Projects SBC VALVE SPRING REMOVAL

I am trying to remove the valve spring, keepers, seal, and valve on these heads. I bought a valve spring compression tool. I have a rag under the bottom of the head pushing against the valve. I have turned the compression tool about as tight as I can get it, push down on it and I can not get the keepers out to release everything. Am I doing something wrong? This picture is the compressor tool on the spring as tight as I can get it. I didn't want to bang on it. I am not sure of the proper procedure. I have seen another type of tool that bolts on to the rocker stud then you pull up on it to release the spring pressure. I don't have that type of tool though. Any ideas? All help is greatly appeciated.

 

Smack the edges of the spring retainers prior to using the compressing tool.

 

Looks like the keepers are still stuck in the retainer. Tap the retainer with a small hammer should do the trick.

 

Damn. You beat me to it Johnny! 

 

Put a 1/2" drive socket on top, smack the socket with a hammer. Keepers beez loose after dat..
.

 

And not a gentle, girly tap....show 'em who's the boss!

 

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-906784

Easiest valve spring compressor I've ever used. Well worth the money. Ignore the video associated with the product as it is for some contraption used to compress springs on 4 valve heads.

 

I made one of these. Works great.

 

OK. I was afraid to go banging around to hard.

 

Yeah! Who's yo daddy....

 

A 1" deep wall socket and a dead blow hammer is what I use.... Center the socket over the retainer and give it a good wack.. Watch your fingers!!!...

 

Lay the head on the table with the intake side down. This puts your tool horizontal, and you can compress the spring, and then give the valve itself a sharp rap with a brass hammer on the combustion chamber end. That will almost always break them free, and then you can use a magnet to suck them out of the recess.
Be sure your spring compressor is fully extended before putting in on the spring, so you get as much compression as possible. I personally prefer my C clamp style compressor as it holds both the spring cup, and the end of the valve, so it has to pop free as you clamp the assembly.

 

So you're saying you'll get better results if your tool is horizontal? Man, is there nothing you can't learn about on this forum?

 

Get the correct tool. Make it easy on yourself with the head off this one is at least 40 years old.

 

What @jimmy six said......and that tool makes it a breeze to reassemble.

 

Don't hit on the valve, hit on the edge of the retainer. The locks are a tapered fit and they tend to stick. Before I disassemble a head, I go down the line and hit the edge of all the spring retainers to break the taper.

 

The big problem is that along with the wrong valve spring compressor for what you are doing (the one you are using is for when the head is bolted on the block) you don't have it set up right and aren't compressing the spring you are just pulling on the oil shield . The hooks need to be hooked on the lowest coil of the spring that you can reach so you can compress the spring.

 

While that is true, let’s not forget op is new to this. He got stumped when keepers didn’t come loose and didn’t know why.

 

If you are going to use the tool you have weld a 3/4 inch nut on the top so you can use a socket and ratchet to tighten it down. That handle is hard on your hands.

 

I guess I may have came off a bit harsh on that one but it was just the old auto shop teacher pointing out a mistake to the first time student.
I've got a pretty close twin to that spring compressor out in the tool box that I have changed valve seals on several engines with and they are a pain in the butt to use when you know what you are doing let alone when you are in the learning stage. If firefighter1618 was close enough I'd just loan him one of mine or help him do it. You have to be careful on the C clamp style too though as some of them have been abused too much and don't work right and some are just flat too flimsy to work right unless the moon and stars are aligned right.

 

Clamping or bolting the head to a bench makes it simpler to use those " on head" spring compressors .

 

You’re gonna have a tough time doing valve springs with that compressor. The images of the ones above like a big C clamp are what you need. Old school independent auto parts stores almost always have one hanging on the wall for sale, but those places are getting hard to find. Napa may have one but they are getting worse by the week. Autozone and the like are just clueless about most of this shit. But you can get what you need for about 30 bucks on Amazon shipped to your door. Save yourself the aggravation and get one, you don’t need a tool till you need one. But it if you can and you’ll have it forever. Here is a link to a cheap o e that will work well for you. And let you pull the locks right out and reassembly a snap.

OMT Universal Valve Spring Compressor Tool | Valve Spring Removal Tool & Adjustment Tool with 1" & 1-3/16" Adapters | Direct Action Valve Spring Compression Tool for Cars Trucks and More https://a.co/d/46MKG4s

 

They can be removed with that style compressor shown . I have put lots of new seals on SB Chebbies with the same compressor and no air compressor to hold the valve closed . I shoved a piece of rope into the cylinder , turned the engine by hand , until it had the rope compressed tightly against the valve , just go through the firing order and it worked , fine as wine for me .

 

I second this. Easy for me to say though, I have one hanging on the wall.

 

Jimmy, you and I should have a contest to see which of us has the oldest! I think I bought mine sometime in the seventies. It has served me well all these years except when I bought heads for my 354 hemi from Joe Reath and had to replace the valve seals. What a wrestling match that was! Triple springs and a manual compressor can be a real challenge ! I replaced the triple springs with a normal inner and outer spring set up and MAN, was that easier. I forgot that Joe only knew one option on hemis, BLOWER! I now have a perfect set of triple blower springs in a box if anyone needs them and a manual spring compressor that lives a much easier life!

 

I have found, with that type compressor, that it works best when you sort of thread it around the spring, so you get the full compression of the spring, which helps immensely, as mentioned above. Get the jaws as far down on the spring as possible. I've been following your quest, good luck mister.

 

I still have mine, that’s the Lisle CF-11, bought at Target Auto Parts back in 1972. The next project for it is some ‘441 SBC heads for a friend.

 

Wrap a hose clamp around the arms. It’ll help keep the compressor from slipping off the spring.

 

As deucemac says they are hard to use with really stiff springs. I’m under 140 with flat tappet so it’s not too much of a problem. Since for my own personal stuff I also don’t need an air one. As for age I’ve had it since 1976 and it was used when I got it.
OWATONNA TOOL CO. MINN. CF-11
The White Motor Co Engine Lab is etched on it.
They are still in business today making Automotive Shop Tools.

 

i always used a bfh (big fuck'n hammer) and a socket to remove them, and a c-clamp type compressor to put them back together on the bench. while on motor i filled the cylinder with rope and used the l shaped compressor to get em.