How to measure valve springs
How to measure valve springs I just bought a pair of used 918's and was wondering what all I can measure to make sure there within spec. Do I just measure spring height, O.D. and I.D. with a caliper while off the car. Can I measure coil bind, seat pressure, or anything? How? Do I measure anything while the springs are on the car?
Thanks for the help
Thanks for the help
You can compress the spring and a bathroom scale in a vice. Compress till the spring measures installed height (1.800") then simple read what the bathroom scale says. It can be accurate within a couple of pounds.
On The Tree
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: PNW
The easiest would be to take them to a local automotive machine shop and have them check the spring pressure. Somehow I don't see how you can hold a bathrooom scale in a vise, hold the spring, and turn the vise...........with only two hands. Besides, it would have to either be a very small bathroom scale, or a very big vise. The bathroom scale would work better with an arbor press.
I have a Tavia valve spring gauge that I use in conjunction with a set of dial calipers to measure the spring height. I use my bench vise to apply pressure to the spring. Works great and is pretty accurate.
