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Valve spring install

apierce1289

apierce1289

New member
I was just talking to a friend about doing the valve springs and rockers. From what he says it's not as simple as taking the old ones off and putting the new ones on. He said the valves need to be in the correct position and what not. Can someone please elaborate on this or link to a write up. Keep in mind I have never done this before.

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Reading man.

C'mon, almost all these simple questions can be answered with research. Youtube even has video's of people doing them on push rod motors.

And yes, I'm "that guy", because I can be.
 
If I so much as touch of the valve while it's compressed to keep the valve up I will lose the compression in cylinder and my valve will drop. I'm scared beyond belief about doing this job on my own 0_0

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The easy way:

Have a compressor (say 120psi) handy.
Remove all the rockers from the motor
Get a compression tester, that has a schrader valve that can come out, take it out. This makes the tube wide open.
Put the adapter and tube into the cylinder you want to start on (all plugs removed) and attached your air hose from compressor to the compression tester tube.
This is now pressurizing the cylinder to hold up the valves.
Use your valve spring compressor to compres the spring and remove the valve locks.
Take your spring/retainer off the head
Change the valve seal
Put new spring with new retainer onto head (assumed they are compressed) and put the valve locks back in.
Release pressure on the spring.

Tada

Ready to install springs
IMG_6663.jpg


Tools for the process, less the compression tester hose (that's likely in the motor)
IMG_6664.jpg


Hose in a cylinder and spring being compressed with hand crank took
IMG_6665.jpg


Grabbing valve locks with magnet
IMG_6666.jpg


Spring off, new seal in place
IMG_6667.jpg


New spring in place with retainer, just needs locks put back in
IMG_6668.jpg

IMG_6669.jpg


That's about it for what I have.
 
For what its worth, a local head shop did mine.

I had the heads checked (didn't need decking), spings, locks, retainers installed for a grand total of $60. Not a bad price if you ask me. Not to mention they had it done within about half an hour from the time I dropped them off, to the time I left with them.
 


My friend told me that I have to turn the crank and adjust the valves and what not. Haven't heard anyone say that except him so that threw me off. Then I find out that my mom is not going to let me do the install at are house because we have animals and she worried about the chemicals and stuff. So then it's off to Bill's again. Every time I think I have a solution there's a monkey wrench thrown in there.

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you have to do that if you do it the old school way. this way when the valve falls in it just lands on top of the piston. use air and you dont have to worry about anything.
 
It's the fact my mom won't let me work on the car near the animals. There's no compromise with her decision since I live there for free. And I find this out last night just when things start coming together grrrrrrrr.

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Last edited:
How about at a friends house? I'm here for you...but trying to help with the not at home issue.

On the adjustment. Our rockers aren't adjustable so that takes that part out of the loop. It's simply bolt them down to the torque spec, spin the motor..retorque and presto.
 


If you are going to do it in the car I would try to get my hands on a few extra keepers in case you loose any. I dropped two but found them both when I did mine. It would have been a real pain if they were gone for good and I needed to find some before I could put it back together.
 
In all my installs, I've dropped two. Before I start on any job, the floor is swept super clean, just in case. Pretty good rate if you ask me.

This explains Alex's text. Don't worry at all Alex, even if I dropped the whole motor's worth of keepers, the parts box on the shelf (one labeled "misc") has enough for 2-3 motors and if that doesn't suffice the two scrap motors in the back of my truck can become donors in seconds.
 
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