Checking valve springs
 

I have a condition with my engine that leads me to think I may have broken a valve spring, engine is in the car and I'm wondering how I can check the valve springs without taking the valves out? Is it even possible?

I havn't had my valve covers off in a couple years so my memory of pulling the cam out is a little fuzzy. You should be able to take the valve covers off and do a visual on each valve spring. It won't be as easy as a old VW or V8. Put a finger on each rocker as you turn the crank. A broken spring should feel different.

If you're still not sure, drop the motor and transaxle and take a better look. It's not that hard.

You can do it, though you have to get the valve covers off. Doing exhausts with the engine in the car calls for doing it one side at a time, with the car jacked up on that side as high as your jacks will go, so oil in the crankcase won't all spill out.

You can try to depress the valves with a finger, or a tool as an extension. Or you can make an L shaped tool, whose short end has a slot in it to fit around a valve cover stud under a nut you put on one. This makes a lever to push the valve and spring down. Taking account of where you have the piston, it is pretty easy to depress a single spring, and equally easy to get a feel for what an intact pair of springs are - very much harder to depress. If you have a broken spring, this will tell you which on it is.

Thanks

Valve springs removal or installation in situ........
 

You could remove or install valve springs with the engine installed by using P7E and P7I tools. Hope you won't need them. They would be available in case you will need them.

Tony