Installing Valvesprings (Heads on)

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Sep 4, 2003 | 08:29 PM

niphilli

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From: Raleigh, NC

Installing Valvesprings (Heads on)

My buddy and I are installing a cam in a friends car (mostly my buddy is installing and I am learning for an install in mine next week) Anyway....

New cam is in...NO prob. We have this trick valvespring tool and so far we have replaced 4 of the springs with the new 918s. My question is: Is there anything special we need to do to verify that the springs are seated/installed correctly?

BTW we have used LS1howto.com a bunch....Incredible site, thanks guys.

TIA,
-Nick

Sep 4, 2003 | 09:07 PM

John02SS

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From: Pace, FL

Re: Installing Valvesprings (Heads on)

What spring tool are you guys using?

Sep 4, 2003 | 09:09 PM

lrmneil

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From: Clarksville

Re: Installing Valvesprings (Heads on)

Just take your time and double check yourself and it will go smoothly.

Sep 4, 2003 | 09:24 PM

StevieZ

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From: Montreal

Re: Installing Valvesprings (Heads on)

We want to hear about this trick spring tool!

Sep 4, 2003 | 10:17 PM

eallanboggs

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Re: Installing Valvesprings (Heads on)

Is this a serious question or what? If they're NOT seated you'll know about it and you won't have to ask this question. The spring will answer the question for you. Just use two spring tools at the same time to cut your work time in half. Since there are two people working on this job one person can compress the new 918 with one spring tool while the other is removing the old spring with the other compressor tool. As soon as the old spring comes out the new one goes right in with no time wasted switching the old spring out of the spring tool and THEN having to compressing the new 918 in the same spring tool before you can install it because it is already compressed in the extra spring compressor tool. You will have to purchase one spare sping retainer to take advantage of this time saving method. The compressed air trick saves time too if you put the piston at TDC. This allows you to do both the intake AND exhaust springs at the same time. You should have done the springs back when you changed out the cam especially if it has a high lift number. You may be living on borrowed time until you get ALL those springs swapped.

Sep 5, 2003 | 01:06 AM

CAT3

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From: Sierra Vista, AZ

Re: Installing Valvesprings (Heads on)

If your that worried about it you can tap the topof the valve/retainer with a soft hammer..i would hold a rag over the assembly cuz if it aint seated all the way, its gunna jet!
Shoudl be able to just look at them n tell though.

Sep 5, 2003 | 07:17 AM

niphilli

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From: Raleigh, NC

Re: Installing Valvesprings (Heads on)

Quote:

Is this a serious question or what?

Yeah, I am serious. I know that the retainers/ keepers are in correctly visually, i am talking about where the spring seats at the bottom. One of the springs we put in was very slightly at an angle and we had to tap it from the side to get it to center itself. I assume that they will center themselves after the motor turns over a few times, was just afraid that they might bind on the first couple of revolutions.

I seem to remember people posting up about how to correctly install and measure valvesprings after a few of the 918s from the bad batch broke.

Quote:

Just use two spring tools at the same time to cut your work time in half. Since there are two people working on this job one person can compress the new 918 with one spring tool while the other is removing the old spring with the other compressor tool. As soon as the old spring comes out the new one goes right in with no time wasted switching the old spring out of the spring tool and THEN having to compressing the new 918 in the same spring tool before you can install it because it is already compressed in the extra spring compressor tool. You will have to purchase one spare sping retainer to take advantage of this time saving method.

This is a trick idea, but I have the feeling this spring tool we are using was not cheap only have one

Quote:

The compressed air trick saves time too if you put the piston at TDC. This allows you to do both the intake AND exhaust springs at the same time. You should have done the springs back when you changed out the cam especially if it has a high lift number. You may be living on borrowed time until you get ALL those springs swapped.

We are using the TDC method and we just installed the cam today, only got through four springs before quittin' time