Decent springs get a bad name because people misuse them. Bauer was specing insufficient springs on a lot of his cams.
Comp screws up LT1 recommendations because their rpm ranges are wrong.

If I were still running my old 190cc setup I would not hesitate to put 918s on it again. The 226 cam I had was mild enough that it was a good match. The 224 cam Bauer/LE was specing with the 918s was actually MUCH more aggressive once you understand duration at .050" vs .200". It was square and that is why it broke so many parts.

Once Comp had a bad batch of spring that became the default cause and nobody would admit it was just incompatible parts.

 

We bought the car already modded, so I'm not sure what the installed height is. The owner gave us a bunch of spec sheets that I can check over but there are shims under the locators though that I can see (not saying that they are installed at the correct height though). The car also has 1.6 rockers on it, again I'm not sure if the cam lifts are rated for 1.5s or 1.6s. Even so, the lift on my dad's cam is still under what I'm running and I thought 918s could handle that kind of lift?

The first thing that came to my mind was the defective batch of 918s a while ago. Since I don't know when these springs were made, we have no way of knowing if they are bad or not. We're going to be replacing all of them with Patriots, checking install height and running a leakdown on that cylinder.

Thanks everyone for the advice so far.

 

Peterson's facility in Mexico doesn't make valve springs. PAC Racing Springs are Peterson springs.

See above comment.

 

A couple of years ago, when Comp's Beehives were being reported breaking and virtually all the Forums were kicking it around, someone began a Batch # list and IT DID turn out that there were a LOT of different Batch #s involved in breakage. So the list put to rest the claim that breakages were limited to only one or two bad batches.

In order to get to the very bottom of this, wouldn't we have to start all the way back at square 1? All the way back to the steel mill that produced the chemical composition of the metal that ultimately turned into the springs. How else would we know if PACs and Comps (or any other springs) aren't being turned into wire by the same foundry.

Then we'd need to know what differences there are in the chemical composition of the wire, then, on and on. I mean how can we REALLY know without tracking the spring back to its beginning.

Does PAC actually pour their spring alloy? I know, from reading Comp's info, Comp doesn't pour theirs. Once the alloy is turned into wire is a certain amount shipped off to PAC finishers and another amount shipped off to Comp's finishers (for lack of a better name)? Same wire, different shipment destinations. Once it gets there what happens to it?

Or, are they produced by different mills, but using the same formula?

What about all the other companies that sell valve springs and assign a really cute and catchy name to them; where's their wire coming from? Re-packaged and re-named springs?

Has PAC released information about how their springs come into being? How they come up with the chemical composition, their testing, what equipment they use, etc. I LOVE to read so if anyone knows, point me in that direction.

We've all read about "Out Sourcing": One member says PACs are made here while another member says they're not. Unless we have more details we're just be guessing. Just too many unknowns right now.

So if someone says they're never going to buy CompCams valve springs again but, instead is going to buy ABC springs, how does he know he's not going to buy the same springs? 2nds; factory rejects - how do we REALLY know?

Oh, and what about Comp's re-vitalized BeeHives, the 26xxx family? Over 20 different versions by my count, all BeeHives. I haven't read about failures of those. Has Comp solved it's Beehive breakage problem?

Back when I was in valve spring buying mode there were just too many unknowns. So I opted to go with springs that have a proven track record. All doubles sitting in locators.

Jake

 

Manley, Comp, Crane, Lunati, etc don't produce/make/manufacture/finish/whatever ANY valvesprings.

 

problems with reading comprehension

 

How about test/testing? Leave yourself some wiggle room.

Jake

 

you know i love to hate threads like this,, just left the track Saturday and now i'm having valve springs problems ( yes they are 918's but also 5 years old and i think they served there propose) so now the question is since i have been reading this discussion what do i go with Patriot or PAC's thats the million dollar question lol.... cam is xfi 280

 

I'm running the XFI 280 and Patriot springs and I don't have any issues.

 

As we speak im getting a set right now and just got the "Tim's tool" as well... hope they are easy to change in the car.. At first it sounded like the winged tray was hitting the crank but then i took off the driver side valve cover and seen the rocker was not straight on the spring and keep looking and the spring was sagging right under the retainer.. something like the pic you posted...really cant tell what happened...

 

Honestly, not a knock on the Tim's tool, but I was less than impressed with it. The nut that you crank down ate away at the washers allowing metal shavings to enter into the rocker area. It also stripped the provided ARP stud after about 5 springs and I had to end up buying 2 more studs to finish my springs (which also became junk). Granted, maybe the Patriots are a really stiff spring or something, but I'm looking for one of the Crane type tools when we replace the springs in my dad's car.

 

i got the job done with the heads off the car, but I'm with you, I'm not impressed with it at all. I used vaseline and it seemed to help and I also went to a different washer that seemed to be harder from my harbor freight puller kit.

I'm running patriot golds now, just got my crane 10308 kit off. wish me luck, 600 lift here we go...

 

I have installed half a dozen spring SETS, some doubles, with one single Tim's tool. You MUST lube the stud, washers (i used 2) and nut with EACH spring compression. And choose a lubricant with better properties then vasoline geez. Motor oil worked great for me.

 

I have the dual spring Crane compressor and have used it on nearly 12 spring changes on several cars. If you guys can find one, ****** it up cause it works the best of all the small compressors.

 

Nope, I religiously lubed everything with motor oil. I think its just in the design, all of the compressing force of the spring is put on the nut and washers. I had no problem taking the stock springs off with it, but when I compressed the Patriots is when the tool started acting up.

 

vasoline is petroleum based and worked fine. don't forget i used a harder metal washer than what tim sent and I had no issues. Plus vasoline was easier to keep it clean and apply a little in between each spring change.

 

I have 918's and havnt had a problem

 

^^^^ ditto

can do both valves same time...makes spring swap WAY easier

 

PAC racing valve springs are most deffinately made in America. I'm watching them being made as we speak (employee). Our steel comes from Kobe Japan and is our own blend developed by our metalurgiasts.

 

I guess that is settled.