I just lightly tapped the top of the valve stem with the retainers, spring and all and that loosened the valve retainers which made it easier to remove once the spring was compressed. if not, once you compress the valve spring, it just goes up because the retainers are stuck with the valve stems.

 

The retainers are "trapped" and held in place in the groove on the top of the valve stem by the tension of the valve spring. When you compress the spring downward (with the proper tool, hopefully), the retainer drops down and allows you to get to the retainers (2 per valve). The retainers are then removed from the groove in the valve stem, and the tension on the retainer and spring are then slowly released, so you can remove the retainer and spring from around the valve when there is no more compression of the spring. If someone tells you to hit it with a socket or similar, remember that the spring is under big tension, and can shoot the retainer and other parts a LONG way (or into your eye, etc.) Don't do it the half *** way, or you'll lose parts of your valve train or your body...

 

There's no trick to removing the retainers, once you depress the valve spring they pop out. I'd suggest a magnet to collect them so they don't fall into the head. BTW, plug all the oil drain back openings or have a retainer in the pan.

Putting them back was the trick. The retainers are small like a baby's fingernail and they want to do everything but drop back into place. I used a small screwdriver magnetized just enough to lift the retainer while, with the other hand, I was compressing the spring. This usually took a few tries and required patience. With a different type of spring compressor where you have the use of both hands maybe this would be easier.

So, I didn't have any special tool for the retainers and I don't know how such a tool would work.

 

I learned a method for finding TDC on any cylinder easily, I wanted to share with you.

You take anything long and relatively stiff, put it into the spark plug hole, turn the crank until whatever you put in the spark plug hole reaches its highest point. I see people use socket extensions for this (like 1/4 or 3/8 inch ones).

Side note: Probably no need to mention but try not to throw or drop whatever you use from a high height. Don't want to scratch or put a pit in your piston head.