Checking Fitted Height Of A Valve Spring

[Anthony 1,003]

I'm sure there is a very simple answer to this, but I just could not get my head around this the other night when I tried.

 

How do you accurately measure the fitted height of a valve spring?

 

In this particular case, on a XU10J4R head (identical to a GTi-6 head in terms of access, fitment and spacing of valve train) which has very little space between the side of the spring/retainer and the head casting to fit a depth gauge down, nor any real access from the side to be able to use a digital vernier. I did figure out a method that would probably work using the threaded adjustor on the valve spring compressor, but accuracy was likely to be a bit dubious

 

Is there a special tool/method that you're meant to use, or - as I suspect - am I just missing the obvious and being a bit thick?

[Sandy 191]

I use the depth end of a calliper gauge to measure from the spring seat to the valve top and then fit a retainer on the valve with collets to measure the upper spring seat to valve top and the difference is the install height. Take the measurement a few to times until you're getting a consistent reading, because it can be difficult if you're not blessed with classic pianist digit precision!

[Cameron 16]

Can't you use the depth gauge on the bottom of your digi calliper? I'd be really surprised if the gap was too small for that to fit down.

 

Ps, there's no such thing as a digi vernier. It's either a digital calliper or vernier calliper.

Sorry I couldn't resist!

[Anthony 1,003]

Cheers Sandy, that makes sense and seems obvious now - it clearly was the "I'm being thick" option then

 

Can't you use the depth gauge on the bottom of your digi calliper? I'd be really surprised if the gap was too small for that to fit down.

Nope, it's too tight, atleast for the one on my callipers. Really is very little space beyond what the bucket would occupy, maybe 2mm or so either side.

[Sandy 191]

Good to see "Calliper" being spelt properly!

 

Sorry, in case I didn't make it obvious, I do it with the spring removed

[Cameron 16]

Yeah that definitely sounds like your best bet, unless the engine is in one piece. How accurate do you need the measurement to be?

Edited February 9, 2010 by Cameron