John Deere Engine Tools

Piston

• As you use your vehicle, debris builds up in your piston, especially near the piston ring. This debris can eventually clog your system, damaging your piston and cylinder. You must periodically replace the ring in the piston to prevent this, but you must clean the area around the piston ring before installing the new one. To do this, you need a ring groove cleaner tool. This tool has a long bent shaft attached to a handle. On this shaft, you place star-shaped heads, which help you clean the piston ring grooves. This tool generally costs about $20 as of February 2011.

Flywheel

• The flywheel on the engine is responsible for storing rotational energy, and it is very resistant to motion. This keeps the shaft stable when you place fluctuating torque pressure on your engine. A flywheel turning tool helps you remove and install your torque converter, and it helps you remove the torque converter bolts. This tool has a long shaft that ends in a long, curved head. The tool generally costs about $20.

Cylinder Head

• If you need to fix or replace your cylinder head, you need a set of valve seat and stem tools. These tools help you access your cylinder head, remove spark plug wires and turn the crankshaft. The valve spring compressor bar helps you rotate the crankshaft until the piston is at the top of the cylinder. The valve seal replacer tool helps you install a new valve seal while the valve seat installing adapter helps you replace the upper spring and valve spring seat. The valve steam seal adapter helps you install a new valve stem seal. These tools are usually less than $20 apiece.

Gears

• You have different gears throughout your engine, especially in the cylinders. If these are improperly timed, your engine either will not work properly or you will lose efficiency. A gear timing clamp tool helps you correct time in your different gears. Always check the diameter of your John Deere engine timing gears. Different tools fit different size timing gears. This tool costs about $50.