Corvette Valve Spring Replacement Overview

Affiliate links:
LS1/LS2/LS3/LS6 Valve Springs - goo.gl/2VUFdr
Valve Stem Seals - goo.gl/tMSR6L
Valve spring Compressor- goo.gl/HRtXrT

[@Z06GT1]

Thank you for the video Zent. I performed this job on my C5 Z06 and it was not difficult. I used a Snap-on 24 mm deep offset wrench to rotate the crankshaft and that worked really well.

[@426fourspeed]

Thanks for the quick, simple video for any moderately skilled home mechanic. New springs are CHEAP insurance for these cars. Consider doing a video on a BCM rebuild. Keep up the good work! -Jim

[@ninjardr750r]

truly enjoying the C5 content!!!

[@Faith0929ROK]

Good stuff man! Before this video, I was hesistant changing the springs on my 03 Z. Thanks again!!

[@mikescotese620]

Awesome video. By far the best way to hold the valves up is the piston way like you do here. Way better than air cause it very difficult to screw the hose blindly into spark plug holes even though I have used air before on other cars with easier spark plug hole access. Never tired the rope method but it sounds cumbersome to me. Awesome the way you linked to parts and tool websites. Just completed this job on my 02 Z06. Did the 3 easiest to get to cylinders with air and the last 5 with your piston method. Again many thanks.

[@elwennier26]

Great video! You made it look so much easier to do! Thank you!

[@dowroa]

Hmm... thanks... and while I need to do this with my '02, I would not use this as a guide. Just too quick, not enough shown and questions about why the keeper hardware was not replaced. Valve cover gaskets? How are you rotating the crank, etc. Great primer for the topic, but not stand alone.

[@ZentRose]

No reason to replace my keepers, VCG, or other components unless lost or damaged. Valve springs are a maintenance item for a tracked Z. Intervals depend on how hard you run the car. Enjoy your Z!

[@dowroa]

Agree. Not stating you don't know what you are doing. Just stating for the first time, it is much less so for myself. Thanks again, Zent.

[@VetteDaily]

Bro...thank you so much for filming this, taking mine apart tomorrow.

[@ZentRose]

Awesome. I hope it goes well!

[@VetteDaily]

ZentRose hey man I started to rotate the engine until the Valve came back up, but the the retainers just popped out and went flying. Found them luckily, What did I do wrong to find TDC?

[@ZentRose]

Interesting. The way I do this is to rotate the engine (slowly) enough to free the keepers and then pull the valve stem out by hand. I do it right at the 1:50 mark in this video. I'm glad you found your keepers!

[@VetteDaily]

ZentRose yes, slowly is the key ha. I dropped a valve (F#@!) But then figured out by rotating the engine it'll push the Valve right up...Im so lucky. 8 down 8 to go. UPDATE : The last few were so easy I compressed the springs and very carefully turned it over and it just barely popped. So far the car runs smooth.

[@TheGabe92]

Damn these LS engines are easier to work on than most motors making half their power!

[@BoltsNBoost]

Nice video. Make me much more confident in attempting this myself. How are you rotating the assembly?

[@BenM]

Looks so easy compared to other motors wow

[@bwill03z76]

When you torqued the rocker arm bolts down did you not rotate the crank for each rocker to get the valve closed?

[@wWLoganWw]

Very good, to the point, and detailed video. Question.. what keeps the valves from dropping and what's your easy way in getting engine TDC?

[@Fmandan77]

In the method he's using, the piston for the cylinder is at the top of the bore and prevents the valves from dropping. The big end of the valve is literally resting on the piston. There are a few different methods for making sure a piston is at TDC. I personally use compressed air, but in this video he warns against it. I agree this is a well done and edited video, very concise.

[@Miokomata]

ty for the video. working on an 383 stroker for the first time :3

[@KNS_Racing]

Excellent video. Helped me alot. Love how-to vids for the c5. Im interested on your thoughts on running a pcv catch can on these cars since they are known for flooding the intake manifold with oil when doing sustained high rpm driving.

[@Thorsanbauer]

what technique for top dead center? Do you use a special tool to get in because it's so tight on by the crankshaft. How do you know if the valves aren't up just because it's the trumpet combustion stroke

[@Frbo1988]

Thanks for the video!! This is something I am about to do before spring in my c5. !:) /Fredrik

[@Z06GT1]

Thank you Zent. I was planning on having this done at the dealer but you make it look easy so I will do it myself. I appreciate your videos.

[@qzorn4440]

great information... 😎 thanks

[@jameskirby2573]

Great video

[@BenFreedmanRacing]

This is perfect

[@damyrmonjaras7756]

Can you crank the engine back up as is even tho the piston was on top dead center

[@Z06GT1]

Where did you get your spring compressor tool?

[@sdlausen1]

It would be great if you made a video of doing this on an ap1 S2000.

[@jayala2007]

Does it matter to torque the rocker arms when spring is decompressed?

[@Ozhtube]

Did you drain the engine oil or disconnect the battery or you don't need to?

[@markmoreno1115]

Just to confirm. You compress the springs then rotate the engine to have the pistons push the valve and keeps out of the retainers?

