Favorite Valve Spring Compressor - Head off of engine

[Kevin C]

My old school spring compressors wont work on the 1.8T so I'm looking for a new one. I have heard that lever tools that only work form the top are a bit of a pain. Looking for suggestions and what worked as well as where you bought it.

What did you buy and how did it work for you?

Thanks,

Kevin

[Cybersombosis]

I was doing the head rebuild on the cheap so I made my own tool using a spark plug socket and a clamp with a window cut out so I could reach the keepers with a magnet. Worked like a charm. I also used a piece of tube and a drill to lap the valves and seats.



Doug

[EuroxS4]

Personally I bought a C clamp tool from OTC it was cheap and universal. The key is to have a good set of head stands. Either Moroso Stands 62080 or COMP Cams V-Style Head Holders 5332. Personally I like the Moroso stands better. I find that c clamp style tools are the best to use. I have done numerous heads with my tool from 1.8t to god knows how many 2.0T valves. I like it I don’t think I’d buy anything else. I had the universal lever type tool. Didn’t like it cause you had to keep tension while putting keepers in while fighting spring pressure and getting tired holding it down far enough. With the Clamp tool you run it down insert keepers and release.


https://www.tooldiscounter.com/produ...ressor-otc4842


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[Kevin C]

Personally I bought a C clamp tool from OTC it was cheap and universal. The key is to have a good set of head stands. Either Moroso Stands 62080 or COMP Cams V-Style Head Holders 5332. Personally I like the Moroso stands better. I find that c clamp style tools are the best to use. I have done numerous heads with my tool from 1.8t to god knows how many 2.0T valves. I like it I don’t think I’d buy anything else. I had the universal lever type tool. Didn’t like it cause you had to keep tension while putting keepers in while fighting spring pressure and getting tired holding it down far enough. With the Clamp tool you run it down insert keepers and release.


https://www.tooldiscounter.com/produ...ressor-otc4842


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm liking the clamp type tool... Good suggestion on the head stands. I will either weld a couple up or buy them.

This one looks reasonable. https://www.amazon.com/OrionMotorTec...ustomerReviews

[Seerlah]

This is what I used (or variant of it). The tool is very user friendly... and I recall paying at least double what I found this one for. Either way, cool design and easy to work with. Disregard what the listing says it can work on, it can work on more VAG motors than the 1.8T also.

https://www.amazon.com/UTOOL-Valve-S...701560&sr=8-12

[EuroxS4]

I'm liking the clamp type tool... Good suggestion on the head stands. I will either weld a couple up or buy them.

This one looks reasonable. https://www.amazon.com/OrionMotorTec...ustomerReviews

Yeah looks like the same as the OTC tool Im sure it will do the job just as good if not the same as the OTC tool. I only bought the OTC brand tool as I have alot of OTC specialty tools for these cars so I wanted the cases/packaging to match lol. Yes head stands are awesome. It can be done without but you'll constantly be rolling the head back and forth as me how i know lol. Just make some stands or buy a pair you wont be sorry.

[EuroxS4]

This is what I used (or variant of it). The tool is very user friendly... and I recall paying at least double what I found this one for. Either way, cool design and easy to work with. Disregard what the listing says it can work on, it can work on more VAG motors than the 1.8T also.

https://www.amazon.com/UTOOL-Valve-S...701560&sr=8-12

Thats funny as that looks like a copy of the factory VAG tool thats used at dealerships. I have used that tool and I did not like it. I hated the fact I had to move the tool and bolt it down to the head every 2 or 3 valves. Factory tool was the same deal. C clamp tool is way better,I am basing this purely from experience with both tools.

[Gin+]

C clamp tool worked well for me given that I don't plan on routinely servicing valves.

[A4SoftWalker]

This is similar to the tool I used Kevin. Cant remember where I got it from. There are many similar designs out there. Anything similar and of decent quality should work just fine.