Make your own valve spring compressor for $15

[cbatters]

Originally Posted by Boostaddict

Pull off your front valve cover (cake) to see what you are dealing with. There is no room to remove the valve springs without pulling the cams. Removing the cams isn't that much work. The timing belt will only take a few hours more and the extra room will make sure you don't drop the keepers into the abys of the head...

Think of it this way... you could probably swap brake pads without taking the wheels off, but why would you want to?

Already removed valve cover as per earlier post. I am pretty much resigned to removing the cams but would still like to find a screw type spring compressor instead of arm wrestling with a lever. (If I can save 10 minutes per valve with a better tool I save 4 hours on the job and a lot of frustration.)


Clint

[OthercarisaFiat]

Originally Posted by cbatters

Appreciate your input. My first choice is to find an existing tool that allows the spring to be compressed using a screw instead of a lever. This would free up both hands to remove/install the spring/keepers. Any time savings gets multiplied times 24 springs so I figured it was worth looking around to see what was available.

Did you ever consider modifying the tool (KD-2078) to allow it to grab onto the spring?


Clint

Yes, but I couldn't figure out how. The arms that are supposed to grab the spring coils are too big. There's really nothing you can do without redesigning the whole tool. You could make some kind of frame that bolts on to the cam towers, and holds the screw but you'd need several different configurations to reach all the valves.

I started out with a piece of pipe and a crowbar, and it developed into the tool that started this thread. As I stated somewhere earlier, it took me about 15 minutes per valve to remove the keepers, remove the spring and retainer, replace the stem seal, replace the spring and retainer, and reinsert the keepers before moving on to the next valve--so about 6 hours for the whole engine, not counting my time to make the tool.

[cbatters]

Originally Posted by OthercarisaFiat

Yes, but I couldn't figure out how. The arms that are supposed to grab the spring coils are too big. There's really nothing you can do without redesigning the whole tool. You could make some kind of frame that bolts on to the cam towers, and holds the screw but you'd need several different configurations to reach all the valves.

I started out with a piece of pipe and a crowbar, and it developed into the tool that started this thread. As I stated somewhere earlier, it took me about 15 minutes per valve to remove the keepers, remove the spring and retainer, replace the stem seal, replace the spring and retainer, and reinsert the keepers before moving on to the next valve--so about 6 hours for the whole engine, not counting my time to make the tool.

I'll pop the front rocker cover off again this weekend and measure the spring/head clearances to see if there is any hope for a stand-alone spring compressor remover. If it's too tight, I will be making one of your tools.

Do you know if there are any online pics of the Mitsu tool?



Clint

[OthercarisaFiat]

Originally Posted by cbatters

I'll pop the front rocker cover off again this weekend and measure the spring/head clearances to see if there is any hope for a stand-alone spring compressor remover. If it's too tight, I will be making one of your tools.

Do you know if there are any online pics of the Mitsu tool?



Clint

I've never seen one. I understand it bolts onto the cam tower somehow, and then there is a lever to compress the spring. I think that is what Hans at Ground Zero Performance has, and I understand that he sometimes loans it out.

[pearlxman]

I have the second mitsu type tool. I requires taking the heads off, but works great cost me $130 shipped for it. it puts a cut out socket on the spring, the other side goes on the end of the valve (piston side) and you just turn it and pull out the keepers. Took me about 3-5 minutes per valve.

Taking off the heads wasn't that bad either. Only a few more things to take them off. Just had to take off the downpipe, water coolant housing, lower intake, fuel rails, etc. Makes doing the valve seals MUCH easier.

[cbatters]

Many thanks to *GT for providing me with a loaner DOHC...

After talking to another member a few months ago, I had abandoned my original goal to build a tool that would allow replacing the VSS without removing the cams. After spending a couple of hours measuring tolerances on the head last night, I am 100% convinced it is possible to build a robust tool that will allow the spring to be compressed with a screw action and leave both hands free for removing/installing the keepers.

Compressed height of the springs is 1.492" with a force of ~50 pounds and a free length of 1.827" There is approximately .650" between the top of the valve retainer and the cam lobe so there is enough room to install the uncompressed spring with the cam shaft in place.

Reviewing possible design/fabrication options now...

[Good2Go]

The mitsu tool that you can buy is a screw type instead of a lever. It looks pretty easy to replicate if you can just weld

[skunkworks]

My brother-in-law has an intrepid that started smoking. He was going to spend this weekend changing the valve stem seals. He bought a valve spring compressor and everything. He called my dad to come over and take a look at it to give him some pointers. To make a long story short the vavle spring compressor that he bought did not fit around the valve springs. Dad did a search on yahoo and this thread came up-
Make your own valve spring compressor for $15
Thanks OthercarisaFiat
Dad made one up and it worked great. The funny thing is I was looking at the exact thread last night as I am going to be replacing my valve steam seals in the near future. I was busy cooking thanks giving dinner today to get over and take a look.

sam

[cbatters]

UPDATE:

Over the holidays I built a prototype of the patent pending VSS-CSI tool (replace VSS with cam shafts installed) and it worked like a champ. I was able to torque the tool down with a ratchet and remove the valve spring keepers in less than 30 seconds. (Thinking about adding a powerful magnet to automatically remove the keepers to make it even easier/faster.)

Then I discovered a good size glitch. Easy to remove the valve retainer but impossible to remove the valve spring with the valve stem fully extended. (At this point Kevin - aka MyKiss69 can rightly say "I told you so!")

PLAN A
Simple tool to remove the valve stem seal without removing the spring. (Even with the spring off - you really want some kind of tool to quickly remove the VSS. I was able to pop 2 of them off using a screwdriver but is was a PITA.)

PLAN B (probably too complicated/risky for average users)
1. Attach c clip to top of valve stem - remove pressure allowing valve to drop down into cylinder - remove spring

2. Re-pressurize cylinder - remove clip - remove/install VSS

3. Reinstall clip - remove pressure - reinstall spring - pressurize - remove clip

4. Install valve retainer - compress spring - install keepers - decompress spring

Sounds complicated but the whole procedure should not take more than 2-3 minutes / cylinder.


Clint

[skunkworks]

I like plan A. Do you think a tool could could be make that would slip over the vss and pull them off? I would love to be able to do this without having to remove the cams.

I was thinking the vss are like the ones in the intrepid where the valve spring traps the seal down.

sam