Dropped a valve!!!

[Billdogg]

I'm in the process of changine valve springs, and I dropped a fricken valve. I got the spring compressed, and the keepers off, and then the connection from the air compressor and hose came apart and PING goes the valve hitting the piston. Then after the fact, I realized the connection from the compressor to the hose sucks. I doesnt want to fully lock on there. I guess I shoulda noticed that before I took the keepers off.

So, is there anything I can do, or is it time to pull the head off?

 

[gofstbuick]

Is the valve stem still in the guide? If so, can you slowly move the piston up until you can grab a hold the stem? If so, then hold the stem up as high as it will go and shove a piece of rope into the spark plug hole to hold the valve up while you install the spring, keeper and retainer. If not, may be time to pull cylinder head.

 

[Turbo T/A 1543]

A friend of mine dropped an exhaust on the drivers side the same way. If you are as lucky, we pulled the header and fished it back up the guide through the exhaust port. Good Luck!

 

[strikeeagle]

Port the heads?

 

[XLR8]

A friend of mine did that and he was able to fish the valve out using several different small but strong magnets. It did take him an hour or so to do it.

 

[MSDGN]

That's why even when using air you should make sure the piston is at TDC...then it will only drop about 1/4"...

 

[scottyb]

A local guy (gnturbo) managed to fish it back up by using a screwdriver thru the spark plug hole, I think. He posted about it here.

 

[turbowidow]

if you need some help let me know. should be able to get the valve back up AND i got all kinds of good air hose/fittings.

 

[Billdogg]

Woah, another local Buick person.

Ever make it out to Hooters on Sunday nights? I'm there every week. Should make it out there.

 

[Billdogg]

Where do I turn the motor over by hand? Am I going to have to pull the intercooler and fan off to get to the crank bolt?

 

[gofstbuick]

You can turn it using the nut on the end of the crank or remove the transmission/torque converter dust sheild and use a tool to turn the crank. By the way, if you don't already have all the spark plugs removed (from the heads), you should, as it will make the crank easier to turn.

 

[Marc87GN]

I just went through the same thing. I was on the phone with my wife while working and dropped the valve. I thought the piston was at TDC, but I was wrong. The people that fished it out with a magnet should buy a lotto ticket because it's extremely difficult if it's the intake valve. I tried for hours and because it's on an angle and it has to be aligned perfectly since you can't slide a hair between the valve and the guide. I pulled the head in about 3 hours my first time. If I had it to again, I could probably pull one in an hour. It's more messy than difficult.

Some guys that have pulled them were extremely helpful. If it's on the exhaust side, you can pull the header and do it. If it's on the intake side, chances are very high that you will be pulling the head.

 

[BJM]

If the plugs are out, put a socket on the alternator pulley bolt and turn from there, the engine will roll pretty easily. Saves reaching down low. I can turn the engine a little by just pulling on the belt.

 

[turbowidow]

did you get the valve up yet? i get out to hooters/beef a roo every once and a while( i've got the 89 tta). ecmo should still have my # otherwise pm me if you need any help.

 

[gofstbuick]

Originally posted by BJM
If the plugs are out, put a socket on the alternator pulley bolt and turn from there, the engine will roll pretty easily. Saves reaching down low. I can turn the engine a little by just pulling on the belt.

That is a good idea also, I forgot about the alternator pulley bolt. Also, If you have to pull the head, since the intake is removed, you may be able to get at the valve through the intake port of the head. So I would make an attempt through the intake port before pulling the head.

 

[Billdogg]

Good news. I pulled the header off, and after about 45 minutes of me and a buddy tring to get that valve lined up perfectly to come back up the guide, we finially got it. That thing is a pain to get perfectly lined up.

The rest of them are coming along now pretty easy with keeping the piston at TDC and with the compressed air. I'll make a quick writeup when I'm done for people who are doign this project so they don't go through the same headaches I went through.

And about 2 minutes after I posted on how to turn the motor, I realized that with all the plugs out of the head, it'll turn over real easy with a socket on the alternator pulley.

 

[scottyb]

Good to hear.

The thing is when I pressurized my cylinders, the air pushed the piston down and spun the motor. Perhaps my engine is old, tired, and loose so I would expect I would need a perfect TDC to avoid this.

 

[Billdogg]

I had all the plugs removed and stuck a small screwdriver in the hole and cranked the motor over by the alternator bolt and felt the piston to tell when it was at TDC. Then I pressurized the cylinder with about 60 PSI. I've heard of people doing more, but my hose connection sucked, and much more than that blew it apart. It held it up fine, I couldn't push the valve down. The Kirban tool helped out a lot. It's also a good time to replace those valve seals.

If you searched and found this thread and need some help, go ahead and PM if you have a question.