Changing Valve Springs
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Joined: Jun 2002
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From: Colorado
Changing Valve Springs Would I be able to change valve springs with this tool without having to pressurize the cylinder to keep the valves from falling in? TIA.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 4,281
Likes: 2
From: Colorado
Re: Changing Valve Springs </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by DenzSS:
<strong>I don't think so. I don't see any way for it to hold the valve up.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Ok <img border="0" title="" alt="[Sad]" src="gr_sad.gif" /> Do you know of one that would do the trick?
<strong>I don't think so. I don't see any way for it to hold the valve up.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Ok <img border="0" title="" alt="[Sad]" src="gr_sad.gif" /> Do you know of one that would do the trick?
Launching!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 246
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From: Plano, TX
Re: Changing Valve Springs </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by ls1290:
<strong> </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by DenzSS:
<strong>I don't think so. I don't see any way for it to hold the valve up.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Ok <img border="0" title="" alt="[Sad]" src="gr_sad.gif" /> Do you know of one that would do the trick?</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I have read about several people who have changed valvesprings without using compressed air to pressurize the cylinders to hold the valves up.
They use the "rope trick". Basically, you get a piece of rope or cord, 1/4" -3/8" thick and stuff some through the spark plug hole, then you rotate the engine by hand (wrench) until you are near or almost at Top Dead Center. The piston will push the rope against the top of the cylinder heads and valves until the rope is squashed. This will hold the valves in place while you swap springs.
You use enough rope, so you have a piece sticking out of the spark plug hole so you can pull it all back out when you are finished with one cylinder, then you move on and repeat the procedure on the next cylinder.
There should be some resistance turning the engine over near TDC and the valves should not be able to move when the springs are removed. If you can rotate the piston past TDC, then you need to stuff more rope in and / or uses thicker rope.
The compressed air sounds a little simpler if you have a compressor / fitting available, but the rope trick doesn't really sound much more difficult at all.
Good luck.
<strong> </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by DenzSS:
<strong>I don't think so. I don't see any way for it to hold the valve up.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Ok <img border="0" title="" alt="[Sad]" src="gr_sad.gif" /> Do you know of one that would do the trick?</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I have read about several people who have changed valvesprings without using compressed air to pressurize the cylinders to hold the valves up.
They use the "rope trick". Basically, you get a piece of rope or cord, 1/4" -3/8" thick and stuff some through the spark plug hole, then you rotate the engine by hand (wrench) until you are near or almost at Top Dead Center. The piston will push the rope against the top of the cylinder heads and valves until the rope is squashed. This will hold the valves in place while you swap springs.
You use enough rope, so you have a piece sticking out of the spark plug hole so you can pull it all back out when you are finished with one cylinder, then you move on and repeat the procedure on the next cylinder.
There should be some resistance turning the engine over near TDC and the valves should not be able to move when the springs are removed. If you can rotate the piston past TDC, then you need to stuff more rope in and / or uses thicker rope.
The compressed air sounds a little simpler if you have a compressor / fitting available, but the rope trick doesn't really sound much more difficult at all.
Good luck.
