Alright, so here's a picture to draw you in before I ramble.



As a part of a much larger project, I have a F22B1 VTEC head from a '94 EX that I'm rebuilding. I'm trying to get the valve springs off using a tool I borrowed from Advance Auto, and I'm having trouble maneuvering it around the spark plug tubes. So how do I get these fuskers out? I've tried unscrewing them with channel locks, tapping on them with a rubber mallet, getting frustrated and smacking them around with a half inch drive ratchet.

No dice. So are they pressure fitted, threaded, or permantly fixed to the block? Any help would...help. Thanks!