HELP! valve springs swap

[fidstang]

Just yanked my GT40's off of my baby. I have new valves coming and need to know what I need to swap them out. Any links on how the retainers come out. I went to Autozone and bought the valve spring compressor. The overhaed valve type you can use with the heads on or off the car. The tool is cheap and keeps popping off. When it does compress the spring there is a cup that the retainers are in. They wont seperate or lift out with a magnet. I have never done a valve swap before so I'm not sure how the locks and retainers go on. I usually have the shop do it. Any links with pics would be great!!

 

[fidstang]

No one knows anything about swapping valve springs!!!! Please need help with removing springs from the head.

 

[86bluecobra]

well first off get a better tool. all you do is compress the spring with tool and remove the 2 keepers that will now be exposed which are at the top of the valve. then release tool and remove spring and retainer. don't forget to re do the valve seals while you are at it.

 

[fidstang]

Yeah, it's the keepers that I can't get out. I'm trying to find a better tool but no one around here has one. How do the keepers come out. I thought they were supposed to come out with a magnet.

 

[TheUser]

I'm having the same problem. I rented the spring compressor from autozone and it presses the spring from above. I don't know if the compressor is the problem, though. The issuie I'm having is the "keeper" is sticking inside what I believe is the retainer. Consequently, I cannot pull the keeper out, thus resulting in my inability to remove the spring.

Any advice? I'm sure the C-clamp type of spring compressors are the best, but they're like $60 at sears and that's a bit much for something that I might not use for a long time.

 

[R2D2]

you guys cant get the locks out cause they are slipping down. If you have the head on a bench, put it on the intake side with the spring facing away from you, compress the spring and hopefully they fall out since the spring will be angled down. The next issue for you guys is are you planning on checking the installed height, and if so how?

 

[fidstang]

I ended up taking back the autozone crap. Got my money back and went to carquest and got the spring compressor. Same tool only better made. Once the spring was compressed I put a towel under the valves I was working on. With a small hammer, I tapped down on the retainer untill the spring/retainer dropped allowing the keepers to be removed. It took some force with some and others just a light tap. The tool was the key for me. Everytime I tried with the autozone gunk, it either popped off or the tool broke itself. Cheap design for high pressure springs.