Head-On-Block Valve Spring Comressor for Valve Stem Seal Replacement VSS

[project95gsx]

All right, I have searched back to 2004 and could not find a definite answer on valve spring compressors. I have looked into building one, but the “shop” (friend’s garage) that we’ll be doing the valve stem seal replacement at does not have the necessary fabrication equipment to do build one. I have narrowed the search down to the following tools.

http://www.etoolcart.com/browseproducts/Valve-Spring-Compressor---SP91400A.HTML

http://www.amazon.com/Tools-3087-Va...19?ie=UTF8&s=automotive&qid=1193242374&sr=1-1

http://www.toyotool.com/

http://www.ketool.com/

Ok, which would be best for a head on block valve job. I don’t even know if the 2nd one works, but it looks like some of the home made ones I’ve found on this site. I’m pretty sure I’ll either go with the top one or the toyotool one.

What’s the best way to install new cams, retainers, and springs with the head on the car?

Do I really need the Mitsubishi Tensioner MD998738 tool? I saw that you can rig a battery tiedown cable, but that’s too “ghetto” for me.

In the Vfaq they say to fill the cylinders with rubber hose or rope and crank it up as high as you can so the valves don't fall in the cylinder, but I looked at the prostreet article http://my.prostreetonline.com/t285.htm and it’s all ziptied together. Huh?
So if I’m doing this, I’m going to have to cut the zipties and retime the car? Is that right? I’ve also read to use compressed air and a compression tester to keep the valves up, does that really work? People have said like 100psi, but make sure the crank doesn’t turn by leaving the car in gear.

Another important tidbit of information – the timing belt was just changed as well as all the other general timing belt stuff that goes along with it – water pump – balance shaft belt etc.

I’ve looked at the vfaq and listed some of the helpful pages below:

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=203569
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=247382
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=224735
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118626
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=206946

http://vfaq.com/mods/Valvestem-seals.html
http://vfaq.com/mods/Valvespring-compressor.html
http://www.plymouthlaser.com/scomp.htm

TIA

 

[19Eclipse90]

I would go with the Toyotool one, on the site the first one pictured on the left. I have heard of both methods working to keep the valves from falling. It may not be a bad idea to use the compressed air to make sure nothing else in the cylinder is leaking. If something is, then you'll lose your valve into the cylinder but will need to take your head off anyway to fix the leak. Most people I've heard of use the rope method.

To install cams, springs, and retainers, the timing belt needs to come off. You will need to break the cam gears loose from the original cams while they are still on the head. I find it difficult that to do it any other way. You can install them on the new cams after you put them in. It is pretty straight forward, especially if you are going to be doing valve stem seals at the same time. After removing the camshafts, use the spring compressor tool to take out the C-clips held by the retainer that hold the valve. Remove your compressor tool, the retainers and springs should be free. Change your VSS, put your new spring and retainer in place, compress the spring and retainer and put the C-Clips back in.

Since the timing belt needs to come off, there's no better time to learn how to do that yourself either. The VFAQ gives a good way to do it, but so does the Haynes manual. The battery tie-down make shift is as good as it gets if you don't want to spend money on a tool you will use once every 60k miles. Mark the direction of the rotation of the belt when cylinder 1 is at TDC. Then mark some teeth on the belt and some corresponding teeth on the cam gears, crankshaft, and oil pump sprockets. Then know that when you go to put the belt back on, the weight of the oil pump sprocket should be to the bottom and all those points should match up when you have it all said and done. I've used white paint to mark the points in the past and it does really well.