piston is at absolute lowest it will travel in Cylinder

jd13

iTrader: (3)

Very nice! Just how long did it take you to figure all that out though?

killer01ws6

info.

foff667

iTrader: (2)

this may be a very dumb comment considering ive never had to do a spring swap but...could you just hook up your air compressor with a 4 way spitter & do one side of the block? Please dont flame if this would like blow the side of the motor out...just a thought

Jason 98 TA

iTrader: (4)

I didn't know Joseph can write!!

Another_User

I got mine done really swiftly two at a time using the TDC method. Probably faster than if I did this, considering I didn't have to dodge anybody else or setup an air compressor. Not trying to punk your method, I was just happier doing the springs while everything was quiet and I didn't have to be as stressed about dropping a valve lock into my engine.

-Joseph-

iTrader: (12)

You could, but only in pairs, Similiar to the TDC method.

-Joseph-

iTrader: (12)

Not long at all, its just that I'm used to changing springs all by myself. When I helped a friend change his on his C5 is when I thought of it as he started doing one by one with air. Not very efficient, but prob safer.

98blackSS

Beer drinking buddies around these parts rarely 'work' though.. I've found that they make better tool bitches (up until around the 8th or 9th beer when they just run into ****)..

Another_User

I prefer to do it myself...my buddies always accidently screw me over by f'ing something up.

HumpinSS

iTrader: (1)

Also if you buy two of the vinci tools for 99.00 you and your buddy will be able to do the same thing if you all dont have access to air

1 & 6, rotate 90, 8 & 5, rotate 90, 7 & 4, rotate 90, 3 & 2.

edit with this method you will be changing 4 springs at a time

foff667

iTrader: (2)

yah im still amazed at how some shops still use the old clamp style compressors...it takes so long doing it with that when you could make one for real cheap with tools & supplies they probably have laying around or buy a tool that in the end would probably save them thousands of man hours a year...but who am I? lol

Black Z/28

I hope I'm not asking a dumb question by missing something real obvious here but...
If you are only doing springs and not pulling the timing cover how do you establish initial TDC on 1 & 6?