Does anyone know how to install valve springs and retainers.? I have a b16a engine am installing valve springs and crower cams and I need help installing retainers, can someone please give me a link on how to install them?
Thanks!
:}

 

first off, It's a pain in the ***, IMO. After putting entire motors together piece by piece, this was the most tedious part for me (mostly because I didn't have the model specific compressor). Well, this is much easier to do with the head off.

just so you know, the onlything that keeps the springs/retainers on the valves is the little keepers. There are two for each retainer/valve and they are really small.

You need to get a valve spring compressor for the '92-01 GSR or '99-00 Civic SI. Removing them is easy, just compress the springs and the keepers will fall out and the springs will be released (you can also hit the retainers with a big socket, but I wouldn't if I were you). replace the springs/retainers with the new ones, and compress the spring/retainer together and place of the valve (make sure the valve is al the way closed). once the end of the valve is sticking as far through the retainer as possible, put the keepers in between the retainer and the valve, and slowly uncompress the spring making sure the keepers stay in the retainer. Don't for get both the inner and out springs (not to mention make sure you put the springs on the correct side of the head). That's it.

Now if the head is on the car, you can do it by pressurizing the cylinders with an air tool (don't know which one) to keep the valves closed. I've never done it this way though, so I can't give you the details. HTH, -C


[Modified by TypeC, 11:58 AM 8/3/2001]

 

I always keep a some spare keepers around, those things will take off like a bullet when the valve tool slips off the spring retainer!