Anyone know what the trick is?

[89sport]

I am in the middle of rebuilding my engine and right now I am on the heads trying to remove my valve springs with very little luck. First problem was that no one carried the type of compressor that I liked so i had to go with an overhead compressor, air chuck for the spark plug and I had to buy a cheapy head gasket just to put the heads back on. Once I had the heads on I tried to take the locks off with NO success The Intake valves have a weird retaining cup thing around the locks unlike the exhaust ones? I spent a good 3 hours soaking them in pb and giving them some nice taps to help try to loosen with luck on only 2 exhaust valves. This is only 1 head so far and its giving me this much problems and I'm thinking about just soaking the other head in a nice bucket of pb . OH the other 2 exhaust valve locks are stuck to the retainers and even hitting the top of the compressor doesn't loosen things up. SO what is the trick that I am missing out of????


Oh I did call the machine shop that I use and he said that he is swamped and couldn't get me in until May!!!!!!!!!!!
So I am stuck doing this myself so that my buddy can drill and tap the rr stud holes out next weekend If I get these valves out.

 

[v-8power]

You have the heads on the block?

 

[89sport]

Yes they were on I just had to use an even bigger hammer

 

[bcost882]

not big enough obviously haha

 

[baddad457]

Why are you trying to change springs AFTER you put the heads back on ?

 

[fordmike1]

Why are you trying to change springs AFTER you put the heads back on ?

X2

Set the heads on your workbench and use a 13/16" deep socket and a hammer and the locks will pop out when you hit the socket on top of the retainer. You can then use the spring compressor to reinstall your new springs.

You will need to check and make sure that if the heads that you are using have the same height keeper groves in the valve stems and if they dont you will need offset keepers to get the valve springs set at the right installed height. Should be about 1.800" installed height. Good luck.

 

[89sport]

Why are you trying to change springs AFTER you put the heads back on ?

X2

Set the heads on your workbench and use a 13/16" deep socket and a hammer and the locks will pop out when you hit the socket on top of the retainer. You can then use the spring compressor to reinstall your new springs.

You will need to check and make sure that if the heads that you are using have the same height keeper groves in the valve stems and if they dont you will need offset keepers to get the valve springs set at the right installed height. Should be about 1.800" installed height. Good luck.

The Locks were stuck pretty good. I ended up using a 3lb sledge hammer to help knock them loose and that still took some time doing. I had to put them on the block so I could get something to hold the valves up. Trying to do them without something holding them didn't do anything at all. Once I had the locks off and that the machinist called and told me he had a guy back out of having his engine worked on and I could bring my heads in to have them done . I ended up having them cleaned, springs set and just having him drill and tap my rr stud bolts. I had a buddy that was going to do it but he ended up not being able to do them as he broke his hand.