Slant *        6        Forum
Home Home Home
The Place to Go for Slant Six Info!
Click here to help support the Slant Six Forum!
It is currently Fri Mar 29, 2024 1:57 am

All times are UTC-07:00




Post new topic  Reply to topic  [ 14 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Tue Dec 07, 2021 5:10 pm 
Offline
Supercharged

Joined: Wed Sep 17, 2008 6:48 pm
Posts: 3805
Location: Indianapolis
Car Model:
I want to remove a valve spring or two, but do not want to pull the cylinder head.
Run the piston near TDC, push some rope in through the spark plug hole, then rock the piston the rest of the way up. I think I am good with that.
My question is, what is the best - safest tool to use to compress the valve spring to remove the retainer and keeper. I have one of those hand held spring compressors with the wheel on the top and the two fingers that grab the lower spring coils, and I don’t like that tool. I had a compressed spring slip out of it and it shot across the garage like a rocket. If I had been in the way, that would have hurt.
So is there a spring compressor that would fit to the rocker shaft on a slant?

_________________
Doo Ron Ron and the Duke of Earl are friends of mine.....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uX8Nj8ABEI8


Top
   
PostPosted: Tue Dec 07, 2021 5:21 pm 
Offline
Board Sponsor & Moderator
User avatar

Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2002 7:27 pm
Posts: 14119
Location: Park Forest, Illinoisy
Car Model: 68 Valiant
I have seen tools that have a J shaped end with a slot in it that you hook under the rocker shaft and pull the handle to compress the spring enough to get the keepers off through the slot. I used one on DeSalvo's Pro Stock truck motor. Pretty sure the one he had was not cheap.

I have one like yours. I don't think I have ever used it.

_________________
Official Cookie and Mater Tormentor.


Top
   
PostPosted: Wed Dec 08, 2021 3:35 am 
Offline
Supercharged
User avatar

Joined: Sat Nov 27, 2004 8:03 pm
Posts: 8977
Location: IRWIN PA
Car Model:
I have used one like this plenty of times:
Image

They are slow and fiddly, but they work fine.

Sometimes you have to reposition the tool a few times on the spring to get it compressed properly and not have it fly across the garage or to get the keepers in or out.


I have not used any other on the vehicle spring compressor but I know they are out there. This one is small enough to work in the engine bay around hoses, Brake boosters, A/C stuff and other general crap that is near the engine.

Greg

_________________
http://www.youtube.com/hyperpack
Image


Top
   
PostPosted: Wed Dec 08, 2021 9:03 am 
Offline
SL6 Racer & Moderator
User avatar

Joined: Sat Oct 19, 2002 12:06 pm
Posts: 8422
Location: Silver Springs, Fl.
Car Model:
I made my own. Used a old rocker shaft and two rocker arms. Cut the shaft so a section could bolt to two shaft mounting holes. Welded two rocker arms together so the distance between them would stradle the retainer, on either side of the stem. Then welded a "lever" bar to the arms. I'll see if I can get a friend to post a picture for me

_________________
Charrlie_S
65 Valiant 100 2dr post 170 turbo
66 Valiant Signet 225 nitrous
64 Valiant Signet
64 Valiant 4dr 170


Top
   
PostPosted: Wed Dec 08, 2021 9:31 am 
Offline
Board Sponsor & Moderator
User avatar

Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2002 11:08 am
Posts: 16451
Location: Blacksburg, VA
Car Model:
I have used the screw type, like Greg posted, many times (head on or off engine). As long as I am careful in positioning, I have found it works fine and I have not "sprung" myself. I use the rope trick (haha) to keep the valves up. I have seen Charlie's tool and it is way cool. I need to make one of those...

Lou

_________________
Home of Slant6-powered fun machines


Top
   
PostPosted: Wed Dec 08, 2021 10:00 am 
Offline
Supercharged

Joined: Wed Sep 17, 2008 6:48 pm
Posts: 3805
Location: Indianapolis
Car Model:
I like Charlie's idea, been thinking on that.

And, I thought I was paying attention and being careful when using that hand held spring compressor and I had used it successfully many times previously.
One close call was enough to educate me,

_________________
Doo Ron Ron and the Duke of Earl are friends of mine.....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uX8Nj8ABEI8


Top
   
PostPosted: Wed Dec 08, 2021 10:26 am 
Offline
Supercharged
User avatar

Joined: Sat Nov 27, 2004 8:03 pm
Posts: 8977
Location: IRWIN PA
Car Model:
Cool Idea Charrlie!

Greg

_________________
http://www.youtube.com/hyperpack
Image


Top
   
PostPosted: Wed Dec 08, 2021 11:03 am 
Offline
SL6 Racer & Moderator
User avatar

Joined: Sat Oct 19, 2002 12:06 pm
Posts: 8422
Location: Silver Springs, Fl.
Car Model:
Dart270 wrote:
I have used the screw type, like Greg posted, many times (head on or off engine). As long as I am careful in positioning, I have found it works fine and I have not "sprung" myself. I use the rope trick (haha) to keep the valves up. I have seen Charlie's tool and it is way cool. I need to make one of those...

