Need help with valve spring comressor

The next chapter in my ongoing rebuild of my '78 KZ1000A2. I managed to repair the head that I broke. See below for 'the after' pic. However, the guy who welded it for had to remove the exhaust valve because heat would melt the valve stem seal. Well, I have a set of seals courtesy of Z1 Enterprises. My problem is I don't have anything to compress the spring to put it back together.

DO I need a special Kawi tool? Would a big C-clamp do? There's this:http://cgi.ebay.ca/New-Kawasaki-Valve-Spring-Compression-Special-Tool_W0QQitemZ4605733092QQcategoryZ35595QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

listed on ebay, but how do I use it?



Post edited by: samwell, at: 2006/01/22 07:38

Kawi does sell a valve spring compression tool, but am willing to bet it's expensive. I built one by merely adding an extension to a cheap small engine valve spring compressor. The trick is the bit which goes over the valve and allows you to add or remove the keepers. Try checking the archives. I would not be surprised to see plans for a homemade tool. It can be done cheaply. Maybe a shop would charge minimal coin for just one valve. The OEM tool mught even be worth the expense.

Hey Samwell,
I bought an after market compressor and then modified a deep socket to be able to get to the keepers.


I know it's a lot of work for one valve. Did you break the head the way I think you did?

KZCSI

Post edited by: KZCSI, at: 2006/01/22 09:24

KZCSI wrote:

Hey Samwell,
I bought an after market compressor and then modified a deep socket to be able to get to the keepers.


I know it's a lot of work for one valve. Did you break the head the way I think you did?

I broke it by being stupid of course! I left the kawi shim tool in place(for got it was there!) and tested my newly re-built starter. Doh!

Sam

KZCSI

<br><br>Post edited by: KZCSI, at: 2006/01/22 09:24

I use a C-Clamp and an O2 Sensor socket on the 750, I don't know if it will work on the 1000 though.

Sorry to hear about your bad luck with the shim tool. I know it's too late but I bet JB Weld would have fixed that break without welding. It'll take more heat than you'd think.

When I bought my KZ900 the dealer asked when I was going to bring it in for a valve adjustment. I told him that when the time came I'd do it myself. He responded by telling me that when I ended up breaking my head I shouldn't bother to bring it to him for repair. I've always remembered his admonition (30 years ago) and disconnected my battery when working on the valves.

If any of you are looking for some of that dealer's most excellent advice visit Miller Honda in Winchester, VA.

KZCSI

Samwell,
Check your auto parts stores, I believe some let you borrow tools with a deposit. You could probably do it right there on their counter.

The store bought valve spring compressor Bill pictured is likely made by Motion Pro and www.z1enterprises.com sells them. You need to understand that WHATEVER valve spring compressor is used, you need to have an adapter that just fits over a valve spring retainer and is thin enough to fit between the retainer and wall of the valve well. If you buy a compressor from the autoparts store you will still need the proper adapter and the one from an autoparts store is unlikely to have one. Having said that, I use an 8" C clamp with a nut welded to the fixed end. The purpose of the nut is to reach around the end of the head and clamp onto the valve. If you don't have the nut, you won't be able to clamp. On the other end, I use an adapter made by my buddy, Roy-b-boy-b. He makes them out of old buckets so they ARE just the right size. The point is to compress the spring so that the springs don't tension the split keepers. Once tension is off the keepers, they can just be fished out with a magnet. I suggest you contact Roy and bribe him to make you an adapter and get a C clamp and weld a nut on or pay for a Motion Pro compressor. This is a picture of my set up:

The store bought valve spring compressor Bill pictured is likely made by Motion Pro and www.z1enterprises.com sells them. You need to understand that WHATEVER valve spring compressor is used, you need to have an adapter that just fits over a valve spring retainer and is thin enough to fit between the retainer and wall of the valve well. If you buy a compressor from the autoparts store you will still need the proper adapter and the one from an autoparts store is unlikely to have one. Having said that, I use an 8" C clamp with a nut welded to the fixed end. The purpose of the nut is to reach around the end of the head and clamp onto the valve. If you don't have the nut, you won't be able to clamp. On the other end, I use an adapter made by my buddy, Roy-b-boy-b. He makes them out of old buckets so they ARE just the right size. The point is to compress the spring so that the springs don't tension the split keepers. Once tension is off the keepers, they can just be fished out with a magnet. I suggest you contact Roy and bribe him to make you an adapter and get a C clamp and weld a nut on or pay for a Motion Pro compressor. This is a picture of my set up:

If wondering how this clamp/adapter works, I staged a picture with a valve OUT of the head. This is done to show the valve where you can see it. Imagine the valve in the head with the clamp around the head and the adapter over the valve spings/retainer.

looks like a simple set up. When I was doing valves and seals on my friends KLR650, i just took the head to the dealer and they put it back together for me. Try phoning a local rental shop too, they might have the right valve spring compressor your looking for and would probly charge pennies to let you rent it for an hour.

Here is what we use;


Jay