Removing Valve springs

TheDude · Posted: June 24, 2008, 1:11 pm Post subject: Removing Valve springs

Anybody have a good trick for removing valve springs? My spring compressor has a hard time fitting in that tight space.

xsjohn · Posted: June 24, 2008, 1:28 pm Post subject: Re: Removing Valve springs

Large c clamp with a 2 inch chunk of handle bar pile type material.......notch the end of it so the valve keeper can be accessed.....the thing I use but it is almost a 2 man job....must be a better way but it didn't cost me anything.........

xsjohn

TheDude · Posted: June 24, 2008, 1:35 pm Post subject: Re: Removing Valve springs

Thanks XSJohn

weekendrider · Posted: June 24, 2008, 2:30 pm Post subject: Re: Removing Valve springs

John do you use an overshot(something larger the spring) on that pipe to keep it from slipping sideways?

shil · Posted: June 25, 2008, 7:28 am Post subject: Re: Removing Valve springs

Get a big socket, the biggest that'll fit on top of the valve spring retainer, with an extension so that you've got something to hold on to. Place the socket on the retainer and give it a mighty whack with a proper hammer. The keepers will fly right out, but not across the garage, there's a socket in the way.

You'll need to figure out some other way to to re-install the valves. I've used a clamp with a plumbing T fitting, inserting the keepers through the hole in the fitting.

TheDude · Posted: June 25, 2008, 11:41 am Post subject: Re: Removing Valve springs

I originally tried the socket and hammer trick with no success. Last night, I tried the C-Clamp method. That worked.

I took a 1" piece of aluminum tube and cut a window in it to get the retainer clips out. I then took a 9" C-Clamp and placed one end on the valve (inside the combustion chamber) and the other on the tube over the spring.

had I had more patients, I would have mad an overshot as weekendrider inquired about. The first spring I compressed slipped off and sent springs and keepers across the room. I process took some care, but was successful.

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