installing Valve springs / retainers ??

ASSISTANCE Hybrids & Advanced Aftermarket Engine Performance
1

can i change the valvespings and retainers of my ls head without taking the head off or will the valves fall if i remove the springs?

i got a b18a crower valvespirng kit/titanium retainers and i want to install them in along with my jg301s

2

You can with the proper tool. But I would seriously suggest taht you take the cylinder head off to install the valve springs.

3

I’m in the process of doing just that. The only special tool you absolutely need is a fitting to allow you to pump compressed air into your cylinders to keep the valves up when you take the springs off. Other than that, you can actually do them with just some sockets/screwdrivers. It’s by no means an elegant solution, but it basically works. What I did, is first, to release the keepers, I put a deep 3/4"-1" diameter socket on the top of the retainer, and smack the socket with a hammer. That is enough to compress the spring a bit and when the spring compresses, the keepers will get knocked loose. Just be careful though because if you hit it too hard and end up bouncing the socket off of the retainer, you stand a good chance of sending the keepers flying. So be careful. Installing the new ones is harder. What I found to work best is to take another 3/4"-1" 1/2" drive socket and put a universal screwdriver minus the bit through the socket. The universal screwdriver I’m using happens to have a shaft the perfect diameter to put pressure on the keepers but slip over the valve stem, so you’ll need one with the same basic dimensions. I then line up the screwdriver head with the valve keepers (mine has a telescoping magnetic wand/pointer that retracts into the shaft, which works nicely to help line it up, and also will grab the keepers if I mess up) and have a friend put pressure on the screwdriver. Then I take a wrench or pliers and push down on the socket while my friend is pushing on the screwdriver. With a little luck, the spring compresses and the keepers get forced into place. So far it’s worked great. Probably not as easy or good as a proper valve spring compressor, but hey, it works :stuck_out_tongue: Good luck!

Oh, also, remember to stuff rags into all the oil holes in the head. So just in case you lose some keepers or anything, they don’t fall into the engine.

4

is it alot easier if you take the head off? any site to show how to do it step by step?

5

it’s easieer to do it wiht the head on…

6

This is what dealers use when replacing valve seals.

http://buy.snapon.com/catalog/pro_det.asp?P65=yes&qt=1&tool=all&catItem=true&INV_ONHAND=&FREIGHT=&qty=1&Item_id=11719&PartNo=YA9140&Price=116.00&ListPrice=116.00&FORMNAME=2&Desc=Compressor%2C+Valve+Spring%2C+Universal&SUB_Cat_ID=1468521&SUB_Cat_NAME=Valve+Spring+Compressors&Cat_ID=1468459&Cat_NAME=Valve&group_id=1575&group_NAME=Valve+Spring+Compressors&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

And this too.

Lisle #19700 Valve Holder

http://www.lislecorp.com/tools/catalog/valve/index.htm

–
Tom