Classic/Antique Car Repair: broken valve spring v-8 chevy 350, needle nose pliers, wooden dowel

Question
I have a chevy nova 350cu.in. i have a broken valve spring on the driver side in the second cyld. I have the inner and outter type valve springs but it is not running right, I was told that there is a trick to change it w/o taking the intake manifold off and the ex.pipes and head.and all the rest as it would put me with out my car for a few days  is there is a tool that you remove the sparkplug and put in a plug that you put the air hose on it and it will push the valve up so it can be replaced. is this true, and is there any other way ?
shrk223.

Answer
OK,DO I HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS FOR YOU,WELL YES THERE IS A TOOL YOU REMOVE THE SPARKPLUG AND PUT IN A ADPT. SO THE AIR HOSE WILL FIT IT THEN IT PUTS HI PRES. INTO THE CYLD. SO YOU CAN CHANGE THE SPRING.BUT IF IT DROPS OR IF THE AIR GOES OFF OR UNPLUGED YOU ARE SCREWED BAD.I WILL TELL YOU OF A SUPER TRICK THAT I HAVE DONE THREE TIMES ON THREE DIFFERNT CARS AND IT HAS WORKED FOR ME EVERY TIME.
BUT IF YOU ARE NOT A GOOD MECH. OR NOT SHURE DO NOT TRY IT.
I HAD MY 70 CHEVY BREAK A VALVE SPRING WHEN I WAS AWAY FROM HOME ABOUT 23 MILES ALSO I WAS IN A BOONIE -WOODED AREA WITH NO PEOPLE OR CARS AROUND AT ALL. I WAS LUCKY TO KEEP A EXTRA SET OF SPRINGS AND VALVE KEEPERS IN MY TOOL BOX JUST IN CASE. WELL I HAD A PAIR OF NEEDLE NOSE PLIERS THAT WERE ON THE SMALL SIDE WITH A CURVED HAND GRIP. WELL BELEIVE IT OR NOT I WOULD TAKE OUT THE PLUG, TAP THE MOTOR AND WITH A SMALL WOODEN DOWEL IN THE PLUG HOLE SO I WOULD SEE WHEN THE PISTON WAS UP ALL THE WAY,IN CASE I SLIPED AND THE VALVE SLIPPED I COULD STILL GRAB IT. AS I MADE A SPECIAL TOOL WITH A DRS. PAIR OF A HEMOSTADT I HEATED IT UP THAN PUT THE END ON A VALVE TO MAKE IT FIT THE OUTSIDE DIA. NOW I WAS ALL SET.I TOOK THE PLIERS AND PUT THEM IN THE PLUG HOLE AND TURNED THEM SO IT WOULD HIT THE BAD VALVE THAN IF YOU HAVE A HELPER THAT YOU CAN TRUST IT IS A LOT BETTER FOR YOU  NOW PUSH HARD ON THE PLIERS KEEPING THE VALVE UP , AND THAN WITH THE SMALL HAND TOOL PUSH DOWN ON THE VALVE TILL THE KEEPERS ARE SHOWING PULL THEM OUT IF THAY WILL COME OUT IF NOT TAP THEM WITH A SMALL HAMMER AND AT ALL TIMES BE CAREFUL NOT TO LET THE PLIERS GO FROM HOLDING THE VALVE UP, NOW WITH THE KEEPERS OFF SLOWLY LET THE TOOL GO AND REMOVE THE VALVE KEEPERS W/O DROPING THEM INTO THE OIL PORTS. TAKE OFF THE VALVE TOP AND SPRINS. TO BE SAFE YOU CAN TAKE THE TOOL MADE FROM THE HEMOSTADT AND CLAMP THE VALVE TO KEEP IT FROM FALLING IN AS IT COULD AS THE HEMOSTADT HAS A LOCKING GRIP ON IT.
NOW WITH A NEW VALVE SPRING PLACE IT IN THE HEAD AND PUT A DROP OF GREESE ON THE TOP OF THE VALVE WHERE THE KEEPERS WILL GO, PUT THE TOP ON THE VALVE AND WITH THE VALVE COMPRESSING TOOL BE REAL CAREFULL WHILE DOING THIS,AS A MATTER OF FACT IN DOING ALL OF THIS. PLACE THE TOOL ON THE TOP OF THE VALVE AND PUSH DOWN AND PLACE THE TWO KEEPERS INTO PLACE, NOW SLOWLY LIFT THE TOOL OFF AND IT SHOULD BE IN PLACE, IF SO REMOVE THE PLIERS AND REPLACE THE PLUG, OR CLEAN IT OFF FIRST AND PUT ON VALVE COVER AND YOU ARE ALL DONE IF A SOLID LIFTER CAM YOU MIGHT HAVE TO ADJ THAT VALVE BUT I DOUBT IT.SO NOW YOU HAVE LEARNED ONE OF MY SPECIAL TRICKS,BUT REMEMBER YOU MUST BE CAREFULL DOING THIS.
GOOD LUCK BIGW45