still working on hotcam install.... im on the spring install. im paranoid that im going to drop a valve!!! i compressed the spring and the keepers were ready to fall out... but i decided not to go through with it. im working on #1 cyl. and its at TDC (pretty sure)but what happens when i get the spring off and the valve drops 1/4"?? how am i supposed to get it back up while attempting to put on the new spring?? im lost! im really thinking about leaving the stock springs for now and driving the car to a shop and have them do it! any advice would really help me out!! i want to do this myself, but just dont want to mess up!!!!

oh... and i really dont want to try compressed air in the cylinders. i know for sure i wouldnt be able to every cylinder with the limited access!!!! so thats out of the question!!

 

If the piston on that cylinder is at the top, the valve should just drop a little and rest on it.
http://www.streetillusionsracing.com/RR/rr.htm

 

One option that would be a PITA is get a compression gauge, and hook the line up to compressed air, as long as you don't leak too bad the valves should stay up

 

I just finished this about an hour ago

Don't worry about it.. just make sure the piston you are working on is at TDC and you'll be OK.. I started w/ the compressed air method and it's too tough to finagle the tool around the headers to fit.. so I just winged it. The valves will hold enough (at least mine did) and did not fall through or anything..

A good tip.. compress the HELL out of the new spring to get it on.. will make life much easier when the valve drops a little to get the spring keepers on.

 

The valve seal will usually have enough tension on the valve stem to hold the valve up. If the piston is at TDC, the valve won't go far.

 

Just finished springs last night myself. Just like everyone else says...if the piston is at TDC the valve will not fall very much. When you get the new spring on and compressed use a pair of pliers and pull up on the valve and it should stay up and allow you to put on the keepers. If it doesnt stay up spin the valve until it stays up...putting on new valve seals helps to keep the valves up too.

Not a very hard job just long and tedious.

 

First of all I hope that you are replacing the valve seals while everything is off anyways. The extra $50 is worth the piece of mind. If you take a piece of soft wire and stick it in the plug hole while turning the crank you will be able to tell were TDC is on every cyclinder. The valves will not fall very far at all then.

Make sure you don't forget to spin the crank everytime! I caught myself at the last second and would have lost a valve! Although most of the valves actually had to rest on the top of the piston to break loose the keeps.