Service tool for removal of valve seal assembly

A service tool adapted for dislodgement and removal of a valve stem seal assembly installed on a valve guide of an internal combustion engine, said seal assembly having a retainer with fingers extending along a longitudinal axis of the guide, the guide having detents for frictionally retaining radially inwardly turned ends of said fingers;

• said service tool comprising:
• a) an exterior shell having first and second ends, said shell comprising substantially symmetrical halves divided along a longitudinal axis,
• b) a puller element axially movable in said shell, said puller element also comprising substantially symmetrical halves divided along said axis, said halves of said puller element being hinged, wherein each of said puller element halves further define gear teeth extending about exterior surfaces of said first ends thereof and radially inwardly turned arms at said second ends, wherein said arms comprise cam ends adapted to engage and dislodge circumferentially spaced fingers of said retainer;
• c) a pair of opposed worm gears, each supported in a socket of one of said exterior shell halves at said first end thereof, wherein each of said worm gears respectively engages one of said gear teeth of said puller halves;
• and
• d) a pair of levers disposed for angular movement, each lever being rigidly affixed to one respective worm gear and extending radially outwardly therefrom, whereby simultaneous movement of said levers effects angular movement of said worm gears within said respective sockets, in turn causing the gear teeth of the worm gears to rotate in axially directed arcs, and the puller element to thereby move up and down, whereby said fingers are effectively dislodged from said detents via said cam ends.