VandykeT/A

ive got a 10 SS LS3 car with a couple lifters and cam lobes chewed up. The car is bone stock but the previous owner had a cam in the car because I found that it had dual valve springs. I plan to go back with a stock cam but I'm curious as to whether the dual valve springs on the stock cam for 20k miles could have been what destroyed it.

G Atsma

If those springs chewed up a stock cam, it would also chew up any other cam. I think the cam/lifters were defective. If it helps, you could put stock springs back in, but it really wouldn't make an difference.

Darth_V8r

iTrader: (4)

If the pushrods are still stock, it's possible they were flexing from the spring pressure and then pole-vaulting the valve, which then crashes back down on the lobe like a hammer.

I would put psi1511 springs in when you do your repairs and 5/16 x 080 pushrods. That'll reduce your spring pressure and valvetrain weight, which will give you plenty of life and stability

VandykeT/A

The car actually isn't mine and he doesn't want to put a fortune back in it that's why I'm trying to save changing the springs but if it has to be done it does. The flex makes sense but the only explanation I had before that theory was the stock cam was a softer core or the previous owner laid the stock cam up not oiled and it pitted with rust causing it. I just don't want him to have problems down the road. He drove the car trouble free from 28k to 51k.

Darth_V8r

iTrader: (4)

The stock cams have gone zillions of miles. So I wouldn't worry too much about the cam being soft. You're more likely to have that problem from comp than from GM.

If you don't want to put lots of money into it, get a set of 5/16 pushrods which will better stand up to those springs. Or since it's a stock cam, get a set of LS6 springs for like $60 off eBay.

pantera_efi

iTrader: (1)

Hi T/A PLEASE provide a report of the Spring Pressure ?

I do know that too much nose pressure can cause the lifters to "bleed" over 6K RPM causing that damage.

Lance

MuhThugga

Too much spring pressure can be as bad as having too little spring pressure. If the rest of the valvetrain components aren't designed to handle the higher pressures, then you can have issues with instability.

If the owner doesn't want to spend a ton of money, put factory components back in: LS6/2/3 springs, retainers, locks, seals with the integrated seats, pushrods, cam, and LS7 lifters with NEW trays.

G Atsma

This^^^^^