60# valve springs, install help??

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Whats the best way to install valve springs? Copressed air in cyl. or piston at TDC? What do I need for a spring compressor?
LarryB

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1972 Chinook class C with 96/215 5spd, 4/5" exh, 4"BD, MagHytec, 85gal fuel, K&N RE0880, AutoMeter, 370's, BD gov kit, BD afc kit, www.fostertruck.com/cummins

 

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Larry,I looked into replacing my springs before decideing which e-brake to buy,decided it was too much work to change springs. The DSM isn't very clear on replacement,as you may have found. It basically says compress them to remove collets and compress to reinstall,though it does show a tool in the pictures,it doesn't give tool part numbers. Give this a try http://www.cliffordperformance.com/installation/valvespr.htm . it wouldn't go all the way through for me,you might be able to chase it down though.

 

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LarryB,
I am not an expert so take this for what it's worth. Although I used to work on engines a lot back when I was a teenager, most of the mechanical items I tackle are general. Even so, I decided to do them myself. I put the piston at TDC. Initially the valves would stay up but (as pressure bled off?) they would drop while I worked on releasing the keepers. At TDC they don't go far. To keep them back up when I put the new spring in, I just held them up and spun the motor back to TDC. That would hold up the valve long enough to get the spring back on. Even with the springs compressed, the keepers were wedged tight and a bugger to release. I had to clamp vise grips onto the top of the vavle stem to hold it while pushing down on the keeper. I had two spring compressors, the "cantilever style and one that looks like a gear puller. They were both junk so don't scrimp on them. They did not grip the springs correctly, causing the springs to bow in the center and pop out. Eventually I won out though. The rear valves are tucked under the firewall and tough to get at. You will need to adjust the valves when done.

I think the shops get around 200 to do this. It's worth it!

Anyone who wants to critic me on this, go for it.

 

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Snap on sells a valvespring tool that looks like a pair of claws with a knob on the top of it that you turn either by hand or remove the knob and use a socket. You have to:
1. Locate top dead center for the cylinder that you're going to work on. Start with #1. Using a barring tool, bar the engine over counter clockwise so the engine rotates clockwise. As the exhaust valve closes, give the barring tool a 1/2 turn or so and then using an 13mm socket, remove the small bolt on the rocker tower, then the larger 18mm head bolt which holds down the tower. Lift the tower off.
2. Get the valvespring tool situated on the spring as far down as you can, rotating it to gain as much spring as you can grab, so you can really compress it. Once compressed, have a small magnet ready to grab the keepers and use a small steel hammer to tap the top of the valvespring tool to dislodge the valve. The valve may drop slightly, but not too far, and you can bar the engine over to the point where the piston pushes the valve to the utmost highest position (absolute TDC). This cannot harm the valve in any way. Put both keepers in a safe place and pull the compressed spring off. Uncompress it and install the spring perch from your spring onto the new spring and recompress, again, grabbing as much of the spring as you can.
3. Place the new spring over the valve and push down firmly while carefully placing the keepers in place. Uncompress the spring. Tap on the top of the valve with a hammer to be sure the valve is seated correctly. If the keepers stay put, you did right.
4. Bolt down the rocker tower with the head bolt, torque it to spec and give it 90 degrees as these are torque plus angle head bolts, then torque down the 13mm bolt last.
5. Do the companion cylinder, the piston for it will be at the exact same height as the one you just did. Cylinders 1&6, 2&5, 3&4 are all companions to one another.
6. Work on the next set of cylinders starting from step 1. Patience and accuracy pay off. Set an afternoon to do the job. I can do it in 1-1/2 hours, but I do it almost every day #ad
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520 Rear Wheel H. P. and locomotive level torque = 15. 5 sec @ 97 mph with the rear wheels spinning in 5th gear going through the traps in the quarter mile. No slicks here, pal, no fancy auto transmission, just the truck in full street trim, 7400 lbs. of Auto Wurks Diesel/BD Performance raging, fire-breathing DIESEL POWER

 

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Thanks guys, guess I'll have to stop by the airport and rummage through some of my aircraft mechanic/flying buddy's SnapOn tool boxes to see if I can find a good spring compressor. I think I'll set aside an entire weekend for this job as I'll do my 370'S and gov springs at the same time while I have the hood up. #ad


[This message has been edited by LarryB (edited 11-02-2000). ]