Valve springs

Can valve springs be changed while heads are on engine in the car? Just curious.

Sure, just make sure you don't drop the valves into the cylinders. S/F.....Ken M

you sure can. there's 2 types of tools for doing the job & there's a proper proceedure to follow to prevent screw ups. i've just had mine off to check spring pressures, sure beats all the cleaning of gasket surfaces if you had to pull the heads.

Thanks, That is what I want to eliminate. What is the "correct" tool to use?

You will need a tool to pump air in to the combustion chamber to keep the valves closed. I use the hose from my compression tester after removing the schrader valve from the spark plug end. I plug in the other end ( gauge end )in to shop air. The spring compressor in the pic is for stud mounted rockers. There is a similar tool for shaft mounted rockers. You can do one cylinder at a time ( intake and exhaust ) by setting that cylinder at TDC on the compression stroke. Once you have the cylinder you are working on at TDC and aired up, you will want to smack the valve spring retainers with a soft mallet ( rubber / plastic ) to loosen the keepers before you compress the springs.

I bought this tool from Mancini and it works great. Just bolt it to the head by the rocker shaft bolt holes and then after you put air in the cyl you just screw the allen head bolt to push the spring down and remove the locks. Ron

Here is another pic of it. You can do 2 valves (one cyl) before you have to move it to the next cyl. Ron

http://chucker54.stores.yahoo.net/vaspreto.html
one on right works fine.

always do it with piston up whack valve spring retainer with plastic hammer to lossen keepers!

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Thanks, That is what I want to eliminate. What is the "correct" tool to use?

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Comp Cams sells a kit that works very well on Mopar motors, LA and RB,B motors The BB part # is 5324 and part # 5323 for SB LA and V6 motors I have both and have used both of them, way better than the old lisle screw type compressors