Anyone know a good place on the web with instructions on installing new valve springs? Kind of a step by step, for the shade tree like myself?

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Thanks everyone, I will be digging into that this weekend.

[ 05-06-2003, 11:54 AM: Message edited by: Johnso ]

www.cranecams.com (http://www.cranecams.com)
Click on the installation instructions link at the left.

Johnso,

You can rent a valve spring compressor tool from an auto parts store. Sometimes it's free to use and return. The heads will probably have to be off the block though.
If the heads are still on the engine and all you're doing is changing springs, there are ways to do it also. There are valve spring tools that work with the heads still mounted. You have to use compressed air pumped into the spark plug holes to keep the valves in their seats though.

Good luck!

You can also stuff some small diameter rope in the spark plug hole to keep the valves from falling down.

I've used Ron's method before. Be sure to use brand new nylon "ski" rope because it won't leave any lint or dirt on the cylinder walls. I replaced a whole set of springs on a motor with this method and it works well.

the rope method, IMO, is about the best way. Like gheatly said, make sure it is new nylon rope. The compressed air method is good too, but there are some tricky methods to it. If the motor is older with more piston ring wear, then you will need to keep refilling the cylinder with air. Put the piston at TDC, then fill it with air, but not too much though, as you will force the piston down again. The piston at TDC will keep the valve from falling down into the cylinder and save you a whole day of work.

Originally posted by Rons68:
You can also stuff some small diameter rope in the spark plug hole to keep the valves from falling down. An old spark plug wire works good, too.

How will I be sure I am at TDC?

The plug wire trick works well. It is best to pull all the plugs out, and then rotate the engine by hand to bring it up so the wire holds the valves up. Be sure to tap on the retainers with a socket first to free up the locks, they tend to bind in place after use. If you have an alternator on the motor, the nut on the front of it is a great place to turn the motor with a socket from. Just push the wire in the cylinder while the piston is down a ways, then turn it by hand until the piston contacts the wire and you cannot easily turn the engine any more. Then, change the springs on that hole, and then back off the engine and remove the wire and move on to the next cylinder.

I did what everyone said and it worked like a charm, my old valve springs were so weak that I could compress them by hand. Went with the nylon rope.

Thanks graemlins/beers.gif

I donno about the sparkplug wire thing??

Go over to Team Chevelle and ask Gene, aka, 427L88 how he got the stuff out after it hung up on a valve!! I think he said it always worked for him before so he didn't know what the heck happened when he couldn't pull it back out... pdq67

i don't even know what i spark plug wire is.... when i did mine, i just used the airhose that screws into the spark plug hole and let my shop air compressor to the rest.... quickest way IMO
i would not want to mess with the rope. to each his own... smile.gif