Valve spring compressing

Lee · 09-10-04, 07:45 AM

Last night I tried to compress the valve springs on my heads in order to remove the valves.
Couldn't budge them. I have a Sealy Valve Spring Compressor, but it was as though I couldn't get enough pressure to Compress the springs, but maybe it was the collets, stuck in the top of the caps?
Are there valve spring compressors with more leverage? All the Sealy ones appear to have the same leverage. Or is it just a case of putiing the head on the floor, with a piece of wood unde the valve, and giving the cap a tap (with a socket between hammer and cap to free the collet?
I don't like the sound of this, but I couldn't budge it at all with the compressor.
Any help appreciated.

Ron Earp · 09-10-04, 07:57 AM

You got it - take a socket and put it over the valve. Smack that with a heavy hammer to break the collets loose. It should then work. I always found removing valves hard to do but some do it with ease, but in the end, I always won. And won without using the SawsAll, my favorite last ditch tool.