need help. dropped a valve

[stocky]

so i was working on installing my valve springs today, and one of the valves has dropped and i have no idea how to get it out. i can still see the top of the valve, and i thought a magnet might be able to pull it out, but i think it was too weak. any ideas on how i can get it out?

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

You could try blowing compressed air into the spark plug hole, or use a bit of wire through the spark plug hole to hook the valve and pull it up. Something else that may work is rotate the crank slowly, the piston may come up far enough to push the valve back up enough to grab the top of it.

[stocky]

yeah ive been trying to turn the crank, but it doesnt seem to want to move. might have to try the spark plug hole thing. sounds like it could work. the valve couldnt have dropped below the spark hole could it?

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

The valve could be hard on the piston, might be why the magnet doesn't work. It depends on how far the piston was down when the valve dropped. Will the crank move the other way? Out of curiosity, how were you holding the valves up?

Something else that I have heard of being done, though not on a Commodore, is put a balloon in through the spark plug hole and blow it up slowly, the pressure of the balloon inflating can push the valve up if it is under it.

[YMY-88U]

yep you will need an air compresser to go through one of the spark plug holes, you can even buy a tap thing that screws into the spark plug hole and connects to an air compresser. btw, what sort of valve springs are you putting in? heavy duty or double? im loking into getting new ones so just wondering what everyone else is using

[Pub247]

have you taken the plugs out can make turning the crank easier. Compressed air is usually the go depending on how much play is between the valves you'd need a pretty strong magnet i think. The balloon idea sounds good though

[stocky]

The valve could be hard on the piston, might be why the magnet doesn't work. It depends on how far the piston was down when the valve dropped. Will the crank move the other way? Out of curiosity, how were you holding the valves up?

Something else that I have heard of being done, though not on a Commodore, is put a balloon in through the spark plug hole and blow it up slowly, the pressure of the balloon inflating can push the valve up if it is under it.

i think i could turn the balancer slightly anticlockwise, but not clockwise.

yep you will need an air compresser to go through one of the spark plug holes, you can even buy a tap thing that screws into the spark plug hole and connects to an air compresser. btw, what sort of valve springs are you putting in? heavy duty or double? im loking into getting new ones so just wondering what everyone else is using

might look into this compressed air idea. hopefully the valve hasnt dropped too far down

[stocky]

tried taking out the plugs and cranking. it will turn both ways but stops. i think the valve has jammed on something and is stopping it from cranking

[Clutchy]

can you see the valve through the plug hole ? has the valve droped out of the head into the bore ? if this is the case ya might have to whip the head off to get it out might be your safest option in the end. good luck with getting it out.

[Clutchy]

tried taking out the plugs and cranking. it will turn both ways but stops. i think the valve has jammed on something and is stopping it from cranking

If its stopping fair chance its the valve yes so I wouldend be turning it anymore incase you do some damage to ya valve or even worse the bore.

[greenfoam]

Stocky for future reference you feed rope in the plug hole and jam it up into the valve with the piston, then the valves can't move . Just pull the head off. Seems a bit late for a rescue effort now

[V85000i]

how come the valve stem seal didn't stop it from dropping?

[Pub247]

probably took it off. not that there's a need unless he was replacing them.

[14secvp]

if you wound it over it will be toast by now ide say but you could get it from in the ports take the exhaust manifold off if its exhaust valve or inlet off to get inlet valve lift it back up with some long nose plyiers

[stocky]

pretty sure its the inlet. its the one at the front of the engine on the passenger side. removing inlet sounds like a big job

[greenfoam]

The inlet manifold is only a half day job for a first time, no big deal really

[Clutchy]

The inlet manifold is only a half day job for a first time, no big deal really

Is it much different than a ecotec one ? wouldent take that much to get off if ya got half a idea what ya doin. ive never done 1 on a series 1 engine but the eco i have and dident find it that hard to do.

[14secvp]

and if you wound it over and bent the valve it has too come of to get the head off anyway and if its a front one its exhaust so off with the exhaust manifold buddy

[stocky]

well i took the exhaust manifold off today. i can feel the valve, im just having trouble getting it to go back into the guide. any ideas?

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

Put some hair around it.

Has it come completely out of the guide now?

[stocky]

yeah pretty much

[14secvp]

its probably too bent to come back up cause you wound it over but it might be touching the piston and not be able to move side too side to come back up the guide like greenfoam said the head may as well come off now cause if its the slightest bit bent it wont seal and the guide will wear out quick if you do happen to get it up and re sprung.

[stocky]

it doesnt feel bent. picture shows how far i can get it out the exhaust port. its a real bitch getting it back into the right hole

[Clutchy]

ya could try tie a fine piece of fishing line or something around the valve after ya feed it through the top of the head and see if that works to get the valve back in the hole im just not sure if there is enough room beside the valve to allow having any thing tied to it

[Clutchy]

But if it was me id just whip the head off to check if the valve is bent or not and for piece of mind id want to reseat the valve now anyway.