I'm getting ready to do the dreaded valve stem replacement w/ the heads on the car. I've got the seals. I got the compressor that Tomguy recommended
(Ampro from partsamerica.com for $20.)
Went to the jkyd today to practice on a car other than mine. I even took the camshaft off to make it easier (altho I'm definitely hoping not to do that on my car.) The compressor really seems too small- and when you can get it to connect, it merely raises up the bottom of the spring and doesn't push down the top. A retired import mechanic stopped by to chat and said that I needed to use the Mercedes tool which hooks onto the camshaft and pushes
the springs down. I have a mechanic friend who will loan that to me, but I would still love to be able to buy some aftermkt. compressor that would get the job done. The only ones I have found are types similar to the Ampro(too small) or a prybar type that says it is for Chevy's or a big (really big) C clamp
type I think is for removal with the heads off the car(?)
So any help with valve spring compressors would be helpful.
(And Tomguy- I don't mean to single you out and I don't care at all that I may have bought a compressor that doesn't seem to work- I'm just trying
to get some answers so I can do this myself on the cheap w/o making mistakes like dropping a valve down the hole)
Which brings me to my final question. I would love not to hook up an air compressor to keep the valves up. Some have suggested that if I make sure that the cylinder I'm working on is at TDC the valve will definitely not fall down. But another mechanic told me that you need the air to hold the valve up as high as it would go to get the keepers out. I'd love to use rope or something? What do you think?