autozone/sears spring compressor question
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From: The South
autozone/sears spring compressor question Okay, still in the middle of my cam/spring swap. Just got back from Iowa and want to do springs tomorrow. I just rented the only kind of valve spring compressor that autozone has and I do not see how it will work. The inside diameter of the two "prongs" that appear to be used to go outside of hte spring (I think??) is less than 1" and that obviously will not go around the spring. (new springs are PRC duals) It also does nto appear to be adjustable. How does it work/can you use it? It appears to be the EXACT same as the one that sears sells.....
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/catal...uModelNo=47704
Will it work, is the autozone diff from the sears, or am I missing something?
EDIT: I'm an F-tard. I think I get it now. The bottom of the jaws grab the spring in between some coils near the bottom while the two prongs I spoke of do NOT go outside the spring, they push down on the sides of hte retainer. That would explain how people turn valvetrain parts into projectiles. I just don't think sometimes.
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/catal...uModelNo=47704
Will it work, is the autozone diff from the sears, or am I missing something?
EDIT: I'm an F-tard. I think I get it now. The bottom of the jaws grab the spring in between some coils near the bottom while the two prongs I spoke of do NOT go outside the spring, they push down on the sides of hte retainer. That would explain how people turn valvetrain parts into projectiles. I just don't think sometimes.
Last edited by blkZ28spt; Dec 27, 2004 at 10:30 PM.
Originally Posted by blkZ28spt
EDIT: I'm an F-tard. I think I get it now. The bottom of the jaws grab the spring in between some coils near the bottom while the two prongs I spoke of do NOT go outside the spring, they push down on the sides of hte retainer. That would explain how people turn valvetrain parts into projectiles. I just don't think sometimes.
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From: The South
Thanks backNblack. It's being a royal PITA right now. I have TWO springs done (cylinder #1 
) and it took me, well, TOO long. It would help if I had an air compressor, I might have to try the rope/yarn/whatever trick to stuff the cylinder or borrow an air compressor at this rate becasue the valve ends up getting bumped and sliding down into the piston to really make it difficult on me. Those retainer locks are the root of all evil! 
I think I will try the twin nut thing, I remember reading how someone else did that. I'll just let autozone keep my $20 deposit on it, after all, it's the exact same as the one they sell for that much. 
retainer locks!
) and it took me, well, TOO long. It would help if I had an air compressor, I might have to try the rope/yarn/whatever trick to stuff the cylinder or borrow an air compressor at this rate becasue the valve ends up getting bumped and sliding down into the piston to really make it difficult on me. Those retainer locks are the root of all evil! I think I will try the twin nut thing, I remember reading how someone else did that. I'll just let autozone keep my $20 deposit on it, after all, it's the exact same as the one they sell for that much. retainer locks! thats a piece of **** tool, i hated that one. i tried that, the lever tool with the handle cut off. i finally said **** it and bought this 
expensive but worth every penny. i think the tool now to get is the new crane one, where you can do 2 springs at once.
expensive but worth every penny. i think the tool now to get is the new crane one, where you can do 2 springs at once.
Originally Posted by jrp
thats a piece of **** tool, i hated that one. i tried that, the lever tool with the handle cut off. i finally said **** it and bought this
expensive but worth every penny. i think the tool now to get is the new crane one, where you can do 2 springs at once.
expensive but worth every penny. i think the tool now to get is the new crane one, where you can do 2 springs at once.
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From: The South
You know jrp, I considered ordering the crane tool. Figured that I could order it tomorrow, try to have it shipped overnight or two day air or something (I'm anxious to get this running) and figure that if I didn't have them done by the time it came I'd use it and if I did have them finished I'd be happy and save it for when I have to replace them. It's just so much money. But then again this is a PITA and the compressor gets in the way of putting the retainer locks in.
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Originally Posted by blkZ28spt
You know jrp, I considered ordering the crane tool. Figured that I could order it tomorrow, try to have it shipped overnight or two day air or something (I'm anxious to get this running) and figure that if I didn't have them done by the time it came I'd use it and if I did have them finished I'd be happy and save it for when I have to replace them. It's just so much money. But then again this is a PITA and the compressor gets in the way of putting the retainer locks in.
