If I am replacing the current valve spring kit (everything.. exh&int valve seal, seat, retainer, locks, spring) with an identical kit do I need to shim or check shim? I am going to try to DIY replace my valve springs when the car comes out of storage for the winter. Thanks for any help

 

Was the install height correct the first time?

 

TSP built them. So my assumption is they did a superb job. I won't know until spring if they have shims. If the reply here is if they were shimmed right the first time and your replacing identical springs you don't need to reshim. If there are shims do I reuse or replace those to?

 

no issues reusing the shims. assuming the install height was correct and all new parts are identical to the old you should be able to just swap them out

 

Was the life of the current springs what you expected?

If you feel the spring life was slightly shorter than you hoped or something then you might take a second look at installed height but otherwise as said if the shims/retainers/locks are all reused in the same spot you should be fine. The "same spot" comment is basically just incase the OEM seat height varied. Not that I have seen it on LS engines but I have seen LT1s that needed varying shims due to differences in the OEM spring seat height.

 

Car runs. I just beat the hell out of it the last two years and I want to do preventive maintenance. Lessens the chance of the engine being toast due to that. I would buy just the springs, but im assuming buying the kit and replacing everything might be what the pro would do.

 

http://www.texas-speed.com/p-473-pre...pring-kit.aspx

this is the kit I was told is identical to mine

 

Springs and maybe valve seals should be the items that need to be replaced. The retainers, locks, seats, and shims should be fine.

 

I would talk to the vendor but depending on how high end the titanium retainers are I would maybe consider swapping them. Titanium can be fickle, a scratch can turn into a crack and it doesn't mate well with other surfaces so they wont last indefinitely the way we can expect steel to. Not saying you have to replace them, but I would talk to a vendor who sells that about if they think you should change them each set of springs or if you can go a few sets or what.

Good for you understanding springs become a wear item on a cammed setup, seems like too few understand this.

 

Yeah a buddy told me if I care about the engine to change them. I'm sorry for asking a lot of really dumb questions but this forum seems to be the best way to learn how to wrench. How would I know how high these are supposed to be. Say I want to pretend they were in wrong. Does the specs of the cam tell me this? I know its a lunatti something. I plan on purchasing the 3 sets of helms dealer manuals for the car. 99 camaro ss ls1 for the record. I found them for like 75 shipped. Greatful for all help.

 

Tsp should give you the installed height of the spring

 

You would need to know the exact cam specs in order to get someone to specify the springs installation height.

If you are fine with the preventative replacement interval you have chosen maybe just pull a couple old spring and have them checked to see how much pressure has dropped off. This will help you confirm you have a good interval chosen.

 

I was told springs are good for 15k. I'd assume they have about 8k on them now.

 

If your sure there the identical specs, then there no reason anything will be different. But then you would have already checked everything and know for sure, and not asking online if it will be "ok"

I would check them, everything. And you will learn more, like it sounds like you want to anyway.

 

Thank you everyone