Generation III Internal Engine 1997-2006 LS1 | LS6
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Valve springs

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Apr 27, 2006 | 09:36 AM
  #1  
98REDZ's Avatar
Thread Starter
11 Second Club
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 274
Likes: 0
From: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Default Valve springs

Well im wanting to be safe about swapping these springs and i had a quick question. I've got the Crane Valve spring tool and I am using the air fitting into the spark plug hole to hold the valve. I also have the intake off of the car while doing this, and notice as soon as i start to compress the spring all the air runnng through is coming right out of the first port hole on the head. Now my question is,...is that right? or is somethin up? Should I have to have my intake on while swapping the springs?
Reply
Old Apr 27, 2006 | 09:54 AM
  #2  
MightyBobo's Avatar
Launching!
iTrader: (12)
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 223
Likes: 0
From: Omaha, NE
Default

Originally Posted by 98REDZ
Well im wanting to be safe about swapping these springs and i had a quick question. I've got the Crane Valve spring tool and I am using the air fitting into the spark plug hole to hold the valve. I also have the intake off of the car while doing this, and notice as soon as i start to compress the spring all the air runnng through is coming right out of the first port hole on the head. Now my question is,...is that right? or is somethin up? Should I have to have my intake on while swapping the springs?
You arent lining up the valve through the hole properly, most likely. So, when you compress the spring, one of the springs coils, or the retainer itself, is catching the top of the valve and pushing it down with the spring. Opens the valve, air comes out. My buddy's face got shot with compressed air through the intake manifold because of that haha. Either that, or you arent putting the compressed air into the proper spark plug hole...but, I will go with the 1st reason over that.

Small edit: Is this happening when you're trying to swap the old springs OUT? The ones already installed? Or putting the new ones on?
Reply
Old Apr 27, 2006 | 09:59 AM
  #3  
Jordan S.'s Avatar
10 Second Club
iTrader: (17)
 
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 611
Likes: 0
From: Tulsa, OK
Default

Am I going to have to come over there and show you how to do it.
Reply
Old Apr 27, 2006 | 10:05 AM
  #4  
98REDZ's Avatar
Thread Starter
11 Second Club
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 274
Likes: 0
From: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Default

yes,.....This is happening while im trying to get the old ones out.
Reply
Old Apr 27, 2006 | 10:14 AM
  #5  
MightyBobo's Avatar
Launching!
iTrader: (12)
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 223
Likes: 0
From: Omaha, NE
Default

Originally Posted by 98REDZ
yes,.....This is happening while im trying to get the old ones out.

Hmmm...in THAT case, it sounds like you arent getting enough pressure to hold the valves up, not that it needs THAT much...

Unless your tool is hitting the top of the valve stem, and is pushing the valve stem with it? I had no problems with mine, just had a really simple tool one of my friends in the area made with a bolt and some 1/4" steel with a hole in it lol. Worked fantastic.
Reply
Old Apr 27, 2006 | 10:17 AM
  #6  
98REDZ's Avatar
Thread Starter
11 Second Club
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 274
Likes: 0
From: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Default

Yeah, its not on the stem, I may just not be getting enough pressure. Maybe I just need to get that "Jordan S." cat to come fix his screw up of puttin that fitting into that hole and me not being able to tighten or loosen it now.
Reply
Old Apr 27, 2006 | 10:20 AM
  #7  
MightyBobo's Avatar
Launching!
iTrader: (12)
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 223
Likes: 0
From: Omaha, NE
Default

Originally Posted by 98REDZ
Yeah, its not on the stem, I may just not be getting enough pressure. Maybe I just need to get that "Jordan S." cat to come fix his screw up of puttin that fitting into that hole and me not being able to tighten or loosen it now.
If its not compressing the stem, then it sounds like you just arent getting enough pressure holding the valve up. You can always use the Top Dead Center method, too...that'd work.
Reply
Old Apr 27, 2006 | 10:30 AM
  #8  
98LS-WON's Avatar
Launching!
 
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 273
Likes: 0
From: Wichita Falls, TX
Default

Forget the air and just put the piston at TDC. Your valves wont drop more than .050' if you're near TDC.
Reply
LS1 Tech Stories

The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time

story-0

6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-1

Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

 Verdad Gallardo
story-2

Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-3

Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

 
story-4

Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

 
story-8

10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

 Verdad Gallardo
story-9

Five Reasons the Camaro Was the Most Pivotal Player in the Pony Car Wars 2.0

 Brett Foote
Old Apr 27, 2006 | 10:32 AM
  #9  
98REDZ's Avatar
Thread Starter
11 Second Club
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 274
Likes: 0
From: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Default

yeah I may end up just doing both, TDC is definitely crossing my mind right now though for sure, I just dont know, i want the most reliable way and the simplest at the same time,...then i want the sh*t to work for me
Reply
Old Apr 27, 2006 | 12:04 PM
  #10  
98LS-WON's Avatar
Launching!
 
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 273
Likes: 0
From: Wichita Falls, TX
Default

Originally Posted by 98REDZ
, i want the most reliable way and the simplest at the same time,...then i want the sh*t to work for me
Def go with TDC. I've never done it, but I know guys that have hit the valve putting the springs on and had it drop into the cylinder. Granted that was on an aircraft engine so these might not fall all the way in, but i guess its still a possibility if you lose the pressure in the cylider.
Reply
Old Apr 27, 2006 | 03:06 PM
  #11  
AdamSS's Avatar
TECH Enthusiast
20 Year Member
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 740
Likes: 0
From: Chicago Suburbs
Default

TDC !!! PERIOD !
Get a $10 piston stop (spark plug type), remove spark plug from the #1 cylinder and install the stop...That's you'r TDC...from there follow ls1howto procedure on swapping the 2 cylinders at a time... EASY and ERROR-PROOF !

