Fearing the impending doom of valve train failure after 62k miles of HARD driving and some annoying valvetrain noise, I've gone ahead and ordered Supertech double stainless steel valve springs and Ti Retainers. I plan on pulling the head and installing them the way the manual suggests (unless someone can point me in the direction of an overhead valve spring compressor) but my question is:

1) Do I need to buy new keepers?
2) Do I need to buy new valve seats?
3) Is the large "head off" valve compressor tool a common part for other cars that is readily availiable or is it a one off Honda part that I need to bug the dealer for?

 

1. Keepers are cheap, and easy to loose. I'd buy a full set for piece of mind. Not a must have.

2. No, but a machine shop needs to re-grind the seats and lap the valves for the new valves to seal. You probalby don't want to buy the seat cutters in the S/M, they are quite expensive.

3. Most of the commercially available compressors will work, they just need to be able to "reach" below the valve cover rail to compress the spring. Look for a compressor designed for DOHC engines.

 

I'm not replacing the valves, only the springs and retainers....

 

If you are leaving the head on the car - you can use this:

Snap-On Valve Spring Compressor

It's about $130.00 new and you can do the install by just pulling the cams.

 

Ouch. I already bought a new headgasket so I'll just pull the head and do it. I want to take a look in there before adding 11psi and 200hp anyway. I've talked to a few tuners and they've advised that the keepers are not a wear item and that I don't need to replace them. Also, the seats are fine if you reuse the stock valves (which I am)

Thanks guys

 

If you where to replace the valve seats, they need to be installed and ground by a machine shop.

When you remove the valves from the head don't mix them up, they need to be installed in the same place you removed them from.

 

youll learn alot about your motor by pulling the head. but if theres no reason, then why do it. my ideas.
A: do the springs retainers in the car. alot quicker, and easier job.

B: pull the head. get a cometic gasket. get ARP studs. change your ret's and springs, and reassemble. this is the sweetest way.

just make sure your up to the task. this is a big job, and getting the tool to pull the crank pulley will cost as much as getting the tool to use compressed air and do them with the head on. lates dave

 

I have to replace the crank pulley with the new one from the Vortech kit anyway...

 

I would advise not pulling the head. There is absolutely no reason to.

 

I've had some of the best mechanics I know pull the head and use studs instead of the OEM bolts, and have headgasket failures under high boost. They went back to stock bolts and it cured the problem.