Stuck valve spring retainers/keeper....hellllp

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67dartgtgo

67dartgtgo

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Well my new cam and valve springs arrived...along with other related parts needed. I have the engine in the car but about all broken down for cam swap but figured I’d change the updated valve springs first. It’s a 5.9 mopar 360/300 performance crate magnum with very low mileage. I’m using the air pressure method with a small spring compressor. The #1 exhaust valve went pretty easy. Was stuck a bit but just a small love tap broke the retainers and keeper free to remove and replace the stem seal, spring, keeper and retainers. No problem...easy beans. The intake valve however is giving me a real problem. The keeper and retainers won’t budge. I’ve got 100psi air pressure in the cylinder and am popping the intake valve open when trying to tap it free. I don’t want to do any damage so I’m coming to the smart guys. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Brian.
 
67dartgtgo said:
I’ve got 100psi air pressure in the cylinder and am popping the intake valve open when trying to tap it free.
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Be sure you are just hitting the retainer and not the valve stem itself. A tap or two 'should' break it loose.

Also, do that before you put the spring compressor on.
 
Have been tapping the stud on the spring compressor after compressed but giving it another try.
 
67dartgtgo said:
Well my new cam and valve springs arrived...along with other related parts needed. I have the engine in the car but about all broken down for cam swap but figured I’d change the updated valve springs first. It’s a 5.9 mopar 360/300 performance crate magnum with very low mileage. I’m using the air pressure method with a small spring compressor. The #1 exhaust valve went pretty easy. Was stuck a bit but just a small love tap broke the retainers and keeper free to remove and replace the stem seal, spring, keeper and retainers. No problem...easy beans. The intake valve however is giving me a real problem. The keeper and retainers won’t budge. I’ve got 100psi air pressure in the cylinder and am popping the intake valve open when trying to tap it free. I don’t want to do any damage so I’m coming to the smart guys. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Brian.
Click to expand...

And if bad sport's suggestion doesn't do it use the 1/4 nylon rope fed into the cylinder trick.
Get the cylinder coming up on TDC and feed about 3 feet of cord into the cylinder then continue the piston on up till it stops.
Then compress your spring and give the retainer a little tap or two.
I have even smacked the top of the compressor tool with my palm to pop them loose.
 
I always put a spark plug socket on the retainer and hit it with a hammer. Big end down.
 
^ What Jaws said. Give them all a squirt of Kroil or Liquid Wrench at the lock. Can you pick up another coil when you install the spring compressor? If you set it up loose and then wind it in another turn, it might help.
 
Thank you all. Tried the socket method and successful. Hope the rest go well...lol. Thank you all. First time event for me...but...we’re not afraid.
 
TDC on compression stroke, compressed air in the cylinder. SPARK PLUGS IN the OTHER HOLES so the engine does not rotate from the compressed air. I take a hardened socket the same size as the retainer and whack it with a hammer so it pops the valve open and closed. Then I use a LEVER type compressor that pushes down on the retainer and I pick out the locks. PLUG THE OIL RETURN HOLES IN THE HEADS. You will probably drop at least one lock.
 
I always put a magnet on the keepers to remove them I've dropped to many
 
Just take a med sized hammer and go down the whole row of valves, giving the upper/outer edge of the retainer a moderate rap, don't pound it, just a nice sharp tap, will disslodge the keepers ready for removal. You'll get a feel for it.
 
Mopar-Man said:
Then I use a LEVER type compressor that pushes down on the retainer and I pick out the locks.
Click to expand...
Back in the 80's I had a lever spring compressor (somebody borrowed and I never saw it again) that you bolted the rocker shaft down to head, then you hooked the levers curved tab under the shaft and you leveraged the spring compressed. I've looked for years but haven't been able to find one, ddoes anyone still make them??
 
Summit sells one, bought it about a month ago. Made by ProForm I believe. Summit description does not say it's for shaft rockers, but it is.
 
On LA heads with moderate springs I get away with this tool with a shaft bolted to the head. Simple but effective at pushing the retainer down.

Valve tool.jpg
 
inertia said:
Just take a med sized hammer and go down the whole row of valves, giving the upper/outer edge of the retainer a moderate rap, don't pound it, just a nice sharp tap, will disslodge the keepers ready for removal. You'll get a feel for it.
Click to expand...

x2
 
Thanks guys....finished them up no problem and will get the cam swap going this week.
 
sireland67 said:
Where did you get that tool, never seen one, but I can see it would work.
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I've come across one that looks like that, by Manley, I'm pretty sure the one I had years ago had a longer handle, either made by Lisle, or perhaps Cal-Van
 
I’d seen them used on YouTube videos and found this one at pepboys for 20 bucks. The price was right and it worked great.
Oops. Just noticed you were referencing the other rocker fulcrum tool. My bad.
 
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