From Admin - My thoughts regarding the bad batch of 918's...
Teching In
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: chicago
Re: From Admin - My thoughts regarding the bad batch of 918's... Thanks john you are being very helpful. just hope comp cam does somethings about us people losing are engines due too a 918 spring breaking.
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 45,330
Likes: 1,768
From: Chicago, IL
Re: From Admin - My thoughts regarding the bad batch of 918's... 941s came out before the 918s.
There were only a few 918 failures, and very few engine failures.
Please contact Red Obert, and provide the parts they need, and keep us posted.
There were only a few 918 failures, and very few engine failures.
Please contact Red Obert, and provide the parts they need, and keep us posted.
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 45,330
Likes: 1,768
From: Chicago, IL
Re: From Admin - My thoughts regarding the bad batch of 918's... There was small batch of 918s that had failure. Other than that I would check with your builder on your individual combos.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2002
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Re: From Admin - My thoughts regarding the bad batch of 918's... Hi,
I don't know why it is still going! I mean this thread?!
The bad batch with those springs hapened a year or more ago.
I talked to ThudnerRacing today and they said it's absolutely good springs and all of them have blue stripe - meaning quality control/tested.
This thread got me really messed up! I'm about to oder a new cam package and you guys confused the hell out of me as for the springs.
I don't know why it is still going! I mean this thread?!
The bad batch with those springs hapened a year or more ago.
I talked to ThudnerRacing today and they said it's absolutely good springs and all of them have blue stripe - meaning quality control/tested.
This thread got me really messed up! I'm about to oder a new cam package and you guys confused the hell out of me as for the springs.
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 45,330
Likes: 1,768
From: Chicago, IL
Re: From Admin - My thoughts regarding the bad batch of 918's... The blue stripes ones are FINE.
Lately there were 2-3 cars that had the old springs that recently had problems.
Lately there were 2-3 cars that had the old springs that recently had problems.
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TECH Fanatic
Joined: Feb 2002
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From: New Jersey
Re: From Admin - My thoughts regarding the bad batch of 918's... Anton,
There are new revised 918 springs (blue stripe) that are fine now, it's the old 918's that were failing and those ones have no colored stripe on them. I spoke with Comp today at length, seems there was a possible mix up or mis communication in regaurd to my above post about shipped/returned parts so I believe the lines of communication are back up again so Tom can get to the bottom of his spring issue.
Thanks!
Joe.
There are new revised 918 springs (blue stripe) that are fine now, it's the old 918's that were failing and those ones have no colored stripe on them. I spoke with Comp today at length, seems there was a possible mix up or mis communication in regaurd to my above post about shipped/returned parts so I believe the lines of communication are back up again so Tom can get to the bottom of his spring issue.
Thanks!
Joe.
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 45,330
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From: Chicago, IL
Re: From Admin - My thoughts regarding the bad batch of 918's... Joe, if your was also affected he can talk to Red and also reference my phone call with Thomas Griffin.
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 45,330
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From: Chicago, IL
Re: From Admin - My thoughts regarding the bad batch of 918's... dvs, I got your message, if you are having problems with Red try calling and asking for Thomas Griffin and leave a message referencing this thread... I hope that Red is a cooperative person but if he's confrontational and combative that's going to be a problem.
Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
Re: From Admin - My thoughts regarding the bad batch of 918's...
Is it reasonable to suggest they replace any of the old batch that are still out there?
Re: From Admin - My thoughts regarding the bad batch of 918's... I was one of the first few that broke and started this whole thing last year I think. Everyone at first just blew it off saying "**** happens", then my friend broke his the next day. Both only had 200miles on them so that was very IRONIC. WE both were very lucky and no other damage was done. I know if i had blown a motor from this you can believe I woulda hired a lawyer. But everything checked out fine. I sent the spring back to comp and they later found it was a defect and stopped making them to fine out the cause, then came out with the blue stripe boxes.
here was a pic of mine when i first took off the valve cover.
I was very lucky the spring held in place. This spring also broke right after I let off from a WOT atap run! LUCKY LUCKY LUCKY
I just had one spring break though. I kept the rest on my car for over a year and took risk of another breaking, but none did
here was a pic of mine when i first took off the valve cover.
I was very lucky the spring held in place. This spring also broke right after I let off from a WOT atap run! LUCKY LUCKY LUCKY
I just had one spring break though. I kept the rest on my car for over a year and took risk of another breaking, but none did
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 34,631
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From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
Re: From Admin - My thoughts regarding the bad batch of 918's... I've got about 2500 miles with many, MANY WOT runs on my set. I bought them new in late November/early December of '01.
One of my friends had broke a spring season of '02 918 at a low rpm. He was lucky, just bent a valve and no other issues. Seems that the people I've seen/heard of with the defect failure had it happen very early in the springs' life (like 500 miles or less, most closer to 200).
I really don't think that the pre-spring season of '02 918 owners need to worry or get all upset. Not trying to downplay what happened to you guys that had serious damage, (I agree that comp needs to do something for you guys that lost motors besides just send a new spring, that's just BS) but I'd hate to see a buch of us guys from the earlier days of 918s panic when this issue didn't seem to start till spring/summer '02.
