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Will this valve spring compressor work?
Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 5:39 pm
by Hamminahammina
I will be doing valve stem seals. Anyone see any reason el cheapo spring compressor wouldn't fit a 77 GL?
http://www.harborfreight.com/universal- ... 92900.html
They are finally opening a Harbor Freight in my neighborhood....can't wait
Thanks!
Re: Will this valve spring compressor work?
Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 5:44 pm
by CYBORG
i have one like that, and use it when i don't want to remove the head. a little tricky, but it works. mine isn't from Harbor freight, so i can't talk to that particular one. but the style will work
Re: Will this valve spring compressor work?
Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 5:50 pm
by Hamminahammina
Awesome, thanks! I was going by the how-to in shop talk and it just appears to be a different style than the one pictured there. I will pick this one up
Re: Will this valve spring compressor work?
Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 6:32 pm
by bladredhead
i have a hazy recollection of someone using that one successfully, sorta. by buying 2 of them and swaping the arms around so they were the same length it worked fine. length didn't matter, just that they were the same length on each tool.
Re: Will this valve spring compressor work?
Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 6:48 pm
by wayneperry
wow, what a co inky dink. Just bought one and i cant seem to get it to work right. these springs are so short and stiff, it wants to pop off. tried a few different ways and no luck yet. if you get it to work i'd like to hear about it and how to best go about it, thanks
Re: Will this valve spring compressor work?
Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 6:53 pm
by Hamminahammina
wayneperry wrote:wow, what a co inky dink. Just bought one and i cant seem to get it to work right. these springs are so short and stiff, it wants to pop off. tried a few different ways and no luck yet. if you get it to work i'd like to hear about it and how to best go about it, thanks
Do you think it would work if both arms were the same length as blad suggested?
Re: Will this valve spring compressor work?
Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 8:19 pm
by wayneperry
actually, just came from garage and got it to work. with the long and short arm, just reach it down as as close to the bottom coil as possible and start to snug down on turnstile, then i used another clamp to reach accross the arms and pinch them together alittle so they wont slip off when tightining down the turnstile. tighten it down, used a knife to wiggle loose the keeper collar and with pen type magnet, removed the collars and wall-ahhhh
Re: Will this valve spring compressor work?
Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 8:43 pm
by Hamminahammina
Wayne, sweet success! good to hear
Re: Will this valve spring compressor work?
Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 8:46 pm
by CYBORG
like i said...a little tricky
Re: Will this valve spring compressor work?
Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 9:39 pm
by Qui-gon
I did Caliif Wingnut's 1200 SEI valve seals by getting 2 HF spring compressors as mentioned above. If you swap the legs around so they are the same length it makes the job a lot easier. You can always sell the second one on. If you can find my original post on it there are some details about piston clearances at TDC etc.
Re: Will this valve spring compressor work?
Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 12:52 am
by roachb
That's what I used. I am sure you could pay more and get a better one. For me this was probably a one-time tool so I went with HF. It was a little tricky but it worked.
Some auto parts stores will loan you one for free.
Re: Will this valve spring compressor work?
Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 10:23 am
by Qui-gon
Re: Will this valve spring compressor work?
Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 1:45 pm
by Hamminahammina
Thanks Qui-Gon. I may try to borrow one with even length arms....or try this one form Sears, looks like more even arm lengths.
Other than smoke on start-up the engine's been running great.
Re: Will this valve spring compressor work?
Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2013 6:07 pm
by Hamminahammina
Well the good news is I was able to rent one for free from O'Reilly's (used to be Kragen or whatever you call it in your neghborhood). The brand name was EverTough. Presumably because.... boy was it ever tough to get that thing to work right.
But the price was right!
Re: Will this valve spring compressor work?
Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2013 6:13 pm
by ole496
A large C-clamp with a hole ground in the end works like a charm:
