Air pump for valve spring seals change...
 

Hey everyone. I know nothing about air compressors and im trying to decide whether or not to do the valve seals in my m103. Would this unit Home Depot be adequate to reliably hold the cylinder at TDC? Also, does anybody have a link to a good valve compressor that I could use for this job? Thanks!

Edit: Sorry, apparently Home Depot doesn't want external links pointing to their website, so I have uploaded a screenshot of the relevant page :P

Another method that I've heard of is to feed a length of cord (starter rope for a lawnmower engine is the right size) in through the spark plug hole, then turn the engine by hand untill it becomes difficult to turn. The idea being to use enough cord to allow the piston to pack it in against the valves. It's cheaper than buying an air compressor, and has an added advantage in that the cord will not suddenly force the piston to the bottom of its stroke, as air will do if you're off TDC by a few degrees.

That should do. You only need about 20 psi to keep the valve closed. Make sure you buy a pressure regulator so you can select output pressure. If a valve drops at TDC there should be enough stem left to grab it and pull it back up.

If you have a manual trans the engine won't rotate if you place it in fourth or fifth and firmly set the parking brake.

Duke

This seems like a great method for doing the job on the cheap... just my style. :D

About how much cord (approx.) would that be?
It seems you would want to go real slow when turning the crank so as not to pinch the end of the cord you use to withdraw it.
Feel free to elaborate if there is anything else pertinent.

It wouldn't take much...just enough to fill up the combustion chamber in the head. However, there's no penalty for using more than that, so feel free to feed in a good handfull. Sears sells replacement starter pull cords with handle for 2 or 3 bux. The handle will keep you from dropping the free end in by mistake. Also, you're not likely to spin the engine fast enough to cause any problems, but don't force anything once it feels snug.

Thanks for the follow up... I will have to get serious about putting new valve seals in the slow way with a bare bones tool requirement.

I found out I can use a bottom of the barrel valve spring compressor here... http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=125237

It's a job I've never done and don't want to get too far into until I have it worked out a little in my head. Guess it's time to get the parts list together and put it on the scheduel.

I'll be doing the same thing, once I get my truck back from the bodyshop. I just don't feel like tearing into it while it's my only transportation.