Ok I'm on the tail end of the hotcam install and all I really have to do is install the new springs and rockers. I'm really having trouble getting the keepers off the springs though. The streetillusions guide is kind of vague, it just says "use a magnet". We just can't get the keeper off. The spring is plenty compressed. Does anyone have advice on installing the springs or especially taking out the old ones? I've never touched the valvetrain before so this is all new to me. Would it be worth it to take it to a shop just to finish that part up?

Another thing, the streetillusions guide talks about 7/16 rockers. he's talking about the size of the hole in the rocker and not anything to do with the ratio right? I don't need new studs do I?

Thanks for your help
-Alex

 

Well I can't help with the keeper situation, the 7/16 I believe is in reference to the stud size. They come in two different sizes 3/8 and 7/16 and accordingly so do rocker arms, more specifically the hole in the rocker arm shaft has to be matched up to the rocker arm stud.

 

Before you compress the spring,take a socket and put it on the spring retainer and give it a whack with a hammer.That will loosen the retainer.Then compress the spring and a magnet should pull off the keepers.

 

The magnet is to keep from losing your keepers into the engine. I would make absolutely sure to use one. If the spring and retainer are pushed down and the valve stem is sticking up with the keepers stuck on it, what you need to do is, rap the retainer with a mallet or hammer handle before you put your compressor on it. That will usually loosen up the keepers so that when you compress the spring, the keepers will fall out.

 

I tapped all my springs to loosen the keepers before I swapped the springs. I used a rubber mallot. They all came off easy..

 

Ok thanks for the advice! I'll try hitting the retainers. This won't damage the valve will it? One more thing, how far will the valve drop if I don't use rope or compressed air and the cylinder is at tdc? It seems like it should drop kind of a lot but I've heard people say that it doesn't drop much at all. I just don't want to lose the valve.

Thanks again

 

if the piston is at tdc the valve will drop about 1/4" or so. about the retainers. you do know you are supposed to take the locks out right? they are what you need to whack to get unstuck.

 

Just give the retainer a smack, don't hit the valve stem. The stem seal wil usually hold the valve up after the spring is off. What I woud do on the first one is get it to TDC, remove a spring and then hold onto the valve and push it down until it hits the piston. Keep ahold of the valve in case it does not touch. This way you will know how far down it will go and that the indicator on your pulley is correct. There have been posts from freaked out people that their hub was not oriented correctly and the valve slipped down too far to grab. You don't want to get into that situation.

 

Allright I got the 1st spring off but now the spring locator (?) won't come off because of the valve seal. It's what the spring sits on. The streetillusions guide says replace the valve seals and spring locators but my hotcam kit didn't come with any seals, just locators. The bottom line is, can I use the old spring locators and valve seals on my lt4 springs? If not, can I remove the old seals and put them back on with new spring locators? Or do I need to go out and buy new seals? I would like to just use the old parts if it's going to work fine with the new springs. Thanks for your time.

 

autozone sells seals for $20.. good felpros. reuse the locators.

EDIT: sorry i misread that.. use the locators that come in the kit obviously.

 

Yep, seals are cheap and good insurance. Like you say, you cannot remove the locators without removing the seals. You will generally ruin the seals removing them, so you should install new ones. The new locators could be a different thickness, I don't really know. If they are different, I would use the new ones.