Well now that helps a lot. Not a helocoil for sure. I can't thing of anything in the motor with a spring that size. Could it be, it somehow accidentally fell in the motor while the heads were off, or the valvecovers were off?

 

It's from the top of the valve seal, no question. The other pic made the spring look gigantic.

 

Thats the thing i have no clue what the hell would have fallen in. I have no idea i am just gonna drive it and probably check my plugs to see if i am burning oil

 

I wouldn't JUST drive it... apparently massls1guy spotted what it is... I'd look into fixing the problem before just driving it...

 

You checked your ballpoint pen???

 

Here's a pic of the valve seals, check out the spring on top:

 

looks to damn close... looks like seal time

 

Ya i will just have to pull the valve covers asap. Which isnt until wednesday and this car is my daily driver unfortunately.

 

I win. lol

 

well, at least it's an "easy" fix lol

 

Oh, God. I thought it was 10 times that size. Wow, now I know why I'm an idiot for saying helicoil.

 

Valve seal.. no questions.. or another seal spring... and it would be easy to find it too.. and to replace..

 

dude a penny pwns that thing LOL

 

On a side note...thats a hell of a camera you have there to be able to zoom in that much on such a tiny spring.

Does anyone else agree with me...when you find the bad seal, check the spring CAREFULLY for witness marks from the spring passing through it? I mean I think it's worth replacing a spring now versus a piston, valve and possibly head in the future if that spring DOES have a weak spot and breaks.

 

Hmmm thats an interesting idea anyone else agree..... I hope not for the sake of my wallet...

 

that spring is very weak and tiny. I recall popping one off by accident before I got them installed on my car. I can't imagine them doing anything serious to your valve springs unless you were binding the valve spring.

There's a video on PRC's website of beehive, duals and triple springs and when you consider that they are pushing the extremes in those videos and the amount of gap available, I think the valve spring would end up being none the worse for wear. Just make sure the valve seal didn't come loose and rattle around as that can cause damage as opposed to the spring if wedged in between.

 

All i can say is thats one helluva a camera you've got ..

Yes that is a valve stem seal and im 99.9% positive. there is no other springs that size inside the motor. You can see where it looks like it stretched for some reason or got in a bind and broke.

 

My point is though...it IS steel, small or large, and it is squashed like it was bound into SOMETHING. If the spring isn't binding...that doesn't mean it has room for another spring to fit through...it's at LEAST worth checking, since it HAS to come off to put the new seal on.

 

on the contrary... when you've seen just how big those springs are in comparison to the gaps when the car is running...

http://www.racingsprings.com/Pictures.htm

scroll to the bottom of the page and watch the videos, a spring that small and soft isn't likely to damage a valve spring that goes through that kind of abuse.

He'll have to take off the valve spring to see, but in the mean time I doubt his spring will bust apart due to a valve stem seal spring falling apart.