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Originally Posted by pdd
what brand is that tool? sdpc has a few of them with no pics. thanks pat
Thread Starter
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From: The South
So last night I did cylinder #1. It only took me ~1.5 hours.....or more I am not sure.
I just called Thunder Racing, I should have one of the crane cams tools here by noon tomorrow.
Just more money though.
I just called Thunder Racing, I should have one of the crane cams tools here by noon tomorrow.
Just more money though.
Staging Lane
Joined: Dec 2002
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From: Houston - Clear Lake
Originally Posted by blkZ28spt
So last night I did cylinder #1. It only took me ~1.5 hours.....or more I am not sure.
I just called Thunder Racing, I should have one of the crane cams tools here by noon tomorrow.
Just more money though.
I just called Thunder Racing, I should have one of the crane cams tools here by noon tomorrow.
Just more money though.
. I would love to hear how the crane works. When I used the craftsman tool it was the first time I had personally dug into a spring install portion of a cam swap. We used the tool as it was originally meant on cylinders 1, 3, & 5. That took us almost 2 hours. I then had the bright idea of the cutting/threading the bolts onto it. The rest of the cylinders took us maybe an hour & a half. But, we did have an air compressor so we didn't have to worry about the valves.
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From: The South
Yeah an air compressor would be nice. One of the advantages to the crane tool will be that I can rely on friction to hold the valve up ALL the way and I won't keep bumping it down into the piston because the spring tool gets crooked and hits the valve. Not something I would have realized until trying the swap myself. The added height above the tool will be great to clear hoses/cowl/etc plus I will have lots moer room to maneuver the stupid locks into place. With the GD craftsman tool you have to work in between the sides of the tool.
Edit: Hey jrp, when you replaced the front engine cover's seal (the one around the crank snout, not the perimeter gasket) did it come right out in on piece? I'm thinking this is another case of 98's being slightly different because I just went to hammer mine out per the JMX guide and the screwdriver goes right though it. It's rubber (but cold and brittle in my garage) and I can't see how to get it off in one piece w/o causing more damage to the seal than I already have.
Edit: Hey jrp, when you replaced the front engine cover's seal (the one around the crank snout, not the perimeter gasket) did it come right out in on piece? I'm thinking this is another case of 98's being slightly different because I just went to hammer mine out per the JMX guide and the screwdriver goes right though it. It's rubber (but cold and brittle in my garage) and I can't see how to get it off in one piece w/o causing more damage to the seal than I already have.
Last edited by blkZ28spt; Dec 28, 2004 at 05:04 PM.
I have the crane cams tool, it took me 15 minutes per SET of springs until I reached number 8 then things slowed down a bit. Air compressor made life a heck of alot easier too.
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From: The South
Originally Posted by AdamSS
So are you trying to say that it's impossible to use crane spring compressor, and the TDC method to keep the valves closed at the same time ?
) will keep it ALL the way up and make life much easier in terms of keeping the springs centered around the stem and getting the stupid locks on/off of the stem. Interesting..... Well then - I guess I'll have to rent air compressor after all....
Too bad that "exception" isnt mentioned in Jmx's write up.....
I'll do both TDC and compressed air, just in case....
Too bad that "exception" isnt mentioned in Jmx's write up.....
I'll do both TDC and compressed air, just in case....
If you don't have an air compressor pull the plug and stuff a length of rope into the plug hole, then rotate the motor until the piston pushes the rope up against the underside of the valves. Once the springs are changed pull the rope out and go to the next one. Use rope that is as lint free as possible.
good luck
Pat
good luck
Pat
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From: The South
Actually once I got the hang of using the spring (and other) tools it was a piece of cake. No reason you couldn't do each cylinder in 15-20 mins w/o the air compressor. It only took me 20-25 going slowly with dual springs and I was uneccesarily removing the spring tool after removing the stock springs. Once I got it down 15-20 mins per set was no sweat. All I have to do now is reassemble and cross my fingers.
One thing that worries me is the stupid valve retainer lock (or key, or keepr, whatever you call it) that I lost. It popped out of the rearmost spring on #8 and I never found it. I only hope that it didn't manage to somehow go inside, and rather fell down by the K-member.
One thing that worries me is the stupid valve retainer lock (or key, or keepr, whatever you call it) that I lost. It popped out of the rearmost spring on #8 and I never found it. I only hope that it didn't manage to somehow go inside, and rather fell down by the K-member.