F150 5.4L 3V Valve Spring and Keeper Install Hack 

Someone on the forum's mentioned that the much more expensive OTC6684 version of the tool doesn't have this problem so if you don't want the extra pain of using a clamp and don't mind the extra moola then get the OTC version rather than the OEM24429 version I used.

I bought one of those cheap valve tools off Amazon last summer. I had to drill material out of the cap to get the threads to start. Drilled it out about 3/8” deeper. Added some grease to the threads and cap to make it easier to turn. Worked great after that, without having to use extra force or a clamp to get it in position.

THANK YOU GUY I USE IT ON MY 5.4 AND COULD NOT REACH THE TREDS NOW I SEE WHAT TO DO TO REACH THEM THANK YOU.

Great vid, clear and detailed. I am planing a 3v timing job with replacement of the rockers, if the pressure on the valve stem tip doesn't work on all my valves, thanks to you I have a plan if I drop a valve.

Great tip , have to try it bc trying to force it on really sucks.

One of my keepers popped out somewhere along the way on my 2004 3V. It was on cylinder #4 against the firewall. A giant PITA to get to let alone fix. And of course my spring tool wouldn't press far enough either. My tool is from CTA tools. It only needed to go a tiny bit more to slip that keeper in. I fought with it for at least 3 hours and tried everything I could think of. I even considered throwing in the towel and hiring a pro. Ultimately what I did is spin the keeper that was still in there to the 9 o'clock position (looking from the top of the engine toward the firewall) and moved the foot of the spring tool to the edge of the spring at the 3 o'clock position so the spring tool would give a slight 'tilt' to to the spring. Mother of God! Damn keeper went in the first try! WOOT! Dunno what happened to the keeper that came out. Pretty sure I didn't do it as I'm very careful and meticulous when doing this job. I always press down on the valve when compressing, etc. I think it came out long ago when the prior owner had work done in there and I've just been lucky. The 5.4 springs aren't that strong to begin with and they weaken with time, so maybe that's why it didn't pop the other one out. So even if the M.I.A. keeper ended up in the pan - it will eventually get caught by the magnetic plug I installed. I didn't see the keeper anywhere up top. Hopefully it fell into the oil drain holes and into the pan.It won't harm anything in there. I am going to look in the pan with my borescope to see if I can spot it. I still have the timing cover off, so I can get easier access from there. Probably won't work, but I have to at least try. TIP: USE GREASE to help hold the keeper on the stem. Works WONDERFUL. The grease is also great to put on the end of something to retrieve debris or other things that inevitably fall in the head while you do this job.

Did one of these jobs today.... broken valve spring on cylinder #3. Actually a sublet from another shop. I had them order the tools off of Amazon for $40 (complete valve train tool set). Yep, China crap made me work hard all day!!! I couldn't get the nut to screw in either!!!! So I decided to get creative. Had to shorten the rod below the bend, so it would go in easier on to the holder. But still couldn't compress the round nut far enough down to get it started.... so I grinded the head.... now, the foot wouldn't go down enough to remove & install the keepers. So, I drilled & tapped a 8mm hole through the top of the round wheel/nut. After positioning the foot & driving the big round nut all the way down, I installed a 8mm bolt on the treaded hole I just machined, driving the foot down further.... Whew!!! Glade I don't work on these crappy engines on a regular basis. 😆I'm actually a GM/Cadillac specialist, but have worked on other cars for most of my career. Also, I couldn't get any of compression adapters to screw into the cylinder to inject air. I have a 12mm adapter, but it's too short on the treads & too fat on the body to go in. Being a Saturday, I was in a pinch. I drove to harbor frieght because one of their compression kits looked like it had the adapter I needed, but it turned out to be 15mm!!! Before leaving, I saw a Merlin #63572 blow gun kit with 2 long tubes in it. When I got back to the shop, I did some measurements... I prayed it would work. There are threads on one end of the tube, but are about 13mm... so I ran my 12mm tap on it & made some new threads. I tapped 1/4 NPT threads on the other tube opening for a air hose nipple. I did some machine work on my lathe to remove the boss on the tube. Had to remove the O ring on the treaded 12mm becuse it was in the way... & it worked & held the valves closed so I can remove the broken valve spring!!!

Why change the keepers in the first place? I ask because I am about to start a full timing job on my sons 2004 F150 5.4L 3V and wanted to know if we should be considering doing the keepers too while we have it apart.

Bro what attachement for the spark plug hole? Everything on Amazon is total junk... thank you sir.

Quick question, how much air pressure were you using? I have a broken exhaust valve spring on #5 and want to get it swapped out. Thanks!

Information requested! Pls help! Taking roller follower off cyl4 per timing instructions, using same tool. only 1 keeper was on. When grabbing follower I believe I knocked the legs of the spring compressor off the retainer and it cause the spring and keepers to pop out and the valve stem fell about a centimeter. Or less maybe? It could still be seen and easily picked up with magnet tool and is sitting back at the top on its own without spring... did I cause damage I’m wondering & how can I figure out without pulling head? Pls help!!! I’m stuck on timing my 07 expo... god bless

Wrong my brother. Go buy a extended nut and weld a top piece of steel to it so the tool seats and whala. I tried your way and it's too rough.

Can you just slowly pull off all the cam bearing caps, evenly, instead of removing the roller followers with special tool first?? The idea, I guess is that you don't allow the valve keepers to get lost and the valve drop into the cylinder.. But, if you slowly and evenly let off the camp caps all the way across it should slowly let the pressure off the valve stings, right?

Do the lobes HAVE to be at 12 'O Clock?

I'm not sure what keeps the valve stems from falling inside while the keepers are out

Nice! What size air fitting for the spark plug hole?

Urgent question - doing a full timing job on mine with the same tool. I pushed down the exhaust valve spring on cyl #1, and when I released the pressure fully it looks like I can see the grooves on the valve stem and the keepers are below that. Any suggestions? Do I need to reinstall the keepers?

Does that tool only work on certain size engines or will it work on a 5.0 mustang