Just wondering how the new Comp blue stripe 918 springs were working with .560" lift cams. I am planning on using these with a TR224 .561" lift cam set at 1.780"-1.800" installed height. Any problems, broken springs, other installed heights? Please list cam type, lift, installed spring height, and mileage. Thanks,

Paul J.

 

I put on 5200 hard miles with my 918 springs with no issues on my old cartek cam with .567 lift on a 113 lsa.

I have more good than bad that's for sure about the 918. I heard there was a bad batch about a year ago and have heard of a couple of horror stories but in my opinion you should be good to go. I guess a duel spring would give you some extra confidence that if one spring broke you have a second back up which would decrease your odds of a valve dropping. Nothing is 100% bulletproof but for a single spring application and your lift i think thats about the best option.

Best of luck.

MTI 427 C5 Roadster <img border="0" alt="[Corvette]" title="" src="graemlins/corvette.gif" />

 

Hey Paul,

I got the heads in and the car is a beast. The springs are workin out great for me.

 

Blake, that sounds great! Dyno that beast and lets see what she can do.

After looking at the 918 spring in depth, I am starting to think the best way to set the spring up is shoot for an open installed height of about 1.200" to 1.210" then add the cam lift for the closed installed height. This will give about 310 lbs of open pressure and .090" to .100" to coil bind. This may also dampen harmonics better since several coils are touching, increasing the natural frequency of the spring. Keep the replies coming.

Paul J.

 

I installed a set of 918's around November which did NOT have blue stripes. Cam is a Comp 218/224 .562/.567 114LSA. I have about 2000 miles on the setup now, daily driven no problems so far....I bought the cam kit in October of 2002.

 

I got my from the so called bad batch and no issues. I do how ever plan on getting replaced for free from Comp when I do my head swap.

 

I have 5,500 miles on my blue stripe 918's without any problems. I have a little .553" lift cam.

 

7,000 miles an no problems here on a .562 lift cam. 6200 redline

 

I got about 20,000 miles on my 918's and have not had a problem with a 222/.566 112lsa.

 

I just broke one tonight. About 500 miles on em. .566 lift cam. I was at WOT.

 

Any details on the break? Installed height, spring manufacture date (approx), cam specs (Duration at .006", and at .050"), intake or exhaust valve, breakage point, pics, etc. I hope it did not damage the engine.

Paul J.

 

What exactly makes the "blue stripe" 918s better? Was that just the way that comp used to identify the new batches of springs after the bad ones went out? Does anyone actually know when the "bad batch" began? Earlies issues I saw were manufactured in April '02.

 

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by 4mulaJoe:
<strong>I just broke one tonight. About 500 miles on em. .566 lift cam. I was at WOT.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Is yours out of the new batch with blue stripes?

 

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by MTI 427 C5 Roadster:
<strong>I put on 5200 hard miles with my 918 springs with no issues on my old cartek cam with .567 lift on a 113 lsa.

I have more good than bad that's for sure about the 918. I heard there was a bad batch about a year ago and have heard of a couple of horror stories but in my opinion you should be good to go. I guess a duel spring would give you some extra confidence that if one spring broke you have a second back up which would decrease your odds of a valve dropping. Nothing is 100% bulletproof but for a single spring application and your lift i think thats about the best option.

Best of luck.

MTI 427 C5 Roadster <img border="0" alt="[Corvette]" title="" src="graemlins/corvette.gif" /> </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I'm one of the guys who got stung by the 918 debacle. Dropped a spring, and valve, and head, 200 miles into a new H/C setup from ARE. While Wade (and Nick before him) stood behind things, Comp Cams acknowledged minimal responsibility: they were willing to replace the springs with a new set, but were NOT willing to compensate me for a many thousand dollar rebuild. As far as I'm concerned, Comp Cams should be ashamed of their actions. The current spring setup might be fine (it appears so, as there are no ongoing reports of failures as there were last summer) but I'd recommend you think about a dual spring setup. I've got one on the big block, and fervently wish I'd had one on my H/C setup. Would have saved me a lot of aggravation!!

 

Has anyone heard of any issues concerning 918s manufactured before the spring season of '02?

 

I think the bad batch of 26918s that went out was last April or so. I've known of a couple of people that had issues with 918s bought in the middle of spring '02. I bought mine back in November/December of '01 and they've been just fine with some very hard WOT driving with a .558 lift cam. Seems everyone I know of that bought them in the winter of '01/'02 or before, or after late spring of '02 has been fine. If you got them around April '02 though, there might be cause for concern...

<small>[ December 25, 2002, 12:19 PM: Message edited by: RPM WS6 ]</small>

 

As long as you set them up right, you wont have any problems. You HAVR to check the installed heights. I have them on my heads and they are shimmed.

 

I have about 3,000 miles on my 918s w/ Comp XE 218/.563/114 cam. No problems at all. I am just careful to let the motor warm before any serious rpm

<small>[ December 26, 2002, 08:02 PM: Message edited by: Samba242 ]</small>

 

Just wanted to add to this. The guy who said any spring can break at anytime is right. I had just changed my plugs and reprogrammed the pcm in mine. I stated it up and let it idle up to 176. Drove about 3 miles. Gave it one WOT pass. Second WOT pass the spring broke on the 2-3 shift. Coolant temp was around 180. Oil pressure was still good.

The spring broke pretty much right in the middle into 2 pieces. I already replaced it with one from my old set of 918's that had about 8k trouble-free miles on them. BTW, I do rev the motor failry high(~6700 at times.)

 

4mulaJoe - Could you get an installed height on the spring that broke? Was this a previously run spring that failed?

Paul J.