MX-3.com

Im getting ready to do my KLZE swap.

I been on probetalk and on here search and found nothing on any guides on changing the valve springs.

Has anyone see a website or a thread that I may have missed that shows how to do this?

Also, from what I understand, I dont need to pull off the heads but I do need to take the cams off?

Ah! I was looking for something on how to do this but i couldn't find any really really good info.

HOWEVER. I did find 2 ways of doing. Taking of the heads will make it much easier to take the springs out, however you'll have to buy new gaskets and clean the heads, which is alot of work.

The first method requires compressed air, the second requires taking the head off.

For both methods you will have to remove the cams because the cams sit on the HLA's which sit directly on the valves! take 16 more bolts and you can take your heads off.

1) To do it without removing the heads, compress the cylinder through the spark plug hole with compressed air, to stop the valve from falling through when you take of the keepers. You'll need to use a tool like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zm6Xk14 ... re=related" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

and to put them in

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3i0Zz5ec ... re=related" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

2) IF you remove the head, you can rent a compressor and follow this video i found on you tube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G5v8i0DnBI" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; To put them back in, place the retainer on the spring, and compress it a bit, then put the keepers in the retainer, and slowly compress the spring. With your finger, guide on keeper into place. Compress it more and guide the other and your done.

Thanks

I heard I could use Nylon rope, push it down through the spark plug hole. Keep pushing it till I get the piston all the way down?

I dont need a air compressor if I do the nylon rope trick?

Just to make sure. Pushing the piston down. All that does is make it possible somehow for me to remove the springs, valve and retainers?
Can you explain how that works? What exactly does pushing the cylinder that I am taking the valves off do?

I did this with heads off, was a bit of a PITA, mainly because theres 24 of them! The rope trick will work, though I'd prefer air! All you have to do is make sure the valve doesn't drop right in so you can't retrieve it. The rope just sits on top of the piston and fills up the cylinder under the valves. You can't take the valve out with the heads on, the springs and retainers and keepers sit on top of the head, so they can come out.

marcdh wrote:I did this with heads off, was a bit of a PITA, mainly because theres 24 of them! The rope trick will work, though I'd prefer air! All you have to do is make sure the valve doesn't drop right in so you can't retrieve it. The rope just sits on top of the piston and fills up the cylinder under the valves. You can't take the valve out with the heads on, the springs and retainers and keepers sit on top of the head, so they can come out.

Is that true? Havent people taken out the intake valve, springs and retainers with the heads on?

I started this but never got around to finishing it. It is directed at changine valve stem seals, but also applies to changing springs and retainers.

http://www.mx-3.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=65711" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I have posted it even though some details have not been confirmed on the K family of engines. The basic information is accurate, but I am not certain the level of disassebly required to remove the cams.

If you have any other questions ask and I will do what I can to help.

Yea fraid so. Here's a photo of the klze head from the other side that meets the block. You'll see the valves have noway of getting out as it's only the narrow valve stem that is visible from the top. This is why you have to be careful the valve doesn't drop in, by using rope or comp air.


Here you can see the top of the valve stem in the middle of a retainer, btw I found vaseline very handy for placing the keepers:


And finally a pic showing a damaged valve I had to replace with the one in the background, no amount of lapping was fixing that!

Someone remind me. I havent been on Probetalk.com or MX-3.com for a long time and I forgot. If I remember correctly, the springs and valve retainers are the weak link [reason for dropped valves] on the KLZE engines? Or is it just the springs?

I can remove the springs without taking the heads off?
But not the valves.

I believe it's the exhaust valve retainers that get the blame for the dropped valves. ON most engines you can remove them without removing the head, but looking at the picture a couple of posts up I am worried that there's not enough room to get the spring compressor tool on the spring.

I've never done any head work on a K engine so I'm not sure.

wytbishop wrote:I believe it's the exhaust valve retainers that get the blame for the dropped valves. ON most engines you can remove them without removing the head, but looking at the picture a couple of posts up I am worried that there's not enough room to get the spring compressor tool on the spring.

I've never done any head work on a K engine so I'm not sure.

Nope its the intake retainers. The exhaust valves, springs and retainers are the same as the KLDE ones.

I am pretty sure its possible. People on Probetalk.com http://forums.probetalk.com/showthread.php?t=1701258261" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Have taken out Valve springs with heads on...

Don't worry it can be done with heads on. You just need an overhead cam spring compressor. My kit included a compressor fitting for the spark plug hole, so your valves dont drop. I never used the kit as I ended up taking my heads off- but looked like it would have worked.

Yep the intake retainers are meant to be weak. The intake springs have sharp edges too. The ZE springs also have weaker open/seated pressure, meaning more chance of valve float=bad. That's why I put in 24 interprep springs,12 de retainers, 24 (2pervalve) de collets. Safe reving to over 7800

Here is a question for you guys. Will K8 retainers and springs work on a KLZE engine?

I am pretty sure the springs are different diameters and would definitely be different spring rates. The retainers might work...but it is known that the DE retainers work and are reliable so I wouldn't mess with the K8 ones.

Someone told me k8 ones are ok for it. But I couldn't be confident about that. I just did what Alistair at Interprep recommended