After completing 192 miles of my 194 mile trip today the car started making loud noises and was way down on power. The noises were coming from the passenger side. It sounded like the valve train. When I got home I pulled the valve cover and discovered that I broke the very last spring on the passenger side. Just great. Checked the pushrod and it apprears to be ever so slightly bent. I didnt have any glass to roll it across to verify that. Here is my question, is it possible to replace the very last sping on the passenger side with the head in the car ? If so how do I do it and what do I need ? BTW my heads are MMS Stage IIx heads with I believe Erson springs.

Thanks in advance.

John

 

Yea you can remove them with the heads on the car, all you need is a spring compressor...and maybe something else, but the compressor will get the spring off....

 

What about the valve, retainers and locks ?? How do I keep it from falling into the cylinder ?? Do I need new locks and retainers ??

 

ttt

 

I haven't done this but I've been told and have seen in GM High-Tech Performance Magazine that you can use a fitting that will go in where your spark plug is and hook up high pressure air to keep the valve in it's place. I don't know where to get that fitting.

 

Air fitting is available from Summit racing
Should also be able to find local. A short pc.
of 1/4"dia rope fed into cylinder may be
used.Feed into cyl. slowly rotate to TDC
and should hold valves. Just make sure to
leave end of rope hanging out of cyl. <img src="gr_grin.gif" border="0">

 

Ugh...you broke the HARDEST spring to change on these cars. Its possible to change it but I always had to use a low profile spring compressor that doesn't "grow" at its highest setting (its internally threaded).

Preferred method is to use compressed air to hold the valves shut or the rope method mentioned earlier (I've used that method before on a mustang...but it might be hard to feed in that back plug hole <img src="gr_sad.gif" border="0"> )

Either way...good luck <img src="gr_stretch.gif" border="0">

 

This helps! $27

 

Fireball, is the spring compressor posted by Plan B the one you are refering to ? If not where di you get yours and how much ? Thanks guys.


John

 

I wouldn't get the spring compressor mentioned above, get the KD tools Deluxe model K-D 3271. It will help allot, the handle is removable so that you can use a rachet or a wrench on it. I've done this just by bringing the piston to TDC and letting the valve rest on the top of the piston. But unless you are confident that you know where TDC for that cylinder is, I wouldn't do it that way. I'd use the air hose method, and get a magnet pen of somesort to get the locks out with.

good luck

 

Z-28 are there any local places that you know that sell them ?? Iam under a time constraint. I need to have the car up by Thurs. (I am going on a trip)

Thanks

John

 

Napa, there was a guy that posted about a week ago or so that found one there.

 

I got mine from Van's Autoparts. Dunno what you have in VA.

<img src="graemlins/camaro.gif" border="0" alt="[Chevrolet]" />

 

yeah...thats the compressor. I did it just like its shown but we have one with a nut welded at the end (just like the one mentioned) so you can fit a socket on the end...alot easier on the fingers <img src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" border="0">

 

Fireball, seems like you do this often. Actually WILWAXU told me you would be the one to ask. Are there any other things I need to know while doing this ??

Thanks

John

 

BEST SPRING COMPRESSOR
I just HAD to jump in here and tell about what I did. The regular compressors are available for FREE rental at Autozone, Pep Boys, and Murrays, as well as other auto stores, but there is hardly any room for a spring compressor on the passenger side so I made a tool out of an old tool handle which I had laying around. A 1.5" to 2" wide strip of flat 3/16" steel cut to 3.5" long from a hardware store or Lowes or Home Depot would work just as well. If you cant find steel thick enough, make two tools and double them up.

Just drill a 3/8" hole in the center (1.75" from either end) then cut a notch out of one end. The notch should resemble a "U" shape about 3/4" wide and 1" deep.

I used several washers for a spacer which I dropped on a rocker arm bolt and put the bolt with spacer through the hole in my tool.

Place the slotted end of the tool over the valve retainer, with the other end of the tool resting on the inner valve cover rail and tighten down the bolt with a ratchet.

You want to make sure that spacer allows several threads of the bolt to engaged in the bolt hole before tightening so you dont strip any threads. A stud and nut would be better but I didnt have the metric size needed.

This tool is perfect for tight spaces and easy to use for the other locations. The best part is the cost and availability - almost free and available anywhere immediately.

Of course you still need an air holding device to keep the valves in place when springs are off, and you may have to place a socket over the retainer and tap it with a hammer to loosen the keepers from the valve retainer before trying to use any spring compressor.

Here is a link with a picture of my homemade tool:
http://ls1.com/forums/showthread.php...threadid=39971

[ February 11, 2002: Message edited by: GTO69JUDGE ]</p>