most of my valve springs are broken

**mvvette97** · 10-31-2006, 07:40 PM

Just done the cam swap about 150 miles ago. I was putting headers on tonight and while I had the valve covers off I thought the springs looked strange. Almost all of the springs on the very top coil that sits against the retainer is broken. Why would it of done that? The cam is the Comp 228/230 571/573 112lsa. The springs are comp 918. I also have the 7.425 pushrods. Is there a right and wrong way to set the spring down on the seat? I don't know what to do.

**RRE101** · 10-31-2006, 08:29 PM

Were the springs and retainers changed at the same time as the camshaft?

**mvvette97** · 10-31-2006, 08:31 PM

Originally Posted by RRE101

Were the springs and retainers changed at the same time as the camshaft?

yep, i changed everything, springs retainers and pushrods. Does the blue stripe have to be lined up on the springs?

**Phlash_riot** · 11-01-2006, 07:59 AM

I don't know if these helps out or not but I read somewhere that when you get high performace springs you have the let the engine heat up(including the heads) before you go WOT. otherwise you could break the springs. I guess the hardend metal want to warm up to make it a bit more flexible...

Have any pics of what you are looking at there?

**mvvette97** · 11-01-2006, 03:32 PM

**Phlash_riot** · 11-01-2006, 05:56 PM

Wow.... ummm

Did you break them in before going WOT(I will be honest i am not sure if performance spings need a "break in" but somewhere inside my head somethign is say to me that i read that you do.... Obviously I am not talking the type of break in that you have shown here)

**mrr23** · 11-02-2006, 04:07 AM

springs made with todays processes and metals don't need a heat cycle. back in the olden days, engine builders would take the springs and put them in an oven to heat cycle them before installing them. i have read about some comp springs breaking the tips off of them a couple years ago.

**vettenuts** · 11-03-2006, 03:06 PM

I have been following his dilema on a couple of boards, he bought the springs from an Ebay vendor. Based on his description of installation problems and the coloring of the blue stripes and the metal, I am very suspicious these are Comp 918 knock-off's. 150 miles should be nothing for a true set of Comp 918's.

**mvvette97** · 11-03-2006, 04:10 PM

Originally Posted by vettenuts

I have been following his dilema on a couple of boards, he bought the springs from an Ebay vendor. Based on his description of installation problems and the coloring of the blue stripes and the metal, I am very suspicious these are Comp 918 knock-off's. 150 miles should be nothing for a true set of Comp 918's.

I think I have seen this user name before

.You must be like me, on every forum

I drove the car home just a bit ago. I think the highest rpm i had it was 2200. I'm scared to to even get on it. Do you know how much distance it should have between the top coils while compressed? I am going to pull the valve covers in a couple days just to check everything. I thought while I was in there I would measure the distance between the coils when compressed. If they are not broken and have the correct distance in the coils i will leave them but if not I'm going to check in to some duals.

**YoMommasTA** · 11-03-2006, 05:27 PM

Originally Posted by vettenuts

I have been following his dilema on a couple of boards, he bought the springs from an Ebay vendor. Based on his description of installation problems and the coloring of the blue stripes and the metal, I am very suspicious these are Comp 918 knock-off's. 150 miles should be nothing for a true set of Comp 918's.

ebay the modern way to rip people off!

**Phlash_riot** · 11-03-2006, 05:55 PM

Some things are better to buy from the store or reputable online source.

**vettenuts** · 11-06-2006, 02:22 PM

Originally Posted by mvvette97

I think I have seen this user name before

.You must be like me, on every forum

I drove the car home just a bit ago. I think the highest rpm i had it was 2200. I'm scared to to even get on it. Do you know how much distance it should have between the top coils while compressed? I am going to pull the valve covers in a couple days just to check everything. I thought while I was in there I would measure the distance between the coils when compressed. If they are not broken and have the correct distance in the coils i will leave them but if not I'm going to check in to some duals.

