If I take the rocker arms off and reinstall the rocker axle rod can I remove the valve springs by putting a pry bar underneath the axle rod and levering down on the valve spring retainer? I just hate to have to take off the head or buy a $100 plus tool to do this.

 

well if you remove the spring the valves would drop. you need to have compressed air in the chambers when you pull them out.

 

wtf???? you just compress the spring then put compressed air into the spark plug hole to get the valev to stay.

 

I think the idea is to pressurize the cylinder before you compress the spring. The Haynes manual says you can do it that way. But actually I was wondering about prying on the rocker axle, I believe its hollow but is it a relatively thick wall (ie resistant to bending). Anyone, have any ghetto (but effective) ways of removing (and reisnstalling) valve springs ?

 

I was about to give a long post, (I learned the hard way) and wanted to save lives.
There is no ghetto way of doing the reinstallment! You are better off getting the right equipment, or get the experienced to do it. Removal is easy, just dont lose a thing! (use magnet). Reinstallment is a bitch. Getting the spring to compress straight so you can get the keepers in, is a bitch. Oh and.. the stiffer the spring is (for high performance) the more of a bitch it will be.

 

You'll be much better off springing for the tool (buy the tool here at Snap-On) than trying to ghetto-rig something and risk mucking it up.

When you reinstall, get some automotive lubricant of vaseline-like density and squirt some of it into the hole of the retainer. Place the keepers in the hole (they'll kinda stick there) and then position the retainer over the spring and just guide them into place. It works a lot easier than just trying to line them up.

 

If yu buy the tool I'll buy it off you when you're done

 

I bought the tool. Should be here this week, I'll do the springs this weekend and I'll sell you the tool for $75 shipped? It's not the Snap on but it looks and works just like the Snap on.

 

Thanks for the tip.

 

ok ill take the tool. email me.

 

How are you going to remove the rocker arms without removing the head? Is your motor out of the car already?

 

I assumed that once you pulled the rocker axles out of the distributor end of the head the rocker arms would pop right out. Is this not the case?

 

dont use the rocker shaft(s) as a fulcrum to compress your springs. It may be some strong Steel, but its hollow. You will find how easy it is to get a slight bend on that hollow shaft when you go to put the shaft(s) back in.
To remove and install valve springs, you dont have to remove the rocker shafts & rockers. Just do a camshaft removal. The rockers will be able to flip up giving you access to the retainer&spring combos.