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Help: Broke Valve Spring

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Old May 21, 2012 | 11:46 AM
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Default Help: Broke Valve Spring

Hey guys I decided to make a account after serching threads here for some years now and well now I cant find this anywhere. Well I went out to eat with the family went in ate and when we were leaving I decided to give it some gas in the parking lot, well as soon as I let off the car ran like crap. I decided to drive it home since it was fairly close the SES light started flashing but i managed to get it home. I took the valve cover off and found a broken valve spring so I took it to a shop fairly close to my house (towed) and today the Guy calls me and says the valve is to high??? Has anyone one ever heard of this? I wanna say hes BS since he wants to replace the heads but whats your take? Its a 99 Firehawk w/120k.
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Old May 21, 2012 | 12:21 PM
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Sounds to me like he is talking about stem height. If so, then you have either a valve seat issue, or the valve itself has "tuliped". Either way, it's time for you to have your heads rebuilt.
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Old May 21, 2012 | 12:23 PM
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What spring? Stock?
It is very possible you bent a valve and hammered a seat. In any case you need to take the head off to inspect the valve and seat area.
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Old May 21, 2012 | 12:51 PM
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Thanks for the reply guys I really appreciate it. So it is possible that the valve is to high? I talked to a buddy of mine who also has a ls1 and he said maybe he forgot to put the retainers? either way imma take a look at it when I get off. And do you guys recommend I rebuild my heads or should I get new ones? Keep in mind the motor has 120k.
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Old May 21, 2012 | 12:55 PM
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I vote for some stock 243's myself. Why put any money in the stock heads, when it will probably cost just as much to go ahead and swap them out?

If you're pulling the head, or heads anyways, might as well throw some good used 243's on there.

Just my 2 cents.
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Old May 21, 2012 | 01:03 PM
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Should I do a complete mild rebuild while I'm at it? Or put the 243's (your the 2nd person to tell me bout that) and wait till the motor goes?
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Old May 21, 2012 | 01:33 PM
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Factory short block is stout in NA form. Just the heads would be fine for now, unless your looking to build a bigger motor...
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Old May 21, 2012 | 11:12 PM
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Turns of the piston slapped the head n pushed the valve :/ looks like new motor on its way.
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Old May 21, 2012 | 11:24 PM
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Not necessarily. If the piston just has a little eyebrow on it (custom valve relief )
You might just need to refresh the heads, slap in another valve and guide/seat.

Can you post pictures??

On the other hand if you have the $$$$, yeah why not a properly built longblock. Or a 383
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Old May 22, 2012 | 01:29 PM
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Well I picked up a ls1 off a Corvette and imma put it in for now and put this one in a stand and little by litter be putting top notch parts on it. But yea ill post pics up when I get home.
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