how do i get the valve springs off without spending a trillion dollars? I can't find a good compressor to save my life.

 

heads on car or not?

I just used a cheesy one from princess auto (like harbor freight). Looks like a bit spoon almost. Nothing fancy at all. Was $3.

 

how did you get them to compress and take the retainers out?

 

assuming heads are off car, and on your bench...

put the hole in the tool over your rocker stud, and put a washer, and nut over that, to hold the tool on. Then it's like a pry bar, you just pry down, and it'll open your valve, and compress your spring. So once you have that mastered, you can clamp your heads down to the table, so you aren't just prying them off the table, then put a 3/4" socket over your retainer, and whack it with a hammer. It'll just bounce back and whack you in the face, but that'll seperate your keepers from the retainers, so you aren't just pushing the valve in. Now that you are wise, put on goggles, then use the tool and compress it, and use a little magnet to remove the keepers. Then release pressure, and lift off the umbrella, and spring and you're done. You may need to put something in the chamber, so that you can hold the valve from opening, so that you're just compressing the spring. Usually the hammer whack is all it takes though.

 

Ive used the claw type, like $20 bucks from advanced auto,
has like 2 claws,and a **** on top,works well.and cheep

 

if the heads are off the car what I have done in the past as a quick fix was to take a deep 5/8 socket put it on the top off the spring and hit it with a hammer.it pops the retainers right off quite easily.just don't beat the hell out of it all you need is a good tap to get them loose.

 

Ditto. Had them off in about 5 minutes per head.