RC000E

Want to do a switch to PAC 1518's for preventative maintenance. All this 02/03 LS6's dropping valves and busting springs has me terrified...lol. Z06 has 50k on it. Car has AR headers, xpipe, catless, vararam, tune. It feels like there is more in it with a retune, so that's the plan once my dyno gets back up and running and I wanted to bump to 7k limit.

I come from overhead cam engines, so I am still getting acquainted with pushrods and all this business. There are many different lengths and I was wondering what fits the 2002 LS6 and if this seems like a necessary mod?

got-a-ls1

iTrader: (12)

pushrods will be stock ls6 length if you have untouched heads and stock cam.. I believe the ls6 uses 7.4 inch but check with the vendor your buying with... LS6 had a smaller base circle cam but longer valve stems which means it should use 7.4 however i have heard rumors some years ls6 MAY have had a 7.35 inch pushrod... so just check to be sure, but i think 7.4 should work

with a stock cam not "necessary" but with the higher rate springs probably not a bad idea either..

RC000E

Also, any suggestions on brand for the pushrods...experiences?

NVR_SPDS

iTrader: (39)

Why not just run the 1218s and save yourself some money? .600 lift springs will be more than enough to stand up to the stock cam. TSP sells a spring/pushrod kit for around 250.00 with the 1218s.

Ive been running TSP pushrods on 3 different cam setups (now on my AFR 224/228 setup) without a single problem.

One thing to remember with upgraded springs is to let it get to operating temp before beating on it!!

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

Comp Cam, Manley, Crane

IMO, more places seem to carry the CompCam pushrod's.

RC000E

I read the 1218/1518 debates all over the place. Nitride coated 1518's sounds like the best, most reliable means. Springs pressures aren't much higher than stock and if I want to cam upgrade at some point I can.

There's endless threads on who likes what valvespring wise and noone agrees. From here I just want to figure out what pushrod length is, and if there is a preference brand wise.

I am "hard" on cars in the sense I do track days, touge runs and tend to drive faster than I should. For that reason I just want some piece of mind that this well documented valve spring issue is covered. I'd put new ones in ever freakin year if it comes down to it.

Whiteaw57

iTrader: (2)

typically 22k to 30k miles is time to change these performance springs, but that is due to high ramp rates on the aftermarket cams so Im not sure how the springs would hold up with a stock cam (should be a while) so Id say just have them checked occasionally. as for the pushrods definitely go tsp. With the higher rpm youll need them but honestly with a stock cam I dont think youll pick much up above 6000. you can try it but for reliability theres no point in turning 7k if its making less hp than it is at 6k. Good luck

RC000E

I wouldn't be doing it if there weren't a point. It's not about power, it's about needing a bit more to stretch a gear and avoid have to ride the limiter to the turn in. It'll be fine.

TSP's...I'll look into it.

Thanks for the help everyone.

Whiteaw57

iTrader: (2)

ok well I understand now, that wasn't previously stated. Good luck with it, hope you can get everything you need out of it

HioSSilver

iTrader: (8)

my ls6 has 80k on oe springs with no problem. I turn it 6800.

vettenuts

iTrader: (4)

Original pushrod is 7.385" gauge lenth as I recall from when I measured them a few years ago. Trend makes most of the pushrods out there, including Comp so you can but straight from them. I think I might drop to 7.375" since that is readily available but always best to measure. There is some minor stiffness with 5/16" pushrods, with 0.080" thickness, but nothing like 11/32" OD if you want a stiffer setup.

RC000E

Yeah, well....there's one or two 02/03 z06's blowin up per week on the Corvette forums. There's guys with failures at 30k and guys with failures at 80k. It's a well known issue with 02/03 cars due to a poor batch of springs that got loaded into those motors. A crate LS6 wouldn't fall into this category. I'm changin them or I'll be buyin a crate motor myself...