So, for about the first 1200 miles or so the car was running great besdies the fact that it still needed to be tuned. Then two days ago, out of no where the car start hesistating then immedietaly starts making a clnking noise from the engine bay. I was about a quarter f a mile form my house when this happened. It lost nearly all power and it was taking time for the engine to build rpm, I limped it home and took off the driver side valve cover and a freaking valve spring busted into pieces and the pushrod is bent and the valve is bent and jammed in place in the cylinder head. anyways, I'm super pissed because I've spent so many hours putting the car back together after not driving it for nearly a year and I'm so afraid the valve punched a hole in the piston or something.

What do you guys think the chances are that the valve f'd up the piston? Also, it's hard to say what really broke first, the spring, the rr, or the pushrod, but this all happened literally right after I started the car leaving taco bell. I wasn't racing it or anything before or after.

The valve spring is in three pieces, the pushrod is bent, and the the piece on the roller rocker that makes contact with the top of the valve broke off the rr too. But I have to think it's the spring that broke first considering it's in three pieces.

So, I'm really sad and have been drinking a lot. Someone cheer me up.

 

You used the springs in your sig ?

 

What pushrods? What springs? Stop drinking and pull the heads off already.

 

Haha. Yeah the VS2700 springs. I'm going to work on pulling the head off in a few weeks. I'm moving now, which sucks because now I'm going to have to get my car towed to my new house, but yeah I talked to the guys at bullet racing cams who I ordered the springs from and they don't even have a warranty, but supposedly no one does?

Anyways, pushrods were stock, rr 's are self aligning. I just never wanted to take the heads off because I'm nervous about getting the heads to seal right again and not blow a headgasket, which is why I never spent the extra money to have my heads ported or anything. I just wanted to be done and enjoy my ride.

 

I still dont understand how they dround a cc503 out of stock cam?

 

I would try to explain but you have to be shown how it works.

 

Use some ARP head bolts, correct thread lube, and tighten them according to the manual in the correct sequence using an accurate torque wrench and you will be fine bro.

GM head gasket all the way

What push rods are you using?

and please try to upgrade your rocker arms bro.

Those are quite a lot of miles driving the car un-tuned.

Good luck.

 

Upgrade to what? I do have to replace the one anyways...

 

Pro magnums, Crane golds, GM full rollers (factory rockers on the LT4 engines and I believe its the same as the Cranes), Scorpions.

The pro magnums are the only ones that are steel body and come with a life time warranty on the body, the rest are aluminum alloy.

I wanted to go with Proforms at first too because the budget was tight (very tight) but I waited a bit and got me some Pro Magnums. Rather pay once, than pay twice.

 

last time my car broke a valve spring in 3 pieces it also had a shattered piston, rod and ripped my oil pan in half. drain your oil first and see what comes out then do a compression test before you go about pulling the head. who knows you may have dodged a bullet.

 

Ahh man don't say those things...

 

Did you re-measure your pushrod length when you installed it?

Reground cams are great for Saturns and Nissan Sentras - not performance V8s, IMO.

 

Did the valve drop into the cylinder?

 

The only way for the valve to bend is if it hit the piston.

Also, it's impossible to fully drop an LT1 valve into the cylinder. It's just too long.

 

what he said

 

Did you do the work yourself? Being you are close to Wong's Performance in Vancouver, have Tommy build it correctly this next go around...and you def need to upgrade the valvetrain.

 

Do you have any pics of the valve cover off and th damage?

 

Next time round i would recommend harden push rods, NSA rockers, guide plate and better springs. Like mentioned earlier do it once do it right.

Have correct push rod length, so rockers sit centered across valve tip.

 

I hope those springs arent shitty quality I just bought a set

 

A question that still needs to be answered. I'm guessing a regrind is going to need different PRs or the geometry is going to be screwed up.

Lloyd Elliott recommends them, so I would say they should be ok. As with any spring, it needs to match the application.