I have replaced all of the valve springs and seals on my V-8 heads except for one. It is an intake valve on the #6 Cylinder. I compress the spring with the screw down type compressor, with air filling the cylinder of course, and tap on top of the retainer to free it from the valve locks but it won't budge. The spring retainer won't free from the locks and I am very sure that the inner valve spring is not extended onto the head. I tried to tap on the retainer with a hammer and screw driver but nothing happens again. All I get is a popping noise when the valve partially opens and the compressed air shoots the valve closed. Please help me. With out this spring being replaced the new ZZ-9 cam will not run!! Thanks

Joe

 

Put that piston at TDC (being #6, that's the timing mark lined up); fill the cylinder with some ¼" rope by pushing it in the spark plug hole; and whap the retainer with about a ¾" socket and a hammer. That should dislodge the retainer from the keepers.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."

 

Or just use the socket/extension with the air pressure. The screw driver is only putting the load on one side of the retainer. You need to rap it so the load is spread evenly around the circumference.

Check the retainer, keepers, and valve stem very carefully for damage once you get it apart. Since it was the only one to give you a problem, it may have a problem. Or, it's just a little more stubborn than the others. When I did the seals on my 125k engine, I rapped each one before even trying to compress the spring. Experience from doing this on about 8 engines over the years.

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82 Berlinetta, orig V-6 car, now w/86 LG4/TH700R. 2.73 unlimited slip. Cat-back from '91 GTA, Accel HEI SuperCoil. AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Daily driver, work-in-progress (LB9 w/ZZ3 cam, TBD heads, exhaust, paint, etc.).
57 Bel Air, my 1st car. 0.030 over 396, Weiand Action+, Edelbrock 1901 Q-Jet, Jacobs Omnipack, 1-3/4" headers, TH400 w/TCI Sat Night Special conv & shift kit, 3.08 10-bolt, AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Best 15.1 @ 5800' Bandimere. Daily driver while Camaro was being put together.

 

Thanks for all of your help. I finished the job tonight. All I did was wack the top of the retainer with a 3 lb. sledge and a 3/4" socket and extension to free up the locks. It worked perfectly. Thanks again.