ok, so ive looked up all the literature i can find on removing valve spring and all of it says that the keepers should come right off, well they dont on my fe.

what had to do was compress the spring hold the retainer in and smack the valve with a hammer a couple times then they would come out. well this worked fine on the first head, but on the second i broke the valve spring compressor.

so are my keepers supposed to come out easily??? and how do you guys get your keepers out.

 

You need a GOOD spring compressor.

 

Ditto!! if it's one of the cheap *** C clamp rentals from FlåKiN Auto Stoned, they twist all to hell if your not careful. A light tap on the retainer usually frees it. The gunk from the engine gets in there and holds things up some but they come out pretty easy with patience.

 

If you have the luxry of having the head off the engine, some rubber mallet love will shake em loose. Just remember to apply the love before you put the compressor on the spring. ;-)

Just remember, they have been there longer than you have. LOL

 

Sorry my puter froze before I could add.....

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He sells them on ebay like $68 or thru his site. Click on the photo's section and flip thru the girdle slideshow. They are towards the end. Can be used with heads on or off the engine. If yer handy and can weld you might be able to whip something up.

 

linky no worky, is the page down?

 

LOL been there...tried those. Very true!!

 

Sorry try again. Had to fix it. Bad spelling you know!!! LOL should be otay now. Works for me.

 

i do like that compressor, the on i got is one of those monkey lookin things with the screw on top.

yah its definetly not a "tap with a rubber mallet" its more like 3-4 decent smacks with a 16oz. ball peen hammer, and ive been doing it with the valve spring compressed.

what ever happend to the old scissor type compressors that they use for briggs n strattons. those always worked like a charm, why not just make a big one?

 

If you have the heads off, you don't really need a spring compressor at all. I use a deep well socket that is big enough to clear the valve and bear on the retainer. Take a ballpeen and smack it hard...the keepers will pop right out and that's it. Been doing that for as long as I can remember..