Maybe I am just slightly retarded, but I cannot for the life of me get a spring out using a valve compressor, even when I put a stack of quarters under the valve and clamp the head to the table it always seems to push the valve down with the springs, am I missing something here??
Generally I would just use my giant c-clamp and some small sockets, but I need to pull a valve on the engine without pulling the head. Need some tips here......

 

the stack of quarters is fine, bolting the head to something is a must, the cheapo compressor tool is fine, but don't forget a hammer. Seriously. You have to bop the retainer. You can bop an edge of your tool while lifting the handle, that works nicely.

 

Well I am basically trying to get it to work on a spare head I have before I **** around with it with the one on the engine, but I cannot get it to compress the spring without the valve......and I don't see that being any easier on the engine, but mebe compression will help, idk.

 

You're trying to get the retainer to get crooked for a millisecond. You have to un-wedge the locks ( keepers ) from the retainers, so you use a hammer. Don't kill it, just bop it.

 

And make extremely sure that your hammer doesn't get the valve.

 

and that the piston is up so the valve doesn't drop all the way thourgh.

 

yeah, if using an air hold. But if just feeding rope through the spark plug hole, then the valves won't drop any at all.

 

like was mentioned before u need to shock the retianers loose.
if the head was on a bench id tell u to use a socket on the retianer and give it one good whack with a hammer. but that wont work to well with the head on the motor.

 

In fact it works just fine.

 

if hes using air presure to keep the valve from dropping the hammer and socket method will probably dro the valve.everytime i use the hammer and socket it completly removes the locks

 

Spray the retainers with carb cleaner, give it a minute. Then try again!

 

Don't hit it so hard... or forget the socket and tap the edge of the retainer with the hammer directly.

 

I kind of figured out that the retainers were more or less stuck, wound up not actually needing the spring compressor for the one on the head, spring was missing enough, that once I gave it a whack with a socket I was able to lift the valve up all the way with pliers and tap the retainer off with a screwdriver. Hopefully I don't have too much trouble putting the new spring on it. I just hope its an isolated incident and I don't need all new springs.

 

I never thought of that. Thanks for something new to think about.

 

This is what I was trying to convey.