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Removing and refitting valves

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Johnny

Johnny

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Doing a valve job on the AH BJ7.

The manual says, "Take away the circlip, split cotters, and valve stem cap, so releasing the springs and allowing the valve to be removed." My problem is removing the split cotters, which way do they come out? Straight up, or do you have to push them down through the valve stem cap? I released the spring witht the valve spring tool, removed the hairpin but the "split cotters" won't come up through the valve stem caps. I know, I did this once before but it's been 6 years ago and I can't remember! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cry.gif
Thanks in advance for the help.
 
Hi Johnny,
You need to compress the spring, then the cotters slide out perpendicular to the valve stem, then they lift straight out. I’ll try a drawing, photoshop is on the fritz.

Here you go.
 
As the sketch shows to compress the springs you will be forcing the top spring cap down the valve stem, this will expose the bulk of the cotters and is just a matter of slipping a thin screw driver into the vertical joint between the cotters and giving a slight twist to unseat them from the recess in the valve stem and they will just fall out.
 
/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/thankyousign.gif Thank You Bob and Greg, I knew I can rely on the BCF for help.

/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/angel.gif
 
Johnny said:
Doing a valve job on the AH BJ7.

The manual says, "Take away the circlip, split cotters, and valve stem cap, so releasing the springs and allowing the valve to be removed." My problem is removing the split cotters, which way do they come out? Straight up, or do you have to push them down through the valve stem cap? I released the spring witht the valve spring tool, removed the hairpin but the "split cotters" won't come up through the valve stem caps. Thanks in advance for the help.
Click to expand...

Thought I'd furnish an update. With my trusty Harbor Freight valve spring tool I couldn't get the springs to budge. Then it "hit me", (no pun intended) you first have to dislodge the valve spring "cap", a sharp rap on the sides usually does the trick, then the springs can be compressed easily, and like Greg says "the cotters will almost fall out".

Oh, forget about renting a valve spring compression tool from Autozone, O'Reilly's etc. It's not offered anymore, seems nobody does valve jobs on newer cars (unleaded gas was given as an excuse) anymore. They do offer tubes of valve grinding paste (coarse/fine) with the old hand suction tool.
 
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