Need help with valve/assy removal

Russco

Russco

Member
(8BA flathead)What am I doing wrong? I bought the Offy prybar tool I am trying to lever the guide down enough to pull the clips out but I keep breaking the groove area off of the guide? I have managed to get a few of them off but something doesnt seem right. This is not an old gunked up motor this was pulled out of my car running and pretty clean on a not too old rebuild. I have searched on here for a good tech on removal but have not really found one. Any help would be appreciated Thanks Mike
 
Russco>>> I keep breaking the groove area off of the guide?>>>

Sounds kinda normal to me Mike. 8^) I suggest removing the valves/springs etc first. Then push (or pound) the guides down from the top.

Jack E/NJ
 
Mike, I have a tool that removes the clips/horseshoes without pulling the guides down. It is a bar that has a knurled wheel on it that grips the tab on the clip and you can pry it out. I've also seen bars with a pin on the end to fit in the hole in the tab and pry it out. It destroys the clips but they should be replaced anyway.
You might be able to grip the tab with visegrips and pry them out, I haven't tried this but it might work.
Bill
 
As I recall from many years ago when I pulled mine apart, mind you this is with rotator retainers (here we go again), I used the pickle fork to slightly lift the bottom retainer from an angle then smacked the valve centered with a small brass hammer to break the keepers loose. Pulled the valves and springs then drove the guide out. I see the tell-tale marks on my block and fork and only have two assembled valves in the box of bagged and tagged stuff. All the others are in pieces. I know, crude but effective.

Lonnie
 
Thanks for the replies. I understand how they are supposed to come out I am just surprised at how stuck they are in a relatively fresh engine. So I guess its not uncommon if they are stuck to break the groove out of the guide?
I've gotten a 5 assemblies out so far 2 of them I had to remove valve keepers and knock out from above 3 others shot out across the shop when I used the pry tool under them. I was just wanting to touch up the valves and reuse everything but thats not gonna happen now.
 
With the 8BA having "conventional" valves and one piece guides, it's easier to just disassemble the valve assy in situ and tap the guide down to remove the clip, then either lever it up and out or keep tapping it down and out. (I lever em up).

When assembling the engine, and all the parts are nice and clean and the guides slide nicely in the cleaned up guide bores, that is where the tool comes into it's own. You can quickly and easily pull the guide down and slip in the horseshoe clip. To be honest, even then I prefer to use a tire iron domn the inlet port to press the inlet guides down. I have one that's just the right shape.

In my mind I think of the valve lever too as an assembly tool, not a disassembly tool.

I have not stripped many flatties, (4 or 5) but can honestly say I have not successfully used that tool to remove a single guide assembly.

Mart.
 
Thanks again for the replies I've got one bank out now by taking the valves out first and tapping the guides down. Hoping the Offy tool works alot better for installation.
 
Russco said:
Thanks for the replies. I understand how they are supposed to come out I am just surprised at how stuck they are in a relatively fresh engine. So I guess its not uncommon if they are stuck to break the groove out of the guide?
I've gotten a 5 assemblies out so far 2 of them I had to remove valve keepers and knock out from above 3 others shot out across the shop when I used the pry tool under them. I was just wanting to touch up the valves and reuse everything but thats not gonna happen now.
Click to expand...
We used to have betts to see how far across the shop we make them fly. Walt
 
Russco, If you can live with those chipped guides and they won't keep you up at night -- then I'd keep them. By now you've learned the groove has no value except installing the clip on the upper end, so just make sure they're positioned properly when you install them. While they're out, I'd take Ol' Ron's advice and have them knurled for minimal oil consumption and ensure a longer life. This may assuage your angst and save you some bucks!!

Lonnie
 
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Hi Mike, a conventional valve spring compressor will disassemble those assemblies.

Just need the correct "fingers" and it's a "walk-in-the-park"! Ours happens to be air operated, but a hand operated one will do also! You can see the "straight" style fingers we use.

Takes about 30/40 minutes to remove all 16 guides. Just about every guide we remove is serviceable and gets bronzed-lined for reassembly.

Thanks, Gary in N.Y.

P.S. Here's a shot of one being taken apart. Once the locks are removed the rest is fairly easy! The second shot shows the guide being pulled out after the retainer is removed!

 
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Join the crowd, I've cut, ground, chiseled, hammered, drilled, and maybe even cussed them out of what I thought was a "good" motor. Then I've found old crusty motors that they almost fell out of.
 
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