Valve spring retainers

[nitro3custom]

I was going through my parts and noticed that the 1978 head has aluminum retainers. and a different shaped piece for the bottom of the spring pocket. Is that normal or did someone replace them with something else.

[TeamDar]

Those are aftermarket

[GabrielGoes]

i am going to threadjack real quick... is there a "valve spring compressor" tool? my buddy is currently throwing his engine backtogether for the first time and he said he needs somethign to compress the springs..is this correct or is there no such thing/need for a tool?

[mike_of_bbg]

i am going to threadjack real quick... is there a "valve spring compressor" tool? my buddy is currently throwing his engine backtogether for the first time and he said he needs somethign to compress the springs..is this correct or is there no such thing/need for a tool?

Are you talking GS or in general? There are valve spring compressors, but most work by grabbing the actual spring and compressing it. That doesn't work too well on these old GS engines because the springs are recessed in the head as installed. There is an official Suzuki tool, but it's easier and cheaper to just make your own with some wood or PVC pipe and a 6" C-clamp.

As happens so very often, there's a link off of BassCliff's BikeCliff site:

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/images/valve_replacement.html

[mike_of_bbg]

Here are a couple of valve spring compressors. The second one might actually work on a GS...

I own one of these - bought many moons ago when I rebuilt a Toyota SR22 motor:

http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-16750-Valve-Spring-Compressor/dp/B0009OR96K/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1299196659&sr=8-2

This should work on a GS, but you can do it with a c-clamp and PVC:

http://www.amazon.com/OTC-4572-Valve-Spring-Compressor/dp/B000F5ECUY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1299196659&sr=8-3

[GabrielGoes]

Are you talking GS or in general?

sorry, its A 1978 GS1000, currently everythings apart and he says he believes he cant continue without this tool, its pretty neat to see everything (for me its the first time) i saw the small spring that goes inside the larger spring, than the stem which goes through the retainer and the two little half's of metal that go around the stem and tighten into the retainer.. pretty crazy stuff when you think about the engineer's who actually invented that motor, oh and i saw the shim's inside the buckets... how the hell do you get those shims out? theres a little slot on the side i guess u just pop em out with a flathead?

[GabrielGoes]

okay that video on bascliffs website just explained everything..

[mike_of_bbg]

They really are amazing machines as refined over the last century or so. It was interesting to hear in a presentation at Kitty Hawk that the Wright bros first flights were so short because their home-built motor wasn't very good - the intake manifold would overheat quickly and the engine lost compression. How far we've come!

Whatever PVC I had on hand was very brittle and didn't work very well. I ended up cutting off about 1.5" of a shovel handle, drilling into it and removing a window for access to the retainers. Pic attached.

[mike_of_bbg]

Look further at BassCliff's site for all you ever wanted to know about juggling shims. In short yes you just pop them out of the bucket with a screwdriver or knife, but you have to have clearance first. There's a special tool, or you can use zip ties to hold valves open to create the clearance.

[Steve]

okay that video on bascliffs website just explained everything..

Thank you.

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[mike_of_bbg]

Thank you.

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No, Steve - THANK YOU

[GabrielGoes]

No, Steve - THANK YOU

"
HAHAHAHAHAHA i was gonna say teh same thing minus the bowing down smiley

[Steve]

Well, I'd like to say "it was my pleasure".




















No, really. I'd like to.

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