engine questions...not political for a change

Happy VD folks.

Here's my AUTO related question...
Have any of you just popped of the valve covers and valve springs to replace valve stem seals to reduce oil consumption? My beater is starting to drink me to death on it's oil habit. I may leave it in the gutter some day. (258,000 miles and valve gaskets are still virginal).
ERic.

74bgt
76 suzuki rotary motorcycle

I only did it once and sure enough, it worked like a champ. Do a leak down test first, it obviously wont help a bit if your problem is in the rings.

You can do the old trick of putting each piston at TDC, then feeding a thin rope into the spark plug hole to hold the valve up while compressing the spring.

Thanks folks. I'm going to give it a go. Can't lose anything but a Saturday afternoon, and gain a few more miles. The lower end should be good, GM 305 V8, always good oil with regular changes.


To hijack my own thread...I'm also going to change out a powermaster brake system on an old Bonneville for a normal vacuum assist. I tried just changing the accumulator ($150) and it didn't do the trick. So now it's either getting a new unit $900, or swapping out for a vanilla vacuum system.

Thanks again folks.

Eric

How did y'all compress the valve springs? I have been looking for a lever type compressor that could be used with a B head but don't want to buy on on the hope that it will work and do not have the time to build one from scratch. Any of you know of a specific one that works on our springs?

BTW, years ago I used to do it with a air fitting to use compressed air instead of a rope. The shop had a lever to use, but that was 30+ years ago

I'm going to try this..

KD tools, Valve spring compressors, about $15

That'll work Eric. I've used one many many times while holding the valves closed with compressed air.

IMPORTANT TIP: When you have both valves closed you are working with give the round retainers a good whack with a hammer on one edge, straight down, but on one edge. That breaks the keepers loose so the tool can compress the spring more easily.

ALSO: Keep a small pocket magnet handy and pick the keepers out with it.

see your napa store for a K@d tool that will compress springs.
tool is small,has a hand wheel and one hand operation as the wheel turns a threaded shaft that with incorporated clamp holds springs compressed.
those lever bar types need a hand to hold springs compressed and are not
really adaptable to all installations.. tool cost me about 15 bucks in the 70s.
if you have a compressor get an "air hold" spark plug hole fitting ,to hold
valves on seat.

Gerry Wrote: