double valve spring ques

[310stanger]

have any of you guys ever changed double valve springs with the heads in car? to be more specific on twisted wedge heads even? i went to go change my out tonight and not realizing it wouldnt work i tried you using a compressor that you turn to compress the spring, well it obviously only compressed the outer spring. what tool did you use and where did you get it? thank you

 

[TheUser]

This may serve as a bump rather than actual help, but are my thoughts:

By inner and outter springs, I assume you mean intake and exhaust. Now, I do know that when you change valve springs w/ the heads on the car, you need one of the fittings to screw into your spark plug hole to blow air in the cyclinder w/ a compressor and hold the valves up...otherwise you'll drop a valve into the cyclinder, which probably isn't what you want to do.

All I can say is the autozone valve spring compressor didn't work as easily as I hoped and I ended up just taking mine to the machine shop (heads already off the car) to get my valve seals changed. I had trouble with the keepers not wanting to move, I believe was the issue.

 

[310stanger]

yeah i am aware of the need to fill the cylinders with air. my problem is that my twisted wedge heads have a double spring meaning theres a main spring on the exterior, then a vibration damper and a smaller spring on the inside. when i tried to compress the spring i only managed to compress the outer. in turn the retain wasnt able to release tension off the retainer and keepers. hence making changing the springs impossible.

 

[dastang2]

it's not impossible, far from it in my experience. i was loaned a valve spring compressor from autozone and it worked well on both springs.

 

[lang williams]

the spring tool should push down the spring retainer, which will compress both inner and outter springs at the same time, then pull the keepers with needle nose pliers, sometimes a little tap from a hammer helps break the keepers free.