Patriot Dual Spring Failure
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Patriot Dual Spring Failure
I had my car tuned a while back (>1000 miles) and drove great since then. Then after a drive I was having major stumbling issues trying to get into boost and overly rich conditions all of a sudden (more or less) but it drove just fine in vacuum. Started troubleshooting and I ended up checking FPR, Injectors (cleaned), new fuel filter, spark plugs, checked coils/wires. Still nothing but i could hear a slight tick more than normal valvetrain noise and predominately from the driver bank. so i decided to dig deeper and pull the valve covers.
Cylinder 7 Intake outer valve spring snapped and spun inside of its self (to where it can spin by hand). Inner spring looks ok though. That pushrod (Thunder Hardened) is just ever so slightly bent too, just barely enough to see a sliver of light (probably around 4-6 Thou). I pulled that plug and it looked fine. Looked inside of the spark plug hole and looks fine just a bit black/rich but obviously can only see so much.
The rest of the springs look ok too.
Well any ideas what could cause this or damage it could have done?
Can i just throw another replacement spring into it?
Cylinder 7 Intake outer valve spring snapped and spun inside of its self (to where it can spin by hand). Inner spring looks ok though. That pushrod (Thunder Hardened) is just ever so slightly bent too, just barely enough to see a sliver of light (probably around 4-6 Thou). I pulled that plug and it looked fine. Looked inside of the spark plug hole and looks fine just a bit black/rich but obviously can only see so much.
The rest of the springs look ok too.
Well any ideas what could cause this or damage it could have done?
Can i just throw another replacement spring into it?
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Not sure on mileage since I bought the heads used (supposedly low mileage) but i've only put less than 1600 miles on them.
cam is Custom CamMotion 223/219 .577/.566 116lsa
Could this be from oil not being hot and beating on it?
Just was thinking about the fact that since i have the oil cooler now (and its cold out) it takes twice as long for my oil temps to get to 180*.
but i always let it get some heat into it first.
cam is Custom CamMotion 223/219 .577/.566 116lsa
Could this be from oil not being hot and beating on it?
Just was thinking about the fact that since i have the oil cooler now (and its cold out) it takes twice as long for my oil temps to get to 180*.
but i always let it get some heat into it first.
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Every so often you hear about springs failing or spring related failures, it has changed my thinking. If I ever buy a set of used heads I'll throw a set of springs on no matter the mileage, cheap insurance.
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Thanks guys!
After thinking about it some, i believe the spring cracking was the initial failure. after it cracked and spun up into its self that caused it to coil bind which bent the pushrod.
I'm going to scope it next week to check the piston and head out.
After thinking about it some, i believe the spring cracking was the initial failure. after it cracked and spun up into its self that caused it to coil bind which bent the pushrod.
I'm going to scope it next week to check the piston and head out.