ALFAGTV6.COM

Jose I · Post by **Jose I** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 6:07 pm

Any one have any pics of a valve spring removal tool.
I want to make one. I know Greg Gordon had pics of the one he and his Dad made,
but we all know that the site has moved and changed.

Any one have their own rendition of a valve spring compressor?
Or even tell me an easy way to get the springs out without killing the follower bore?

(PS) Greg I miss the JUMBLED Goodness that once was your site.

Murray · Post by **Murray** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 7:44 am

Jose I hope Greg will forgive my use of his photo of his homemade tools.I built his spring compressor .I used the threaded end off a spark plug for the front end which threads into the head ( I welded it onto a piece of steel rod and for the tube that pushes down on the spring assembly I used an oxygen sensor socket which I had to open up a bit so that I could get in and remove the little keepers.Make everything really solid because compressing the springs requires quite a bit of force.

Jose I · Post by **Jose I** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 4:09 pm

Thanks a million Murry, May the Alfa Gods Bless You

x-rad · Post by **x-rad** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 3:02 pm

I used a large mouth c-clamp valve remover which came with the correct fitting to go on the spring retainer side as well as the valve head side. You must protect the lifter cylinders with cardboard tube or you are asking for a deep nick on the ones with frozen valve retainers. If you are careful, you can heat the spring retainers with a small torch, get them to expand, and then a small careful whack on the tightened spring compressor usually gets them off....

I bought my spring compressor from a Canadian tool company(Can't remeber the name...but, the only one I could find with the right size screw-on valve retainer adapter. It is similar to the one below(but the locking handle is on the valve spring side and it is adjustable at both ends). Once set, it is easy to pop on and off for the next valve. And the spring side has a large opening for putting in the valve retainers. Also, the less pieces you have to handle, the better(in case you were thinking of using an American type compressor with a seperate valve retainer adaptor).

IAP sells valve retainers ( which I recommend you replace). Remember to measure lifter clearance before removing cams in case you want to adjust shims, and if you replace the valve retainers or change the order of lifters and retainers, you may have altered your clearance....It is a repetitive and almost boring job, so watch you parts order.....

David · Post by **David** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 12:32 am

Jose, here's mine. Same principle.

One chair backrest support. Just the right bend.
Centre from an old rear engine mount.
Small piece of 3/4 Galvanised pipe with an access slot cut out.

The ring bolt goes through the plug hole and the curved washer sits flat on the valves to hold them in place.

David

Jose I · Post by **Jose I** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 8:27 pm

I'm working on mine as we speak

Mats · Post by **Mats** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 1:40 am

I have a clamp exactly like the one in x-rads post above, I modified a ½" socket that looked like it could fit the retainer, 23mm if I remember correctly, pretty useless socket anyway. Cut a "window" so I an retrieve the keepers and added som tacks on the edge so it will stay centered on the clamp and not fall off and scratch the follower bores.

I'll se if I can dig up some pics.

MD · Post by MD » Fri Jan 20, 2006 1:50 pm

Hey Michael,

Unless I am mistaken, I think there is a small trickle of people contributing by illustrating home made or otherwise handy tools . Seeing that we are all interested in working on our cars, I think a heading under Miscellaneous as "Handy Tools" could see some good information submitted over time. What do you think?

Putting it under "Other" is just too broad in my opinion and weaving it through the specific topic sets means it could be lot harder to find IF you know what you a looking for and sometimes you wouldn't.

It would also be easier to revisit the area if you needed the info later.

Just a thought.

x-rad · Post by **x-rad** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 4:56 pm

HANDY TOOLS section sounds great....
could divide into electrical and mechanical..?

Jose I · Post by **Jose I** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 12:16 am

I tried the exact same suggestion on the alfabb
an no one even answered

here's my unanswered post

http://alfabb.com/bb/forums/showthread. ... post162905

Greg Gordon · Post by **Greg Gordon** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 11:50 am

I doubt you will get an answer on that on the Alfabb. This is a more hard core tech site.

I have the head tools information back up here: http://www.hiperformancestore.com/SuperVerde.htm . I am very happy to see that some others out there are comming up with solutions to these problems.

My torsion bar removal tool and method is here: http://www.hiperformancestore.com/AlfaSuspension.htm

Greg Gordon www.hiperformancestore.com

Mats · Post by **Mats** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 2:05 am

Did the other head yesterday and realized I had lied a little...
I have two sockets, the 23mm and a deep one. The deep one is actually a lambda probe tool.

Worked fine.

V6 valve spring removal