Evans

I did my cam swap and 300 miles later I had a spring break. Apparently this is becoming a real problem as many people are reporting the same thing happening again and again lately. This is a street car and I have yet to really push the car.







I was running about 2k RPM on an exit ramp when it started making noise.
Please post if this has happend to you as well.
Thanks!

PREDATOR-Z

Ouch

Could you document your install? Like what you did, what you used, veryfied heights etc...
Also did you ever just start the car and go, not letting them warm up?
What cam are you using?
Did you over rev, ever?

vettenuts

iTrader: (4)

There seems to be a rash of these reports recently. It was reported on another forum that Comp changed vendors for the springs when this started happening, not sure if that is correct or not. Several reports on the LS1 forum in Australia as well, with one guy losing his motor. Glad you caught it before major damage.

PREDATOR-Z

Yeah this is becoming too frequent. Comp should investigate seriously.

Dr. Jeckel

iTrader: (12)

Here is another thread about this problem, most didn't break in the middle though.
COMP 918's are JUNK!!!

BIG_MIKE2005

iTrader: (116)

So if you have a set of the older springs they should be ok though right?? I bought my springs used last year. I believe the guy said they has 3000 miles on them. I bought them around August last year.

Is this only more common in the newer 918 springs??

JasonShort

iTrader: (242)

Just give up on the 918s and use a different/better/proven valvespring. I would never take the "gamble" and put 918s in my motor with all the problems they are now know for.

Jason

GuitsBoy

iTrader: (4)

Yeah, usually the tips break. You were particularly unlucky. Too many horror stories with 918's recently. WTF

918's used to be a quality spring with very few failures. Now theyre breaking in almost every motor theyre installed in. Practically every member of my local car club that recently installed 918's has found spring bits under their valve cover.

Go with a gold dual or platinum dual kit, and dont look back.

vettenuts

iTrader: (4)

Two other beehive options, the PSI springs are killer and Crane just introduced some as well. Right now, until Comp figures things out (and they don't seem to be admitting to a problem) I would steer clear of them.

pewter99ls1

Do you have any part numbers on the PSI beehive for stock LS1 heads. I would be curious on their specs. What kind of retainers did you use (stock or titanium)? Thanks in advance.

PREDATOR-Z

PSI-LS1511 Valve Springs -

Spring Details:
PSI-LS1511 "Maxlife" beehive Valve Springs, also sold as "Isky Tool Room Springs"
120lbs @ 1.800"
350lbs @ 1.200"
Max lift .625"

JPH

iTrader: (2)

why not just put a good set of double valve springs in it, and forget about it.

mvvette97

iTrader: (18)

I broke 8 out of 16 on a cam with a max lift of 573. I like comps cams but I think the 918 is nothing but ****. I run the Patriot Golds now.

Evans

I always warm my engine up before running it. I have about 40 pics of my install also, so it could be documented if need be. These springs and Ti. retainers were recommended to me BY COMP for my COMP cam................234:242 588:596.
I know one thing for sure, COMP will never be used and any of my engines again.
Too many people are having this problem!

Scoggin Dickey

iTrader: (34)

One big reason I can think of is that all of that extra mass in your valvetrain, when your cam selection doesn't warrant the spring, is kind of taking 2 steps forward and 3 back.

If you look into the math, I believe they usually calculate the mass of the spring/retainer into the equation at about 1/3 the actual mass of the spring/retainer. So you figure in the double springs and bigger/heavier retainers and now you're back to square one, if that!

Why do we (vendors in general) always encourage people to run titanium retainers on their 918's and other beehives??? And then why are so many people so quick to recommend a double spring when it's not needed?

I'd just assume see more people purchasing a slightly heavier 3/8" pushrod than the standard 5/16" ones....at least there the extra weight is put to good use! But again, I never see anyone on here recommending those to the average Joe.

Just my $.02 to get people to "think outside the box." I've e-mail our rep at Comp this and the other link so maybe we can get him or someone on-board to shed some light on this subject!

MeentSS02

iTrader: (11)

I'd agree that keeping valvetrain weight down is a major plus, but at this point, it seems like the only quality springs out there are of the double spring variety. I'd be really curious to hear what Comp has to say about this, because this was certainly a problem in the past with this spring, and it has come back again to haunt even more people.

BIG_MIKE2005

iTrader: (116)

Yea, I'd like to hear from the horses mouth so to speak also. I'm gettin ready at the end of the month to install a set of 918's with my 224/224 .581/.581 114 & I can't afford a failure. But at the same time I can't afford to buy another set of springs right now & I don't want to sell anyone my set of 918 if there is a potiential problem.

Evans

Return those springs if you are able. There are to many people breaking them to chance it. I really can't afford this breakage myself. I guess I'll have to hit the credit cards and live at work for the OT to pay them off. I'm going Patriot, I know alot of people who use them without any problems at all!

BIG_MIKE2005

iTrader: (116)

Well no choice on returning them since I bought them with the cam used on here in January. Thought I bought them last year, but looked thru my trader rating & found out it was this year. I believe they had 3000 miles on both cam & springs. So they may be ok since he ran them that long without failure.

robertbartsch

I remember several years ago the 918's had a severe breakage problem as a result of a defective heat treating process.

Back then , Comp did not recall any bad product but after the problem was identified they started putting colored stripes on the springs so you could identify ones that came from a good and bad batch.

That to me is very poor customer service. So, when I did my H/C, I steered away from this realizing that more valvetrain weight was bad but, why take a chance destroying your engine with a lightweight spring that is manufactured using vurtualy no quality control by a company that would not recognize an issue and recall their own bad springs?