Lou

The problem I have with the "screw/handwheel" type, is it doesn't grab the inner spring or damper, if not using single spring.

_________________
Charrlie_S
65 Valiant 100 2dr post 170 turbo
66 Valiant Signet 225 nitrous
64 Valiant Signet
64 Valiant 4dr 170


Top
   
PostPosted: Wed Dec 08, 2021 11:46 am 
Offline
Supercharged

Joined: Wed Sep 17, 2008 6:48 pm
Posts: 3805
Location: Indianapolis
Car Model:
Quote:
Charlie's tool


after looking on line at the high priced rocker shaft supported valve spring compressor I started thinking on what I could build.
The thought of using a pair of modified rocker arms was one of the designs that crossed my mind. Hearing that Charlie S went that way was enough for me to say to myself,
"that must be a good way to go'.

Photo below is progress so far. The PRI show is in town starting tomorrow so it will probably be the weekend before I do much more on this.


Attachments:
valve spring compressor 1.jpg
valve spring compressor 1.jpg [ 118.55 KiB | Viewed 2319 times ]

_________________
Doo Ron Ron and the Duke of Earl are friends of mine.....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uX8Nj8ABEI8
Top
   
PostPosted: Wed Dec 08, 2021 11:54 am 
Offline
SL6 Racer & Moderator
User avatar

Joined: Sat Oct 19, 2002 12:06 pm
Posts: 8422
Location: Silver Springs, Fl.
Car Model:
DadTruck wrote:
Quote:
Charlie's tool


after looking on line at the high priced rocker shaft supported valve spring compressor I started thinking on what I could build.
The thought of using a pair of modified rocker arms was one of the designs that crossed my mind. Hearing that Charlie S went that way was enough for me to say to myself,
"that must be a good way to go'.

Photo below is progress so far. The PRI show is in town starting tomorrow so it will probably be the weekend before I do much more on this.

That's just what I did. Welded a lever to both arms. I cut the shaft so only two mounting holes, and used the remainder of the shaft, as the lever.
PS: keep the rockers as far apart as possible, and still have good contact with the retainer. Makes it easier to get to the locks.

_________________
Charrlie_S
65 Valiant 100 2dr post 170 turbo
66 Valiant Signet 225 nitrous
64 Valiant Signet
64 Valiant 4dr 170


Top
   
PostPosted: Wed Dec 08, 2021 12:13 pm 
Offline
Supercharged

Joined: Wed Sep 17, 2008 6:48 pm
Posts: 3805
Location: Indianapolis
Car Model:
will do, thanks

_________________
Doo Ron Ron and the Duke of Earl are friends of mine.....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uX8Nj8ABEI8


Top
   
PostPosted: Thu Dec 09, 2021 5:52 am 
Offline
Board Sponsor
User avatar

Joined: Fri Nov 01, 2002 5:02 pm
Posts: 1813
Location: Waterloo, Iowa
Car Model: '23 T-bucket
I wonder if there's a way to utilize one of those threaded adjuster holes to do the compressing work?
Maybe a long, hardened threaded stud that screws against the valve cover rail, or a flat bar mounted on the rail?
That would keep both hands free to deal with the keepers.

Just a suggestion.....Roger


Top
   
PostPosted: Mon Jan 03, 2022 12:01 pm 
Offline
Turbo EFI
User avatar

Joined: Fri Dec 30, 2005 2:49 pm
Posts: 1152
Location: Houston, TX
Car Model:
I use the exact same cheesy screw-type tool that Greg posted. To prevent it from slipping off and shooting a spring across the garage, I use a small quick-grip clamp, the type with the one-handed squeeze trigger and rubber feet on the clamp faces. I put the spring compressor in place on the spring, then put the clamp about halfway down on the arms of the compressor (as low as it will fit), then start screwing down the compressor. It's fiddly, but that's what I had on hand the first time and it worked "good enough" that I just kept doing it.

_________________
Somehow I ended up owning three 1964 slant six A-bodies. I race one of them.
Escape Velocity Racing


Top
   
PostPosted: Thu Jan 06, 2022 7:19 pm 
Offline
Supercharged

Joined: Wed Sep 17, 2008 6:48 pm
Posts: 3805
Location: Indianapolis
Car Model:
I had posted these photos in other threads, but not this original one,
so yes, the rocker arm shaft mounted spring compressor fabricated from a couple of welded together rocker arms worked great.
Having the jack bolt hold the compressive pressure on the spring giving two free hands to deal with the keepers was great.
It was very positive and secure in holding the valve spring at all times.


Attachments:
spring compressor.jpg
spring compressor.jpg [ 157.13 KiB | Viewed 2105 times ]
spring compressor on engine.jpg
spring compressor on engine.jpg [ 109.97 KiB | Viewed 2105 times ]

_________________
Doo Ron Ron and the Duke of Earl are friends of mine.....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uX8Nj8ABEI8
Top
   
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic  Reply to topic  [ 14 posts ] 

All times are UTC-07:00


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 75 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Limited