Valve Spring Compressor Tool?

[enerjohn]

I have a 94 Tercel DX
I bought one of those universal valve spring compressor tools, but the tool seems to be too big to properly fit around those closely confined valve springs.
Have any any of you guys ever used this tool for compressing those valve springs?
Or is there a smaller version?
I got it because the Haynes manual states you need one and even pictures one in use in the manual but when I attempt to do it, the assembly is too big to compress the spring without digging into the surrounding aluminum or the rocker arm pivot seats.
I just don't want to damage the inside of the cylinder head.
Any ideas or alternate methods are appreciated.

[oreo-650]

there are a few different types of valve spring compressors... the one you might want to use looks a lot like needle-nose vice-grips but with the tips flat and the top one has the middle cut out...... kragen should carry it. you might even wanna go to a motorcycle shop or dealer. figure, their tools generally are made for 600cc-1300cc inline 4's. they should have a tool to help you out.

[Tercel GTS]

Look on tercelonline, it's been a long time ago but one member made his own lever type tool and had a picture of it.

[enerjohn]

thanx for the input guys!

[Toddowen]

What I've found to be the best tool for getting those valve locks to seat in the retainer is just a good flathead screwdriver just by pressing down on the retainer and compressing the spring with one hand and manipulating the valve locks with a small precision screwdriver, tweezers, or whathaveU with the other hand.

It works, and I haven't had a spring assembly catapult off into oblivion yet, or mar the virgin smooth surface of my cylynder head.

I've tried to modify a valve spring compresser I picked up from Sears. By removing material from the clamping arms, so that It would have more clearence, it compromised its ability to compress the spring. And even when I could get it to compress a spring enough to insert the valve locks, I would still destroy the valve stem seal...even at times when I was certain that I avoided it completely.

Pressing down on the retainer with a screwdriver is easy as long as you don't have it slip off, and I've yet to have it happen, but I have lost three vlave stem seals due to meddling and messing and trying to modify a spring compresser.

Now....I can hardly wait to club three more seals into that baby and fire it up.