Valve springs for a CC503?
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,974
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From: Spring Hill, FL
Valve springs for a CC503? Are the PAC 1218 springs still the way to go? Looks like I broke one, #6 intake. Not sure if I originally had the Comp beehives or the PAC beehives as they were already on the heads when I got them.
Anyone know the most affordable place to get them? Summit doesn't seem to list them, Jegs has them for $190. Any sponsors have them cheaper???
Off to find a spring compressor to do the job with the heads still on the car, here is hoping that isn't a few hundred dollars.
Edit: Searched for the tool, the Moroso is $93, but the Summit and Proform parts tools are under $50? Anyone want to vouch for the summit or proform parts valve spring compressors? One thing I noticed is the cheapest tool (Summit) and the expensive (Moroso) both have 12" handles, while the Proform in the middle price wise has a 9" handle. And by middle price I mean it is only $3 more than the Summit.
Looking for input ASAP, it is almost time to put the car up for winter, I wouldn't mind a few more drives, and I'm taking up someone's garage space.
Anyone know the most affordable place to get them? Summit doesn't seem to list them, Jegs has them for $190. Any sponsors have them cheaper???
Off to find a spring compressor to do the job with the heads still on the car, here is hoping that isn't a few hundred dollars.
Edit: Searched for the tool, the Moroso is $93, but the Summit and Proform parts tools are under $50? Anyone want to vouch for the summit or proform parts valve spring compressors? One thing I noticed is the cheapest tool (Summit) and the expensive (Moroso) both have 12" handles, while the Proform in the middle price wise has a 9" handle. And by middle price I mean it is only $3 more than the Summit.
Looking for input ASAP, it is almost time to put the car up for winter, I wouldn't mind a few more drives, and I'm taking up someone's garage space.
Last edited by camar0corey; Nov 11, 2013 at 10:22 AM.
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,974
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From: Spring Hill, FL
Well I waited a few hours for replies, had to pull the trigger. I went with the Proform tool and I snagged the PAC 1218's off ebay for $140 shipped. About a $200 repair right before putting the car up for the winter, awesome......
Any kind of break in period on valve springs????
Any kind of break in period on valve springs????
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Joined: Aug 2008
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From: Nebraska
Well I waited a few hours for replies, had to pull the trigger. I went with the Proform tool and I snagged the PAC 1218's off ebay for $140 shipped. About a $200 repair right before putting the car up for the winter, awesome......
Any kind of break in period on valve springs????
Any kind of break in period on valve springs????
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,974
Likes: 2
From: Spring Hill, FL
Well I had already ordered the proform tool by the time I read about the tims tool on here. It has the shorter 9" handle on it, can anyone confirm they have changed springs with the conventional tool with the motor in the car?
Edit: Going to try to return the proform tool to summit. Ordered the tims tool, especially after seeing you could order a kit with the needed hose. Looked at a few pictures out there with the conventional tool, realized there is probably no way it is going to work.
Edit: Going to try to return the proform tool to summit. Ordered the tims tool, especially after seeing you could order a kit with the needed hose. Looked at a few pictures out there with the conventional tool, realized there is probably no way it is going to work.
Last edited by camar0corey; Nov 13, 2013 at 12:12 PM.
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,974
Likes: 2
From: Spring Hill, FL
Valve spring and tims tool kit showed up today. Going to tackle it tomorrow, question is, how do I know which cylinder is at TDC? Right now I am at #6 TDC, I know this as I was in the process of checking the valve train and figured I had a loose rocker. I have a keyed hub and I have the mark at 12 o clock. I was going to do the half and half method like I always have.
So I am at #6 TDC. Do I rotate like 1/4 turn to get whatever the next cylinder is at TDC??? Does it go in firing order or something?
So I am at #6 TDC. Do I rotate like 1/4 turn to get whatever the next cylinder is at TDC??? Does it go in firing order or something?
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Verdad Gallardo Thread Starter
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,974
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From: Spring Hill, FL
Thanks for confirmation of this, I'll dive into this in a few hours. It was a bummer finding a broken spring, but then again I have no idea how many miles are on these already.
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,974
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From: Spring Hill, FL
I don't know if I haven't hit the retainer hard enough to loosen up the locks or what, but with the spring fully compressed I'm not having any luck getting the locks out.
Any advice?
Also I had heard that if you did put air to it, and if the crank moves, then that cylinder was not at TDC? I'm staring on cylinder #6 because that is where the broken spring is, I did put air to it out of curiosity and the crank pulley shows that it moved about 200 degrees or so. Crank pulley went from the 12 o clock position to about 7 o clock.
