Valve springs and retainer install
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Joined: Mar 2003
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Originally Posted by Joe's_EVO8
How is everything now?
The ported head came back and over the last couple of months I went through two head gaskets. After the second one, I knew it wasn't something I was doing wrong - I'm not a pro, but this was only a head gasket. I sent the head in for inspection at a local engine machine shop and they ended up needing to mill .005" off the deck to get everything right.
I put the repaired head in last friday and since then have put about 700 miles on the car (weekend road trip) without any issues. Over the course of the last few months I had only managed about 500 total miles with all the problems, but at least the cooling and oil systems should be throughtly flushed by now. The new Ferrea spring now have a bit over 1200 miles on them and seem to be settling in nicely.
What was interesting, is that the car put down 310 whp on a Mustang dyno while it had a bad head gasket. I can't wait to get it back onto the dyno with my freshly installed HKS 280 cams and see how it does with everything working.
Last edited by erioshi; Apr 25, 2005 at 12:59 AM.
Bumping an old thread cuz I'm gonna do this install soon.
I plan on pressurizing my combustion chamber w/ my air compressor. Anyone know where I can get the adapter w/ an air fitting that screws into the spark plug hole?
I plan on pressurizing my combustion chamber w/ my air compressor. Anyone know where I can get the adapter w/ an air fitting that screws into the spark plug hole?
Originally Posted by marksae
Bumping an old thread cuz I'm gonna do this install soon.
I plan on pressurizing my combustion chamber w/ my air compressor. Anyone know where I can get the adapter w/ an air fitting that screws into the spark plug hole?
I plan on pressurizing my combustion chamber w/ my air compressor. Anyone know where I can get the adapter w/ an air fitting that screws into the spark plug hole?
I just used the hose from my engine compression tester. I did have to unscrew the center portion (like the valve stem core on a wheel) on mine in order to get the airflow inside the combustion chamber. I've done it with as little as 25 PSI, but 40-60 is generally what I use.
Originally Posted by strongbear0
You don't have to remove the head to do valve springs and retainers. You can use two methods. One involves a fitting that goes into the spark plug hole and you use a compressor to bring the compression up to around 180psi and that will hold the valves up when you are compressing the springs and pulling off the keepers. The problem with this method is that a compressor that puts out 180psi is not cheap and not everywhere. I have a compressor but it doesn't make past 140psi.
The second method involves feeding rope down the spark plug hole and then putting that piston at tdc. The rope will hold the valve in place. Then you use your overhead valve spring compressor to compress the spring remove the keepers and put the new ones back on.
This is of course after you have already removed the valve cover, cam gears, cams and lifters.
The rope method works and so does the compressor method. Either one you choose make sure to stuff all the oil holes with papertowels because it would suck to drop something down there, like a keeper, retainer, bolt, etc..... You get the point.
Good luck
The second method involves feeding rope down the spark plug hole and then putting that piston at tdc. The rope will hold the valve in place. Then you use your overhead valve spring compressor to compress the spring remove the keepers and put the new ones back on.
This is of course after you have already removed the valve cover, cam gears, cams and lifters.
The rope method works and so does the compressor method. Either one you choose make sure to stuff all the oil holes with papertowels because it would suck to drop something down there, like a keeper, retainer, bolt, etc..... You get the point.
Good luck
i use the snap-on valve spring comressing tool & do this job with the head on.
you'll also need an air compressor to pressurize the cylinder when doing this too.
damn, i just realized how old this thread is!
i still like my snap-on in-car v/s compressor
you'll also need an air compressor to pressurize the cylinder when doing this too.
damn, i just realized how old this thread is!
i still like my snap-on in-car v/s compressor
Yeah, the snap-on tool is the one I plan to use. With the help of cheater bars, it should work well. 
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....re&dir=catalog
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....re&dir=catalog
Originally Posted by marksae
Yeah, the snap-on tool is the one I plan to use. With the help of cheater bars, it should work well.
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....re&dir=catalog
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....re&dir=catalog
thats exactly what i used. i also used the compressor method also. just to be safe i rotated the piston to TDC on the particular cylinder i was working on. i also only filled the cylinder to 60 psi at that point. no need to fill it to 140-180 psi imo.
IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THAT YOU STUFF ALL OIL RETURN PORTS WITH PAPER TOWELS. YOU WILL THANK US ALL LATER.
good luck.