Beehive springs compress at the larger coils first, then the upper smaller coils. Here is an article written by David Vizard on the beehive design.

David Vizard's Article On Beehive Springs

**mvvette97** · 11-06-2006, 03:53 PM

Originally Posted by vettenuts

Beehive springs compress at the larger coils first, then the upper smaller coils. Here is an article written by David Vizard on the beehive design.

David Vizard's Article On Beehive Springs

good article. If that is true then I should have no problem with running 571/573 lift. I drove it 120 miles lastnight and pulled the valve covers and so far so good. I haven't turned it loose yet though. I'm kinda scared to.

**Phlash_riot** · 11-06-2006, 05:47 PM

Originally Posted by mvvette97

good article. If that is true then I should have no problem with running 571/573 lift. I drove it 120 miles lastnight and pulled the valve covers and so far so good. I haven't turned it loose yet though. I'm kinda scared to.

So you got your springs replaced? Let me know how it goes.. I am about to buy a set of the 918s. Did you get he titanium retainers as well?

**mvvette97** · 11-06-2006, 08:02 PM

I bought a new set. Comp is supposed to give me a refund but i haven't heard anything yet. When I first installed them I used the comp steel retainers. Now I am just using the stock retainers since the comp retainers fit so tight in the spring. The 918 is designed as a direct replacement so comp told me that the stock retainers would work just fine. So far I don't have any broken.

**vettenuts** · 11-08-2006, 08:22 AM

This is good news, hopefully you are all set. The retainers, and their extremely tight fit, are the likely cause. Not sure if I posted the link to David Vizard's article in Popular Hotrodding, but I know in his valve train book he discusses the bad affects of tight retainers and that the spring will fail up top, just like yours.

**brokenls1** · 11-08-2006, 08:56 AM

Not sure how you drive your car but I know you need to get the engine up to regular operating temps before you can beat on the stronger springs (and the engine). When they are cold they are more "brittle" and easier to break. Best of luck to ya

**mvvette97** · 11-08-2006, 03:41 PM

Originally Posted by vettenuts

This is good news, hopefully you are all set. The retainers, and their extremely tight fit, are the likely cause. Not sure if I posted the link to David Vizard's article in Popular Hotrodding, but I know in his valve train book he discusses the bad affects of tight retainers and that the spring will fail up top, just like yours.

yea I read that link. That was interetsing. I have been driving it everyday to work so maybe it will be ok

**LS2Tuner** · 11-08-2006, 05:37 PM

Any spring needs to be installed and checked for coil bind!!!
If you broke all the springs or most of them you had to be going into coil bind!!!!!

And for those tiny single springs.......It's not going to make one bit of difference if you beat it when it's cold or not......Now if you had a solid roller like we run in race motors with a triple spring than yes it can make a difference.....But there is NO comparision...We run 300-450lbs on the "seat" and can go up to 1150lbs. over the "nose". The springs your talking about only have a 105lbs. at the "seat".

Something is VERY WRONG!!!!!!

**mvvette97** · 11-08-2006, 09:23 PM

Originally Posted by LS2Tuner

Any spring needs to be installed and checked for coil bind!!!
If you broke all the springs or most of them you had to be going into coil bind!!!!!

And for those tiny single springs.......It's not going to make one bit of difference if you beat it when it's cold or not......Now if you had a solid roller like we run in race motors with a triple spring than yes it can make a difference.....But there is NO comparision...We run 300-450lbs on the "seat" and can go up to 1150lbs. over the "nose". The springs your talking about only have a 105lbs. at the "seat".

Something is VERY WRONG!!!!!!

I checked them for coil bind and that is fine. I used the stock pushrods this time and not the 7.425 length. I have drove the car for longer than before with no problems. I kinda think the springs were not the 918 springs or if they were they must of been rejects. They didn't even look the same as all of the other 918 springs out there.