Any advice?
Also I had heard that if you did put air to it, and if the crank moves, then that cylinder was not at TDC? I'm staring on cylinder #6 because that is where the broken spring is, I did put air to it out of curiosity and the crank pulley shows that it moved about 200 degrees or so. Crank pulley went from the 12 o clock position to about 7 o clock.
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if you use air it will push the piston down rotateing the engine.
as noted, you don't need to use air if doing it so piston is up on that cyl. The valve will only drop about 1/4"
stuff rags in all the various holes in the head cause if you drop one of those locks....
get a pencil type magnet, makes collecting locks once retainer drops easy. use a socket that fits over the end of the valve stem/locks and hit it to break the locks lose from the retainer. Then use spring compressor to collapse spring. The locks can fall out so be very carefull in collecting them.
also a good idea to replace valve stem seals if they are the originals while doing a spring swap
as noted, you don't need to use air if doing it so piston is up on that cyl. The valve will only drop about 1/4"
stuff rags in all the various holes in the head cause if you drop one of those locks....
get a pencil type magnet, makes collecting locks once retainer drops easy. use a socket that fits over the end of the valve stem/locks and hit it to break the locks lose from the retainer. Then use spring compressor to collapse spring. The locks can fall out so be very carefull in collecting them.
also a good idea to replace valve stem seals if they are the originals while doing a spring swap
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,974
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From: Spring Hill, FL
I don't know if it was because the first spring I was replacing was the broken one, but what a pain in the ***! Well #6 cylinder is done at least, 14 more springs to go.
Not sure if I'm just unlucky when it comes to these thing, some people were like oh yeah I replaced all 16 springs in 1.5-2 hours! I bet I will have 4x that time if not more into this once I have the car back to a running state.
Also I decided to go TDC method, I about **** a brick when the valve dropped that 1/4-1/2 inch, looking at only about an inch of valve stem sticking through the seal freaked me out for a second.
Not sure if I'm just unlucky when it comes to these thing, some people were like oh yeah I replaced all 16 springs in 1.5-2 hours! I bet I will have 4x that time if not more into this once I have the car back to a running state.
Also I decided to go TDC method, I about **** a brick when the valve dropped that 1/4-1/2 inch, looking at only about an inch of valve stem sticking through the seal freaked me out for a second.
TECH Veteran
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if this is your first spring swap...there is a learning curve so just take your time. Really make sure you have all the holes in the heads pluged with something (rags/towels) because if you drop something in that...
yeah there can be a pucker factor when bringing a cyl to TDC and seeing a valve drop some....obviously if you get that wrong and valve drops out.....you will need to pull the head.
yeah there can be a pucker factor when bringing a cyl to TDC and seeing a valve drop some....obviously if you get that wrong and valve drops out.....you will need to pull the head.
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,974
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From: Spring Hill, FL
Any tips on being able to tap the retainers hard enough on cylinders 7 and 8? I got cylinder 5 done today, but damn I'm at the rate of a cylinder every two hours it feels like..... Sucks but I only have about that much time each day during the work week, I work 4-1230, so by the time I wake up and get some breakfast and coffee in me I don't have much time before heading into work.
These back cylinders are kicking my *** though, any help in this issue is appreciated, really not sure how I am going to hit them hard enough? For #6 and #5 to have enough room I used a really long extension on the socket to clear the cowl, but can't do that for the back two.
These back cylinders are kicking my *** though, any help in this issue is appreciated, really not sure how I am going to hit them hard enough? For #6 and #5 to have enough room I used a really long extension on the socket to clear the cowl, but can't do that for the back two.
Using some penetrant on the locks and keepers will help in loosening them up. Be careful hitting the keepers with a hammer, you don't want to dislodge the locks and send the spring flying.
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Joined: Jun 2007
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From: centerville, ohio
call me crazy but I loved doing the springs. It was a pain in the *** and my back hurt afterwards, but really its a fun tedious thing to do.
I forget how I got the back locks to free up I think I just whacked the retainer with the hammer all over. But I was replacing the retainers so I didnt care to much if I damaged anything, just didnt want to touch the valve stem. I was at the point of not careing if the spring shot out at that point lol.
I forget how I got the back locks to free up I think I just whacked the retainer with the hammer all over. But I was replacing the retainers so I didnt care to much if I damaged anything, just didnt want to touch the valve stem. I was at the point of not careing if the spring shot out at that point lol.