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Diesel Engines and Racing

Nearly every conceivable version of the internal combustion engine has made its way to the Indy 500. But it was a 1931 entry of a rather unusual type that made it into the record books as the first to complete the entire 500-mile race without a pit stop. That entry...

Recovering A/C Refrigerant-ASE Practice Question (VIDEO)

Description Technician A is preparing to recover the refrigerant from a customer’s vehicle. All of the below are steps he should take when performing this service EXCEPT: A) Test for the presence of sealant in the vehicle systemB) Identify the type of refrigerant the...

Is It Ever Safe to Reuse Torque-to-Yield (TTY) Fasteners? (VIDEO)

Description Torque-to-yield fasteners are designed to deform during installation to ensure a secure connection. If a TTY fastener looks to be in good shape after removal, can it be reused? Pete Meier explains why these single-use bolts should always be replaced for...

Do You Survey Your Customers, and How?

Recently, I had the opportunity to take my car to a body shop (it’s a long story). Once the work was done and I was checking out, the office manager mentioned to me that they would be sending me a customer satisfaction survey and encouraged me to fill it out. Then she...

Interpreting Compression Tests–ASE Practice Questions (VIDEO)

Description Technician A has just completed a running compression test using a mechanical compression gauge. Technician B says that the test is used to check the volumetric efficiency of the engine. Technician A says that the higher-than-expected readings indicate a...

Do I Need a Tune-up?

If you’re like me, you might cringe a little. More often than not, they’re hoping this magical procedure will fix some mysterious issue with their car. But let’s break it down: what is a tune-up, anyway? Most dictionaries describe a tune-up as “a general adjustment to...

The fastest way to remove valves from a cylinder head (VIDEO)

by | Apr 28, 2022

Removing valves from a cylinder head should be done carefully if you have a notion to reuse the valves, springs, collars, and keepers. A spring compressor is the right tool for the job.

That said, in my salvage yard days, I learned a trick I still use today if I’m stripping a head for scrap. It’s the fastest method in the world, hands down. I’m not gonna say I’ve never pulled this trick on a customer car, but I will say I don’t use it often nowadays.

  1. Pull the head and the cam(s) if it’s an overhead cam engine. Set the head on a non-marring surface with the valve stems pointed up.
  2. Select a socket with an OD that’s a little smaller than the OD of one of the valve keepers.
  3. Flip the socket’s open end onto the keeper and whack the end with a deadblow hammer.
  4. Lift the socket up carefully, collect the keepers, collar, and spring. Lift the head and fish the valve out of the combustion chamber. (Keep ‘em together and labeled if you’re gonna put these parts back into the head or you’re lapping valves.)

If you’re quick and you’re not worried about retaining parts, you can strip down a four-valve four-cylinder head in under a minute. Watch your hands and peepers!

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Diesel Engines and Racing

Diesel Engines and Racing

Nearly every conceivable version of the internal combustion engine has made its way to the Indy 500. But it was a 1931...