Method and apparatus for inserting a valve into a valve guide

A method for inserting a valve, having a shaft section and an umbrella section provided at one end of the shaft section, into a valve inserting hole of a valve guide provided in a cylinder head of an engine, said method comprising the steps of:

• supporting a surface, adjacent to the shaft section, of the umbrella section by an upper support member and supporting the shaft section of the valve with a gap left therebetween by a lower support member disposed beneath the upper support member;
• lowering, by an elevator device, the upper and lower support members, supporting the valve, together toward the valve guide with at least the lower support member of the upper and lower support members vibrated by a vibrating device;
• when a lower end of the valve has failed to be brought into contact with an opening edge of the valve inserting hole of the valve guide as the result of lowering, by the elevator device, of the upper and lower support members, further lowering the upper and lower support members after a lower end of the shaft section contacts an upper end surface of the valve guide, to thereby not only cause the upper support member to gradually move away from the umbrella section but also cause a position of supporting, by the lower support member, of the shaft section to be displaced downward so that vibrating movement of the lower end of the shaft section, caused by at least the lower support member being vibrated by said vibrating device, is reduced to allow the lower end of the valve to come into contact with the opening edge of the valve inserting hole;
• and
• pressing the valve into the valve inserting hole with a pressing member.