installing any spring there is a "procedure". You want a spring with a spec "installed height" that is correct for your heads. Stock springs installed height is 1.750". MANY aftermarket springs spec install height (compressed) at 1.800". Your spring pockets need to be machined down to allow this or the spring will be installed "shorter" than its spec. Typically not a problem unless you get into high lift cams that can bring a 1.800" spring installed at 1.750" closer, if not to, coil bind at max lift of the particular cam.

springs can be changed with heads still on the motor in car. A spring compressor tool is needed and you need to rotate the engine by hand to bring up the cyl you are working on to TDC so the valve will not drop into the cyl far. If you FU this process the valve will drop into the cyl....and you will need to pull the head. You can also use a air compressor and fitting to "hold the valve up" but in doing so understand that if you disconnect the air during this...the valve will drop all the way into the cyl.

Valve train work is not rocket science but something you need to do correctly and with the right parts or serious engine damage will follow

for Aluminum heads the Crane 10308-1 kit is a good replacement spring for stock and mild cams. For larger cams the Lunatti kit is VERY good

 

[QUOTE=Viper;19692142
What NSA 7/16 full roller do you recommend?[/QUOTE]

Comp "ultra" Pro Mags

 

Or whatever is floating around on craigslist that week. I scored both pro mags and crowers for $100 at separate occasions.

 

Wow!! There is a reason why I am on LS1tech! Everyone is sooo knowledgeable. I enjoy reading what the gurus have to say. I have not bought any rockers yet.

 

Ok so i have a 97 lt1. Okay so we go LS4 springs, 1.6 scorpion rockers and stock push rods? I kinda want to do this set up if my match is right. Car has a few mods but nothing major. Thanks everyone!

 

No idea what LS4 Springs are but an LS4 is what's in my '07 Impala SS. I personally like the Comp 26918 (or PAC equivalent), Comp 795 retainers and Comp 614 locks. That gives you a 1.750 install height and a 10* retainer and lock set. I've been running this setup for years and been happy with it on fairy aggressive lobes. Stock cam and 1.6 rockers will be a breeze for this setup and you won't have to worry about it.

Now, having said that you didn't mention whether or not your rockers are self aligning or not. If they aren't you'll need guideplates and with guideplates you're gonna need a hardened pushrod. I recommend Trick Flow for both, they've also worked well for me for over a decade. I'll also add that with the 614 locks you cannot run a self aligning rocker arm. The 614 lock adds .050 to the install height and brings the retainer up too high on the valve for a self aligning rocker to hold itself on the valve. Something to keep in mind.

 

I went GMPP 1.6 rockers with a GMPP LT4 hotcam. Not sure of HP gains, but it has a better lope at idle.

 

The 918's have about the highest fail rate of any spring used on the LT1. Lloyd stopped installing them years ago. Typically a failed spring, breaking, takes out the motor or minimally the valve and piston involved. The bee hive (918) is a single spring so when it breaks, unlike a dual spring, carnage is the result. Any valve spring is a wear item especially running a aftermarket cam with aggressive lobes so they should be checked every 5k mi and at 20k mi replaced....if they don't break first

The Lunati LT1 kit is very good and what Lloyd has been using (where I bought mine)

less than 20k miles set up at 1.800 installed height with a Comp 466 cam

 

The PAC beehive has had a better reputation for sure. Years ago the 918 spring went through some bad batches, I’m not sure how they are now, I’ve been fortunate with mine. My next spring upgrade (unless something happens) will be to 1.55 springs for the solid roller.

 

I like the added safety of a dual coil spring, but traditional spring compressors don't work with a **** on them unless the motor is out of the car.

 

These are what I have, and I love them. Great set of Rockers, second season with them on. Still look brand new when I pulled my Valve Cover off today.

 

The exploding wallet $ Crane valve spring tool is plug & play with motor in car. There is/was a "clone" of it on ebay IIRC "Tims Tool"

 

Yeah I borrowed my friend's then made my own based off of it.

 

Nice, I made one similar. Not as nice as yours but its functional. And works a crap ton better on dual valve springs then that cheap crap you get at the parts stores.

 

for Aluminum heads the Crane 10308-1 kit is a good replacement spring for stock and mild cams. For larger cams the Lunatti kit is VERY good[/QUOTE]
dont mean to bring thiscomment back from the dead but I recently purchased lunati kit with double valvesprings and lunati nsa 1.6 roller rockers and 7/16 studs hardened pushrods.. would you recommend this with a stock cam? I'm looking to install a torqhead unit and wanted to make my valvetrain more reliable, m6 3.90 gear full bolt ons

 

I was able to cut even less off with my Comp Pro Magnums. I could swear I'd already posted this.



The one on the left is trimmed, the rest of the trusses are untouched. I felt this was a good way to keep adequate tension on the VC gasket.

 

^^^
I've always used a pair of vice grips and straightened out the lip instead of cutting the support.

 

Well ****, that's an even better way to do it.

 

Just know that in doing so the tubes connected to the supports for the VC bolts may become distorted and not line up with bolt holes in the head, however not far off the mark. Takes a little bit of fandangling to get them bolted onto the head.

 

Hadn't thought about that. Cutting them didn't skew the tubes any FWIW. I used a Dremel cutoff wheel.