Topic: Removing Valve Springs on complete motor CB550

[Maurice]

That only works on CB750 heads. CB550 the springs are buried in the head.



I used this thing, ghetto as hell but worked. It's some dremel attachment piece... Yes that's an old head bolt rubber puck to hold the valve.

[goldarrow]

I've used this with great success

That's a great tool if you just need to replace the seals, where did you get it?

From Local swap meet a while back for only a few bucks.    yes, great tool to remove springs and change seals.  I had my engine apart but forgot to change seals after the head was buttoned down. 

[goldarrow]

I bought this from swap meet a while back too but haven't tried using, so not sure how this will work over the head

[tino montreal]

Well, I used parts everyone has at home....check photo out, and it worked like a charm. Used 3/4" socket, but think a 5/8" socket may be better. So that's a large C-clamp and a 5/8" socket --> cut a window out of socket with grinder and used wife's tweezers to pull spring collets out! I hope this will work as easy putting back on  Oh yeah, this only works if the head is off.

[flybox1]

I've used this with great success

That's a great tool if you just need to replace the seals, where did you get it?

From Local swap meet a while back for only a few bucks.    yes, great tool to remove springs and change seals.  I had my engine apart but forgot to change seals after the head was buttoned down.

Goldarrow!!!   I've been wondering if these would work on my 750 head.  Nice to know.  Thanks for those pics.
KD Tools KDS379 Small Engine Valve Spring Compressor

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/271300226036?lpid=82

[TwoTired]

Valve guide seal replace with head still on.
I cobbled some tools together for the task.  See pic one.
 Bring the piston for the cylinder being worked on to TDC by turning the crank, then back the piston back down in the bore a little ways.
Pack the cylinder with small rope as shown in pic two.  (This happens to be window curtain pull rope I found in my garage.)  You feed into the cylinder 6-8 inches of the rope end (recall that the compression chamber for the 550 is only about 10cc of volume and you just want to fill that), then bring the piston back up to near TDC, which mashes the rope between piston and the valve so the valve stem shouldn't move while the spring is off.  (simple test)
Lever the spring down (compress), then remove the keepers from the stem with a small magnet.  Move the spring off the valve to access the valve stem seal.  Pry off and press the new one on. 
Reposition the spring and retainer.  Compress the valve spring again and re-install the keepers, with forceps or bent needle nose pliers. 
Release spring compression pressure noting that the keeper have returned to original (proper) position. 
After doing the other cylinder's valve, back the piston down in the bore and pull the rope out of the spark plug hole.

Move on to the next one...

[flybox1]

clever lever you've got there TT 

[horrid550]

If you cant find the air fitting to hold the valves in place during removal of the springs you can also do it the poor mans way.  Take a roll of cotton cord, with the piston of the valve set you are working on at the bottom of the bore, insert the cord into the spark plug hole and start feeding it in.  after a few feet of cord are inserted bring the piston toward the top of the cylinder.   Carefully compress the cordage in the cylinder with the piston until the valves are pressed tight to the head.  Proceed with spring removal.  When done, rotate the piston down a bit and pull the cord out.  Go to the next cylinder and repeat.

Opps, sorry for the repeat of MCriders method.  Guess I didn't read his whole post.  Same method.  We used to do this on big block Mopars that liked to smoke due to bad valve guide seals.

very clearly written, thank you!

Sent from my SGH-T769 using Tapatalk 2

[lone*X]

Thanks, one change though.  Use TT's measure of cord, 6 to 8 inches instead of my reference to a few feet.  As stated in the original post, we were working on a lot of big block V8's when I was doing that regularly.  The compression chamber is quite tight on these motorcycle engines.

[KayOne]

Used this tool to change my valve seals on my '79 CB750F DOHC in the frame. This really works well, I used air to keep the valves up but you could also use rope.

Tool Review Lisle 36050 Valve Keeper Tool MORE Spanky