[@ZentRose]

Yes or use compressed air or set piston to top dead center before compressing.

[@markmoreno1115]

@@ZentRose the values don't drop when you compress the springs? I'm assuming the springs and valves are connected like when the engine is running but pushing the valve up with the piston pushes it up and out if the retainer? I'm just confirming before I lose a valve lol

[@ZentRose]

Mine did not drop but I made sure the keepers and retainers remained seated on the valve. Yes, in this video I used the piston to push the valve and keepers up. I then removed the keepers and swapped the springs.

[@mikehall5064]

Do the valve seal’s work on a ls1

[@mikehall5064]

Just asking because Amazon says they won’t fit my 2000 corvette

[@ZentRose]

I thought they were all the same for chevy gen 3 small blocks but I could be wrong. It's been awhile since I've worked on one

[@Z06GT1]

How did you rotate the crankshaft? Were you able to get a socket on the front of the crank?

[@ZentRose]

I know of three ways to rotate the engine (I have used all three of these methods on the C5 vettes): 1. Pull steering rack out of the way to access crank pulley. 2. Pull the spark plugs and use a wrench on the alternator pulley to rotate the engine. 3. Put car in sixth gear and rotate front tire by hand (by far the easiest method).

[@Z06GT1]

Thank you Zent. I appreciate your advice.

[@sickboy3636]

Rotate front tire? What are you talking about?....what good is rotating the front tire gonna do on a rwd car? Appreciate the content.....but a little confused by that.

[@lancedolan]

He must have meant rotate rear tire

[@stereolababy]

@@sickboy3636 its on the ground. you can move any wheel by hand

[@trevorcolin755]

I wish you showed how you cranked the motor. (Not with the key?) I'm not taking the balancer off! No one shows this part with the motor in tact. I've had these covers off so many times. Do you just crank the balancer bolt (in neutral) to the right? It's so hard to tell TDC. Im wanting to do this so badly

[@ZentRose]

For this video I stuck the car in 6th and pushed it along the ground to turn the engine.

[@trevorcolin755]

@@ZentRose wow! I'm doing the same way! Can you please elaborate a little on how you know you're close to tdc. When all the springs are evenly up?? Help? Thank you

[@TheDaviro47]

@@ZentRose I agree please elaborate, that's the only thing stopping me from doing it right now

[@TheDaviro47]

@@ZentRose so you compressed them down with the tool, then pushed the car In 6th till they popped up??? Also does the engine start up just fine after even if it's top dead center

[@walterlangkowski4723]

I’m kind of a noob but how are you finding your “top dead center”? By turning the crank bolt correct? Are you reusing your retainers?

[@ZentRose]

You can turn the crank bolt but in this video I put the car in sixth gear and pushed it forward to rotate engine and find top dead center. Yes I reuse retainers. I just wanted to get rid of the yellow valve springs.

[@gurnblanstein9816]

Will the valves fall into the cylinder if you're not on top dead center?

[@Teal2nnr]

Yes. If you're not using compressed air or the "rope" method, the only thing holding them in the head is the friction between the valve and the valve seal. If you're removing the valve seal, there is nothing at all to stop the valve from falling in.

[@angellawless7413]

Wait wait wait. Is it really that easy to get to the valve springs? I’ve seen other cars and you have to remove a lot of other things that are in the way first.

[@ZentRose]

Yes the LS engines are very easy to work on.

[@scottschneider4596]

How did you rotate the engine? I know its a tight space in their with the steering rack in the way.

[@ZentRose]

If you have trouble getting to the crank, you can throw it in 6th gear and push the car to rotate the engine.

[@FerasDishli]

👍🏻

[@lancedolan]

As an LS1 owner, how/when do we know that we should replace the springs

[@angellawless7413]

Lance Dolan on the ‘02-‘03 c5 z06’s there is a known/ well documented issue with the OEM valve springs failing. A lot of people change em out before they that happens. Way cheaper than buying a new engine.

[@giyoon215]

For S2000, do you recommend changing springs while replacing the stem seals also? Or retainers?

[@ZentRose]

Unless very high mileage, I reuse the old springs. On the AP1 you sometimes have to replace cracked retainers.

[@giyoon215]

ZentRose , thanks for info. I might change springs at 400k mile service. Until then I'll just change stem seals (& retainers since they are cheap)

[@mattweck2286]

Pretty good video just did this with my 4.8L truck. Ended up using .560 lift springs from Brian Tooley Racing!

[@614XJ]

I'm not sure I can do this myself in my garage.. kinda scared to since it's my daily. How much would I be looking to spend on the valve train to upgrade it and make it reliable, handle power later on down the road? What else should I upgrade while his is going on the rocker arms I heard but anything else? My car has 147k miles 98 C5.

[@PABLORL1989]

dont be intimidated man. im doing this for the first time. basic ratchet set and a few extensions. i am using a compressor to hold the valve up at 60psi. (pancake air compressor). it just takes a few repetitions to get a good rythm going.

[@joemedeiros7289]

Gre

[@damyrmonjaras7756]

Can you crank the engine back up as is even tho the piston was on top dead center