Help identifying engine tap
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 4,171
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From: SE Texas
Sounds like you might be open to some "okie tech".
Manually hold valve seated, remove spark plug, set piston about halfway up on the compression stroke, and feed a long piece of rope through the plug hole. Leave the tail out, obviously. SLOWLY turn crank until it compresses the rope in the combustion chamber enough to hold valve firmly seated. Now press retainer and spring down and insert keepers. A couple extra hands and creative manipulation of pry bars can be handy here...
Manually hold valve seated, remove spark plug, set piston about halfway up on the compression stroke, and feed a long piece of rope through the plug hole. Leave the tail out, obviously. SLOWLY turn crank until it compresses the rope in the combustion chamber enough to hold valve firmly seated. Now press retainer and spring down and insert keepers. A couple extra hands and creative manipulation of pry bars can be handy here...
JL
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Freshman User
Joined: May 2010
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lol. That's an ooooold trick, compressed air works just as well.
We will see later today, the replacement spring is supposed to be at NAPA by 8am, and I will be working until about noon or 1pm, then go to the shop and get this thing licked
We will see later today, the replacement spring is supposed to be at NAPA by 8am, and I will be working until about noon or 1pm, then go to the shop and get this thing licked
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 4,171
Likes: 12
From: SE Texas
JL
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Wayyy NoCal, USA
Compressed air is good,until you drop the locks down the oil return because the air pocket let go when you were trying to compress the spring. There's very little room in there to work without disturbing the valve, even less if you're not using the Ford valvespring tool, and a physical "wedge" of rope or similar will keep the valve solidly in place with absolutely no movement.
JL
JL
Hmmm... sounds like your "learning curve" progressed much like mine!
I bet the "plug holes with rags" trick was learned about the same time?
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Freshman User
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I like to use a magnet pick-up tool thingy when removing locks in the vehicle, but we will see how it goes. I do keep some 3/16" rope around just for this type of job hehe.
Unfortunately it will have to wait until tomorrow, the wife goes out with her mom once a month (1st Wed.) and it has slipped my mind today is that day :S
Unfortunately it will have to wait until tomorrow, the wife goes out with her mom once a month (1st Wed.) and it has slipped my mind today is that day :S
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 4,171
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From: SE Texas
JL
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Well feeding rope into a hole way down in there like this is probably like having sex after 65...
Figured I'll use the rope so I can take my time and not have the compressor running if I don't need it, and test with air after it's done. Either way it should run for a while, e will probably start saving pennies to get a replacement motor, certainly cheaper than buying a new truck.
Figured I'll use the rope so I can take my time and not have the compressor running if I don't need it, and test with air after it's done. Either way it should run for a while, e will probably start saving pennies to get a replacement motor, certainly cheaper than buying a new truck.
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When will it end? The spring that came out is a bee-hive, the replacement spring is straight and doesn't seat on the retainer properly!
I am hoping that since I have several heads laying around, maybe I can find a retainer with the proper lock angle and spring diameter, otherwise I don't know what to do short of going to Ford. (this spring came from Napa)
I am hoping that since I have several heads laying around, maybe I can find a retainer with the proper lock angle and spring diameter, otherwise I don't know what to do short of going to Ford. (this spring came from Napa)
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 4,171
Likes: 12
From: SE Texas
When will it end? The spring that came out is a bee-hive, the replacement spring is straight and doesn't seat on the retainer properly!
I am hoping that since I have several heads laying around, maybe I can find a retainer with the proper lock angle and spring diameter, otherwise I don't know what to do short of going to Ford. (this spring came from Napa)
I am hoping that since I have several heads laying around, maybe I can find a retainer with the proper lock angle and spring diameter, otherwise I don't know what to do short of going to Ford. (this spring came from Napa)
JL.
Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 4,584
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From: Chesapeake, Va.
When will it end? The spring that came out is a bee-hive, the replacement spring is straight and doesn't seat on the retainer properly!
I am hoping that since I have several heads laying around, maybe I can find a retainer with the proper lock angle and spring diameter, otherwise I don't know what to do short of going to Ford. (this spring came from Napa)
I am hoping that since I have several heads laying around, maybe I can find a retainer with the proper lock angle and spring diameter, otherwise I don't know what to do short of going to Ford. (this spring came from Napa)
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Freshman User
Joined: May 2010
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NAPA got you a spring from a '91-'95 model. That spring will not work properly in your cylinder head, and of course you need the later beehive design. Ford will get you the correct spring, or any cylinder head from a '96-present 2V will work as a donor for the valvespring. PI or NPI-the springs are all the same in that time period.
JL.
JL.
Yeah I just went back and they swear up and down this is the right spring "according to the computer". What happened to people know what they are doing when working in a place like that, now they all just hire cashiers that can navigate a PC
Ford has 7 of them in the next county according to the dealership close to my house/shop, so looks like I have to drive 30miles each way to get one...
EDIT: This spring is the correct diameter and length (I couldn't the old one on my valve spring tester to see if they matched #'s was since it was broken). The guy at the parts counter actually pulled out their paper catalog and the springs are not listed for the late modulars, so somewhere along the line, the info wasn't put in the system properly.
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Wayyy NoCal, USA
The beehive style is, I believe, intended to reduce/eliminate/control spring harmonics at higher rpms. Spring designs continue to improve. The easy solution is to make strings stiffer, but that is harder on drivetrain and fuel economy. Beehive or other variable rate designs are better, if not more expensive, solutions.
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I am very familiar with beehive springs as I build and port cylinder heads at my shop.
Well I didn't make a tools I failed at it 3 times, so 3 zip ties and my valve spring checker worked good.
Mission accomplished!
Thanks for all your help
-John
Well I didn't make a tools I failed at it 3 times, so 3 zip ties and my valve spring checker worked good.
Mission accomplished!
Thanks for all your help
-John