valve spring compressor

[shiredevon]

hi, i'm going to strip the head on the adv, does anyone know if an off the shelf spring compressor will work or have i got to use a special tool, cheers.

 

[RickG]

It depends entirely on the 'off the shelf spring compressor'. Most probably will, but others may not. It's all down to the clearance between the back of the arm of the compressor and the cylinder head - basicly if it's big enough to clear the fins and line up with the valve, and there's enough depth of compression in the tool remaining to adequately squash the spring, you're off to a good start. Secondly, the 'end' of the compressor needs to fit snugly on the top of the spring retainer with enough space to get the collets out when you compress the spring (with the compressor wound up a bit, give it a little whack with a hammer to release them, then continue to compress)

If you get desperate, a quick and dirty method is to place the head (face down) on a wooden block and put a large socket over the end of the valve and whack the socket with a hammer, this will momentariliy compress the spring but the valve will not go down as it'll hit the wood, the collets will then fly out and you can spend a hour or so hunting for them on the floor of your garage.

Getting them back it requires a tube with section cut out (so you can firkle the collets back in) and strong mate to push the tube down and compress the spring whilst you pop in the collets. A small smudge of grease on the stem is enough to hold one collets in place while you get the second one in.

However, I don't really recommend this approach in case you damage something, or your mate.

Bottom line.. try to try before you buy, but buy.

 

[shiredevon]

If you get desperate, a quick and dirty method is to place the head (face down) on a wooden block and put a large socket over the end of the valve and whack the socket with a hammer, this will momentariliy compress the spring but the valve will not go down as it'll hit the wood, the collets will then fly out and you can spend a hour or so hunting for them on the floor of your garage.

Been there, done that,
cheers.