Valve Spring Compressor

Anyone who has tried to remove valves on a SHO engine knows that it’s not an easy job to find a valve spring compressor that will work.

Aftermarket compressors are designed to grab a single unshrouded spring. Problem is that the springs are buried in housing pairs:

The Ford Rotunda T89P-6701-C compressor came with a kit costing several hundred dollars, and is long obsolete.

My first customized compressor was from KD Tools. Worked after a fashion, but was really fiddly to use.

The hooks went round a camshaft:

Problem with it was that you only had one hand free as the other had to keep the spring pressed down

with a lever that was too short, and you had to clamp the head to a bench.

There’s also the Lisle 36200:

A breeze to remove the keepers by tapping on the tool head as there’s a magnet inside, but can be a pig to install them:

you have to insert the keepers into the tool, but you can’t see what you are doing.

The valve has to be resting on something to keep it in place while you push down hard on the tool

or hit the head with a hammer. Horror stories of keepers being damaged or pinging off to locations unknown.

So I started with this, an OEM 27040 from Autozone for $25:

And finished with this:

Works great as it grabs the underside of the housing, is hands free once installed, you can see what you are doing

and are working in a completely controlled environment. No more lost keepers or damage. Arms still swivel.

Punched flat bar from a hardware store, with three M5/0.8/40mm bolts and tension lock nuts with washers.

Drill out the rivets holding the arms to the body. Cut the wings off so they don't foul the camshaft bearing.

Squeeze the fork prongs in just a tad with a vise.

Nick Chrimes

BaySHO Performance