Hey all;
New 914 owner here. Just got a '71 1.7 with no compression in cyl #3. Popped the valve cover and there is a broken spring. Anyone tried to replace this with the engine in? Got a manual that only addresses the situation where the engine in on the bench. Thanks all, hope the BBQ is going well.
Matthew.

1.7?

It's not a broken spring you have a dropped valve seat.

Click to view attachment

I've done it in the car. Made a tool once upon a time.

I have read that you can use air pressure through the spark plug hole to hold the valve closed while removing/replacing springs, but I have never tried it.

So Brant, was your tool to put air pressure in the cylinder? Spark plug thread with a quick-disconnect? I can make something like that... Saw a video of a guy pushing the retainer in with vise grips to get the retainer in place. Am I thinking along the right lines? Thanks for the responses...

You need the type of compression tool that would bolt down where the rocker arms bolt.

Then you pressurize thru the plug hole to hold the valve out and press the sprig down over it.

To talk about trying this with the engine in the car is kind of crazy.
If the engine is out, you can have the head off in about an hour.

I have heard of people suffing a string in the spark plug hole to stop the valve from moving. Make sure you leave a little hanging out.

Dang, that is tough. Good to see another guy in OH. About to move near there

If you use a shop rag and slowly stuff it in the spark plug hole, then raise the pistons to TDC, you should be able to replace that....if you are using stock springs.

The trick will be getting the spring cap and keepers in place.

I would suggest you take a piece of steel pipe and carve out a U shape about 1 inch high at the bottom of the pipe....on both sides.
So, you end up with two legs on the pipe about 3/4 of an inch wide.

Using the pipe to push down on both the spring and the cap you might be able to get the keepers in place.

The stock springs are not super stiff, so it can be done without taking the motor apart, and just knowing that others have done it may get you through it.

rich

the tool was a 6inch piece of flat stock with a Y on the end.
I believe we bolted it to a rocker stand with the ability to pivot

then the Y was to put the retainer/keeper on while compressing the spring
we used air at the same time to hold the valve out

it wasnt that bad in the car

pull the exhaust

would be super easy out of the car on the floor even... but not impossible in the car.

My question is why did it break?

I've used this tool from RJE (rocky jennings enterprise ) , I modified it for type 4
by cutting the bar (type4 length) & drilling a new hole , I was able to use it from under the car , I think I also bent the curved handle a little more so it wouldn't hit the suspension ear , Bill D.

http://www.rockyjennings.com/

go to tools & then to valve spring compressor

I'm not necessarily advocating this approach but I have replaced a spring without dropping the motor or any special tools. I used parts from my compression tester to pressurize the cylinder to hold the valve. I compressed the new spring in a vice and wrapped it on two sides with a couple turns of safety wire. Installed the spring, retainer and keepers then cut the wire. I know, very Grapes of Wrath, but I needed to get the car running. YMMV, etc....

"1.7? sad.gif "
Eventual goal is a Suby...

Not sure why it broke, I bought it this way. We were able to start it and drive it on to the trailer. No sounds of colliding metal, so the plan has been to repair what I find and then see what happens.

Brian, I like your idea...

It might be a moot point though. Upon further inspection, the pushrod end is chewed up, and the frame prevents me from pulling it out. I'd cut it, but still wouldn't be able to get the new one in.

I was hoping to get the engine running without having to pull it, but this looks inevitable now... Thanks for all the responses.

You can definitely get the pushrod out without pulling the motor. Just gotta some wiggling.

I like the safety-wired spring idea. A lot of aftermarket coil springs come pre-compressed like that.

I used Bill's tool that he mentioned and it worked like a charm. One day I'm going to go ahead and buy one of my own.

Pull the pushrod tube at the same time.
That way you can aim the pushrod at the angle necessary to get past the chassis.

http://vwparts.aircooled.net/Heavy-Duty-Va...al-tool-buy.htm

Will try to pull the tube and report back. Thanks for the help everyone...

Pull the tube partway out (it slides in through the head!) and tilt the inboard end down. You should be able to slide it out at that point, together with the pushrod.

--DD

You guys are awesome... Pulled the tube, got the rod out. Now just waiting on parts. Once again, thanks for the responses everyone.

I have had them break just due to age...no magic reason.

Seems the pushrod may have been mounted wrong in this case.

rich

I could imagine that if a spring were to break, then the pushrod end could jump into & out of the rocker arm cup and tear up the pushrod.
I would inspect the rocker arm cup for damage and pull the lifter and have a look at it while I was in there.

I still have an extra set of stock pushrods and I believe some lifters around.
I sold a different complete set of each to someone on here that was struggling with having hydraulic lifters vs non-hydraulic.
I dont know if he ever used the set I sent him.

Rocker and lifter cups both looked OK. Got the new spring and pushrod back in, covers on, and fired it up for the first time hitting on all four cylinders. First time I've driven it aside from driving it on to the trailer. It's kind of smoky, so I'll be digging in again sooner rather than later, but man is it nice to be able to fire her up.

Thanks all again for the help.