What's the best type of overhead valve spring compressor to use on the 16v motors? On a '96 Accord, non VTec.

 

have you thought about just pulling the head and having a machine shop go through it?

It seems to me that is the valve seals are already gone then chances are that the valve seats may already be worn as well.

Having a shop go through it, deck it, lap the valves, and change the seals might be a good investment.

 

You may have a point, but I'm pretty sure at 228k miles it should have a lot more left in her without pulling the head. I've passed 300,000 miles in these before no problem. For $36 in valve seals, I'd just leave the head on until it blows up or otherwise. Then deal with it at that point in time.

 

I used a craftsman one without issue.

 

like already stated, its easier to pull the head and send it out, get it decked with a valve job and you will be very happy with the results but beware, there are alot of guys doing heads with equipment suited for iron heads, decking an aluminum head requires high speed and time to get the proper smoothness. ask around for a good machine shop, youll save money in the end.
just a thought, why not get a duplicate head from a junk yard and rebuild that over time?
valve tools arent cheap, got an air compressor that can keep up with the time it takes to do the job?

 

You really think it's easier to pull the head? Seems like 3 times the work and 10 times the $$ for a car that runs perfectly but just smokes a little in the morning. This little deal seems slick:

Honda/Acura Valve Spring Compressor K20, K24 S2000 F20 F22 | eBay

I have a nice Ingersol Rand compressor that should keep up just fine.

 

you are correct, no its not easy to pull the head.
being a 94 and it runs great its best to keep driving it as is.
but being a mechanic if i was to do the job id just yank the head and send it out, with a decent valve job plus a timing belt/water pump while youre at it will wake the accord back up and give you plenty of years of trouble free driving.
thats the path id take. trust me, its a pain to just do seals, much easier to pull the head and get it back in 3 days all shiny and new.
i had a 91 accord SE i traded in with 287,000 on the odometer, they are just great cars and worth keeping, im on my 4th Accord i just picked up 2 weeks ago, a2009 EX sedan and im in heaven.
30 years as a professional mechanic and the general consensus among mechanics is the Honda Accord 4cyl automatic is the most evenly matched car on earth and runs forever.
i put brakes, exhaust and tires on them and rarely see them.
Camry owners can keep them, ill always drive an Accord.
good luck whichever decision you make

 

do tell about your Ferrari

 

I completely agree. Accords rock. The engines and manual trans are bullet proof. I'm not so sure on the auto trans, at least the 94-97 era. Shifts a little hard. My last Accord had 300,000 with nothing more than general maintenance and a clutch once. Unfortunately I totalled it one night into a wrecked car on the highway in the dark with no lights. I now have another with 170k miles.

The Ferrari was a project car. I got it in a thousand pieces with bad headers, broken and bent valves etc. etc. It's now running like a champ. It's gorgeous. Here was the end result of all the engine work. I did all except the machine shop work.

 

I don't know why I can't get images to insert on here. Maybe I need a membership or something. Here's the pic of the engine ready to go in. Talk about a work of art, these engines are beautiful...

engine.jpg picture by tashier2 - Photobucket