Maybe I'm wrong though, has anyone broke a '01 era 918? I haven't seen that posted about yet....
One of my friends had broke a spring season of '02 918 at a low rpm. He was lucky, just bent a valve and no other issues. Seems that the people I've seen/heard of with the defect failure had it happen very early in the springs' life (like 500 miles or less, most closer to 200).
I really don't think that the pre-spring season of '02 918 owners need to worry or get all upset. Not trying to downplay what happened to you guys that had serious damage, (I agree that comp needs to do something for you guys that lost motors besides just send a new spring, that's just BS) but I'd hate to see a buch of us guys from the earlier days of 918s panic when this issue didn't seem to start till spring/summer '02.
Maybe I'm wrong though, has anyone broke a '01 era 918? I haven't seen that posted about yet....
Launching!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 213
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From: Burlington ON Canada
Re: From Admin - My thoughts regarding the bad batch of 918's... I had my 918's installed on the car the end of January '02. The springs held up fine for a year and 15,000 miles, 10 passes at the track and countless WOT blasts. I swapped out to Revs in February of this year.
I really feel for those stuck with broke motors because of the faulty springs. If that had happened to me, I'd have had to park the car for 9 months to save up for the rebuild :-(
I really feel for those stuck with broke motors because of the faulty springs. If that had happened to me, I'd have had to park the car for 9 months to save up for the rebuild :-(
Re: From Admin - My thoughts regarding the bad batch of 918's... I hadn't even heard about this problem until I read this thread. I feel for you guys who lost your engine due to the springs and hope Comp does something about it. 
Better late than never. This is only with a batch of '02 springs though, right? I'm getting ready for a cam swap, nothing too wild (TR 224), but gets me thinking of going with different springs since Comp doesn't seem to be standing behind their product...
Better late than never. This is only with a batch of '02 springs though, right? I'm getting ready for a cam swap, nothing too wild (TR 224), but gets me thinking of going with different springs since Comp doesn't seem to be standing behind their product... 
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2001
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From: Macomb, MI
Re: From Admin - My thoughts regarding the bad batch of 918's...
People need to be aware that just because they do not have a "blue stripe" 918 does not mean that they have ones from the bad batch either.
The first runs of 918s going back to the summer/fall/winter of '01 are doing just fine from what I've seen. I got my 918s back in Nov/Dec of '01, and here we are over 18 months later and some hard miles with a B1 cam and no problems. Mine are not noisey either.
I am not the only person who has had an '01 era 918 set last for a long time without issue. Infact, I don't know of anyone that broke any of the early 918s.
If you have 918s that were produced in the spring or summer of '02, and do not have blue stripes, then you may have cause for concern. But I don't see any reason to worry about the earlier 918s.
I have no plans of replacing my 918s until at least the 30-40K mile mark. I think it's just a waste otherwise. Granted, I have a rather mild cam by today's standards though, and the motor never sees over 6400rpm, plus the car is almost never at the track. Perhaps for a car that is raced often replacing the springs more regularly would be best....
The first runs of 918s going back to the summer/fall/winter of '01 are doing just fine from what I've seen. I got my 918s back in Nov/Dec of '01, and here we are over 18 months later and some hard miles with a B1 cam and no problems. Mine are not noisey either.
I am not the only person who has had an '01 era 918 set last for a long time without issue. Infact, I don't know of anyone that broke any of the early 918s.
If you have 918s that were produced in the spring or summer of '02, and do not have blue stripes, then you may have cause for concern. But I don't see any reason to worry about the earlier 918s.
I have no plans of replacing my 918s until at least the 30-40K mile mark. I think it's just a waste otherwise. Granted, I have a rather mild cam by today's standards though, and the motor never sees over 6400rpm, plus the car is almost never at the track. Perhaps for a car that is raced often replacing the springs more regularly would be best....
I have the same setup as RPM WS6, 918's with a B1. I have about 1200 miles on them, so far no problems. I purchased the 918's Jan/02. I still have the box. Will Comp be able to tell me when they were manufactured if I provide the serial #? I'm considered changing my rockers and replacing the old 918's with the new blue stripes.
Thanks,
Bryan
Re: From Admin - My thoughts regarding the bad batch of 918's... Its funny back in October I had a valve spring let go on my heads. The heads were purchased in June 2002 but i believe they were built sometime in April. I never looked into what springs they were but i know they werent double and that they were Comp Cams. they were CNC heads in case anyone is wondering. I did lose a motor because of it. The valve spring dropped and all hell broke loose. Heres some pics of the damage.
http://community.webshots.com/photo/...59637472TyGnKi
http://community.webshots.com/photo/...59638391BSkvKh
I had to buy new heads and a whole new shortblock
http://community.webshots.com/photo/...59637472TyGnKi
http://community.webshots.com/photo/...59638391BSkvKh
I had to buy new heads and a whole new shortblock