Valve spring change made easy! - Head off

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Feb 9, 2014 | 09:38 AM

APillow

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From: Warrenton, VA

Valve spring change made easy! - Head off

I was spazing out on what tool was needed to change the valve springs on a set of 708 (5.3 Vortec) heads. Proform Comp blah blah blah... Did all the research... And then resorted to YouTube just before dolling out the $ for a tool. Here is what worked FOR FREE!!! *Only applies to off engine heads.

Spring removal is this easy!!! No kidding. I used a BFH and a 19mm deep impact socket. Literally one minute and done. This was a "No F'ing way!" paradigm shift for me here, so ghetto but works like butter. LOL

FF to minute 1:40 to miss the talking.

Here is the inspiration I used to repurpose my drill press for a spring compressor! He made a bit to use, but I repurposed a VW spring compressor end. I used a normal 2x4 block of wood to angle the heads to line up with the drill press head. My drill press deck does not adjust for angle.

VW Tool

The VW tool can be switched around and used for the larger dual valve spring retainers as well. The beehive retainers are tiny IMO.

Picture of my setup at work:

Yes it is that easy and FREE!!! (provided you have a drill press)

Feb 9, 2014 | 09:44 AM

garygnu

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you could use a hydraulic press also .

Feb 9, 2014 | 09:53 AM

poltergeist 02

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Please don't spread that first vid around. That is totally wrong. The problem with that method is when a keeper gets half stuck between the valve tip and retainer it ends up gouging the valve. Not worth the risk IMO.

Feb 9, 2014 | 12:47 PM

truckdoug

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From: Portlandia

haha that first vid. takes me back to my first days of wrenching.
ah to be young and dumb

"dad, you see where that other keeper went?"

Feb 9, 2014 | 05:42 PM

APillow

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From: Warrenton, VA

Quote:

I kinda see what you are saying... But if that was the case any failure in lining up the retainers on reassembly would do the same thing, scratch a valve. It's like perfect, or fail. I'm not buying it. From my experience, over half puked both retainers at once. The others just a quick 2nd tap and were freed. This is with the pathetic stock 5.3 no tension springs though, I'm sure doubles would be much harder or impossible to do this way. No scratches at all on my valves FWIW.

I find it interesting GM uses a single lock as most valves I am used to use a double lock for the retainers which is much more stable for assembly IMO.

Even the Yellow LS2 beehive springs had less pressure than I though they would. Might have to play with the set of duals w TI retainers I have on a diff set of heads and check their tension.

For anything over stock, I would exclusively use the press though for disassembly and reassembly.

Feb 9, 2014 | 07:46 PM

The Alchemist

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From: Doylestown PA

I'm cringing watching all these videos thinking of the scratches being put into the deck surfaces of those heads. Maybe NA guys don't care as much, but with a boosted setup, having a perfectly smooth surface is critical and watching the way they are working with the mating surface of the head on a bench is scary.