Compressor is messy....
Reply
Old Apr 27, 2006 | 03:47 PM
  #12  
ThePizzaGTP's Avatar
Teching In
 
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
From: Carpentersville, IL
Default

This could be a stupid question, but your rockers are off, right? I swapped rockers/VS/PR's on a GTP, and during a brief moment of stupidity, I put the air-hold tool on before I took the rockers off, and obviously the valves were open - same thing you're talkin about.

TDC is def. the way to go, but if you take your time, the air-hold tool works good, too. Just don't whack the valve when you're putting the spring on, and tap the end of the valve once you take the spring compressor off to make sure the locks are seated fully.
Reply
Old Apr 27, 2006 | 07:06 PM
  #13  
eallanboggs's Avatar
TECH Addict
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,080
Likes: 1
From: New Orleans
Default

You can put the piston at TDC on the compression stoke and still use air to hold up the valves. Just don't use too little air or too much. 40 or 50 lbs. If you use too much with all the plugs out you can end up spinning the crank. You better be damn sure you know how to use that tool properly meaning you have it centered and square over BOTH valves or you might end up breaking off that rocker bolt and then you are in over your head.

Last edited by eallanboggs; May 2, 2006 at 01:08 AM.
Reply
Old May 1, 2006 | 09:02 PM
  #14  
98REDZ's Avatar
Thread Starter
11 Second Club
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 274
Likes: 0
From: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Default

I beleive it would be pretty tough to break a rocker bolt using the Crane Cams tool with how it works but we'll see i guess. And yeah i started to use the TDC method and lined the timing chain dots up to do cyc. 1 and 6 and i guess had to much pressure b/c the crank spun over ....so i'll see what i can do tonight and put it to 45lbs rather than 75 and see what happens.
Reply
Old May 2, 2006 | 01:14 AM
  #15  
eallanboggs's Avatar
TECH Addict
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,080
Likes: 1
From: New Orleans
Default

Just keep the tool straight and square the whole time pressure it applied and apply the pressure slowly. Don't slam the lever down to compress the springs. If you take your time it can be done right. It's when people get in a rush or lack experience that they have to learn the lesson the hard way and that's what you want to avoid. Learn from the mistakes of others. If you read Internal Engines long enough you find plenty of threads on broken bolts and stripped threads and some even go so far as to break off the screw extractor inside of the bolt they had already broken off. That's when they're in real trouble. Even Lucy didn't screw up that bad. If she had Ricky would have killled her.
Reply
Old May 2, 2006 | 01:19 AM
  #16  
ThirdGenLS1's Avatar
TECH Resident
iTrader: (11)
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 987
Likes: 0
From: Boston
Default

i had the same problem, the retainer is just sticking and pushing down the valve while your compressing the spring. I just grabbed a long extention and a bugger mellat, gave the hop of the retainer a quick hit and that should do it.

I got that off of LS1howto.com in there cam swap part.

Justin
Reply
Old May 4, 2006 | 02:51 PM
  #17  
98REDZ's Avatar
Thread Starter
11 Second Club
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 274
Likes: 0
From: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Default

Thanks, all got taken care of and they are swapped and ready to go! THanks for all the help!
Reply
Old May 4, 2006 | 03:12 PM
  #18  
daryl2cb@yahoo.com's Avatar
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,882
Likes: 0
From: Greensburg,PA
Default

Another vote for TDC method the only way to go.
Reply




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:16 PM.

story-0
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

Slideshow: From wobbling harmonic balancers to failed EBCMs, these are the issues that define long-term C5 ownership and what repairs typically involve.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-07 18:44:57


VIEW MORE
story-1
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

Slideshow: A modern Camaro transformed into a retro icon, this limited-run "Bandit" build blends nostalgia with brute force in a way few revivals manage.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-21 13:57:02


VIEW MORE
story-2
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

Slideshow: Cadillac didn't just crash the high-performance luxury vehicle party, it showed up loud, supercharged, and occasionally a little unhinged...

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-16 10:05:15


VIEW MORE
story-3
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

Slideshow: Top ten most powerful Chevy trucks ever made

By | 2026-03-25 09:22:26


VIEW MORE
story-4
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

Slideshow: Hennessey has turned the Silverado ZR2 into a 700-hp off-road monster with supercharged V8 power and a limited production run.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-24 18:57:52


VIEW MORE
story-5
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

Slideshow: A one-off sports car that looks like a vintage Italian exotic-but hides a C6 Corvette underneath-just sold for the price of a new mid-engine Corvette.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-23 18:53:41


VIEW MORE
story-6
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

Slideshow: A heavily reworked 1972 K5 Blazer swaps its off-road roots for a low-slung street-focused build with modern V8 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-09 18:08:45


VIEW MORE
story-7
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There are thousands of used Camaros on the market but we think you should avoid these 10

By | 2026-02-17 17:09:30


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

Slideshows: Which one of these myths do you believe?

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-28 18:10:11


VIEW MORE
story-9
Five Reasons the Camaro Was the Most Pivotal Player in the Pony Car Wars 2.0

The world was a better place when it was still around.

By Brett Foote | 2026-01-23 09:20:37


VIEW MORE