Make your own valve spring compressor for $15

[Dakken]

I just post that I made the tool described in the first few posts. I bought a Snapon spring compressor that didn't work (it was their smallest one). Prior to that I was using a Craftman spring compressor that I had grinded down with a 4" grind wheel. I had to hook it on to the spring I was working on and the adjacent spring in order to use it. It was a MAJOR PITA. It literally took me about 30min per VSS to do my front bank. I gave up on my rear bank for about a month then I found this thread.

I made the tool and I did my rear bank, all 12 VSS in 2 hours. Then I redid my front bank because I realized that I did not fully seat the front VSS when I installed them. I just pushed them down with my fingers instead of putting a 11mm deepwell socket over it and tapping them down flush with a small hammer. Redoing the front bank only took me 1 1/2 hours. These times are with the valve covers and timing belt off already. I still had to take the cams out and in on both heads.

Thanks a lot for coming up with this tool and posting about it. It saved me a lot of time and headache. I have no idea how I would have done the rear bank with that Craftman compressor that I had. I probably would have gone out of my mind.

[cbatters]

Originally Posted by Dakken

I just post that I made the tool described in the first few posts. I bought a Snapon spring compressor that didn't work (it was their smallest one). Prior to that I was using a Craftman spring compressor that I had grinded down with a 4" grind wheel. I had to hook it on to the spring I was working on and the adjacent spring in order to use it. It was a MAJOR PITA. It literally took me about 30min per VSS to do my front bank. I gave up on my rear bank for about a month then I found this thread.

I made the tool and I did my rear bank, all 12 VSS in 2 hours. Then I redid my front bank because I realized that I did not fully seat the front VSS when I installed them. I just pushed them down with my fingers instead of putting a 11mm deepwell socket over it and tapping them down flush with a small hammer. Redoing the front bank only took me 1 1/2 hours. These times are with the valve covers and timing belt off already. I still had to take the cams out and in on both heads.

Thanks a lot for coming up with this tool and posting about it. It saved me a lot of time and headache. I have no idea how I would have done the rear bank with that Craftman compressor that I had. I probably would have gone out of my mind.

I am impressed that you went back and fixed the front VSS - Over time I bet at least some of the VSS would have worked their way up and allowed excess oil to flow down into the cylinder.

Congrats..


Clint

[DeanVR4]

Sounds good. I was just about to try to hone my welding skills (which are virtually nil) and build something.

I have the heads off and am still unable to get anything to work. I have tried three different tools of the C-clamp variety and none will work. Just can't get the right angle to push the spring squarely. Has anyone heard of a stock tool that will actually get these valves out?

[DeanVR4]

Sounds good. I was just about to try to hone my welding skills (which are virtually nil) and build something.

I actually have the heads off and still no luck. I have bought three different C-clamp type spring compressors and none work. It's a clearance and alignment issue where they just won't push on the spring squarely. Has any one heard of a stock tool that will get these valves out?

[cbatters]

Originally Posted by DeanVR4

Sounds good. I was just about to try to hone my welding skills (which are virtually nil) and build something.

I actually have the heads off and still no luck. I have bought three different C-clamp type spring compressors and none work. It's a clearance and alignment issue where they just won't push on the spring squarely. Has any one heard of a stock tool that will get these valves out?

Generic valve compressors do not work well which is why this thread was started. (The goal was also to remove springs/VSS without removing cams or heads.)

You can order a tool from Mitsu/Miller that works with the head /cams off.


Clint

[skunkworks]

mykiss69 uses this for heads out of the car. He says it works well
valve spring compressor
sam

[mmokka]

I dunno if this is much help, but maybe we could grab this to the fuel rail. check it out http://www.sjdiscounttools.com/kdt3087.html

[OthercarisaFiat]

Originally Posted by mmokka

I dunno if this is much help, but maybe we could grab this to the fuel rail. check it out http://www.sjdiscounttools.com/kdt3087.html

It looks similar in principle to mine. It probably would work. The hook looks a little big though, and not quite long enough. The only way to know for sure would be to order one and try it out.

[Mel16m]

I made a tool and I am using it with leaving the cams and timing belt on the car, I have the whole front bank done, well, all but one, I did 11 by myself and a buddy was supposed to come over and help me, he came over on the last one and dropped a keeper down the oil drain tube in the front head... I am not gonna sweat it, I already made a thread about it and got a few responses, ( http://www.3si.org/forum/showthread....17#post4238917 ) but I ordered new keepers they should be here tomorrow (monday) and I will be able to get the front bank back together. Basically I took an 11/16 box end wrench, cut off the box end, and re-welded it at a 90 degree angle to the wrench shaft. Then I cut about 1/3 of the box off of the box end of it at an angle so I would have access to the keepers when I compressed. Then I welded a small socket to the top of it so it would have a solid piece to grab on basically when using that compressoion tool. I then took a piece of square tubing to use as the handle and drilled a few holes, and added that hook thing, and am currently using the oil feed thing for the lifters as the originator of this thread has described. However, I did 2 things that most people will cringe while listening to me.... First, I put the engine at TDC and pressurized the cylinders, I had to make sure that the engine was at perfect TDC or it would rotate, and I only filled to 40psi... that's just to aid me a little bit, I was so afraid I was gonna drop a valve, I couldnt do it if the engine was at BDC. After I got the keepers off, I rotated the engine so that the valve was all the way down inside the valve guide almost to where it would fall, then changed the seal, then I did the other thing people will cringe about, I rotated the engine *backwards* just a tiny bit to get the valve to pop back up so I could grab it. The original tool I made ( the cut up wrench) I had to shorten a lot to get it to work, then in some spots it was not long enough, so I added a deep well socket that fit over the socket I had welded on there and it was long enough then. That basically allowed me to remove it when I needed it and it was solid enough that it didnt swivel when I used it. I havent gotten to the rear bank yet so I dont know how that is gonna go for me, but i'll let everyone know, so far all I have taken off of the car is the front valve cover, front upper timing cover and the drivers side wheel (and of course the rockers one at a time.)

*edit on how I pressd the seals down: I pressed down on the valve stem seals with my fingers on the first 3 and put them back together before I realized on the 4th one that didnt work. So I will have to take those 3 valves back apart and push the vss down harder, after the 4th one popped back up, I realized I needed something different to use, so I got an 11mm socket, put that on top of the seal and used the handle of a pair of pliers (which was rubber coated, dont freak out) to pry downward against the camshaft lobe to set the seals in, and it works great

[OthercarisaFiat]

You ordered new keepers? What about the one you dropped down the oil drain tube? It is in your crankcase now--don't you want to get it out of there? Drain your oil and it should come out. If not, you need to drop the oil pan.