96SS_813

Hello there -

I finally got around to check all my electrical system and change OPTI's 3 times and I still have the ~5200 RPM miss that feels like hitting the rev limiter. Lots of folks on my previous post suggested weakening springs and now after all the checking I did. I believe this is the issue.
Car Summary:
LT1 (5.7) 1996 Camaro 50K miles w/ Stock Bottom Head
280XFI Cam
Ported Intake Manifold
Ported Heads - STOCK VALVES
Rocker Rollers
BEE HIVE SPRINGS
CAI
LT Headers
30# Injectors
Tune by Solomon

So her is the question. What Valve Springs for my set up will be the best. Since the BeeHive ones seem to be not a good choice. Thanks for the help in advance.

JD

SS RRR

iTrader: (2)

This is what I'm running on mine for the last two years:

https://www.jegs.com/i/COMP-Cams/249/26056-16/10002/-1

BALLSS

Been there and done that with my XFI. Lloyd sold me the Lunati kit. GREAT spring.

96SS_813

Thanks! do you have the 280XFI? are your heads LE?

BALLSS

No I have the smaller 466 XFI. Ported heads but not Lloyds

Had Comp 918's which is what the XFI cam card said to use....spring broke in less than 20k mi

Lloyd said he would never use Comp bee hives anymore for the same reason FWIW

SS RRR

iTrader: (2)

Wasn't this years ago, and it was stated breakage was due to a bad batch? Nevertheless here I go crossing fingers, rabbit's foot and a couple hail mary's to ensure my **** doesn't break!

BALLSS

My spring broke a year or so ago. Yeah there was a reported "bad batch" of the Comp 918's....and mine were that batch # (pic). Lloyd told me though that he had seen so many break he would not use them anymore so IDK if the failure was just a batch only thing. I have read more "my Comp bee hive" broke more than any other spring

Fortunately my spring break did not cause the typical damage a broken spring does (significant engine damage). When I pulled spring and then retainer...the spring became 2 pieces. IDK if it was broken the day before or years before. I had pulled a spring or two, typically # 1 cyl, every 5k mi to inspect and test pressure. I was noticing a slight "noise over" at high RPM which to me felt like valve springs going soft so I ordered the kit from Lloyd after emailing him to recommend a spring

96SS_813

[QUOTE=******;19994839]My spring broke a year or so ago. Yeah there was a reported "bad batch" of the Comp 918's....and mine were that batch # (pic). Lloyd told me though that he had seen so many break he would not use them anymore so IDK if the failure was just a batch only thing. I have read more "my Comp bee hive" broke more than any other spring

Fortunately my spring break did not cause the typical damage a broken spring does (significant engine damage). When I pulled spring and then retainer...the spring became 2 pieces. IDK if it was broken the day before or years before. I had pulled a spring or two, typically # 1 cyl, every 5k mi to inspect and test pressure. I was noticing a slight "noise over" at high RPM which to me felt like valve springs going soft so I ordered the kit from Lloyd after emailing him to recommend a spring



Thanks! So My heads already have 8-10K on them when I got them and the spring are not broken but the miss under load feels like valve flutter also the valve train noise seems noisier on bank 2. I just want to get my car back healthy

Bosshog

iTrader: (3)

im having the same issue with my 383. power just falls flat after 5k... same cam and im running comp 918 springs suggested with the cam..

BALLSS

Valve springs are a "wear" item, especially with larger aftermarket cam profiles. The XFI lobes are aggressive so whatever spring you do use, check them every 5k mi.

FWIW Lloyd said the Lunati springs would be good for at least 50k mi with my XFI...YMMV

If your car is "nosing over" aka "falling on its face" at 5+k RPM (assuming FP is holding) it is very likely weak springs that were once good but now just worn out

When I put the Lunati springs in the car now pulls strong up to my shift point which is 6200. My cam stops making power a few hundred RPM before that. Cames that make power beyond that you really need a good spring

IMHO I prefer a double spring over a single so there is at least a chance the inner spring holds the valve up if the outer breaks. Single bee hive...95% of the time a broken spring kills the motor. WAY cheaper to deal with it before that happens if you are experiencing some spring fade already

spudnick3119

I have the XFI 280 and currently have Patriot Performance (who I just found out hasn't even been in business since 2012 haha) dual springs. I have a set of those Lunati dual springs I'll be putting in this winter. I keep seeing those getting recommended. My car still pulls good, but my current springs probably have 30K+ miles and 8 years of use on them.

When my dad had his LT1, he broke a Comp Beehive like in the picture below. It was a mild cam too with low mileage. I've heard quite a few stories of them breaking that I personally wouldn't run them.

BALLSS

Yeah the 918's seem to have a lot of "fail" threads.

I think what happens a lot is people don't set them up at the 1.800" "installed height" they are spec for. You need to have the spring pockets of your heads milled down to get any 1.800" installed height spring which many aftermarket springs are. Another way of compensating for the increased height is use a longer valve. Generally installing the bee hive at the 1.7xx" height of stock head/valve length isn't a problem unless you are running a high lift, aggressive ramp cam like the....280XFI for example. Because the spring is installed shorter the coil bind is sooner than it would be installed at its spec height of 1.800". Add 6k+ RPM, weaker spring (because it has been bitch slapped at a shorter installed height), a little PR flex and something goes BOOM because the spring breaks.

In other words "operator error" I think is the reason some of the 918's, and other springs, failed

So yeah valve springs in performance motors need attention.

FWIW the Lunati spring kit is plug & play in terms of installed height is same as stock springs. Always measure valve spring height, IMHO, when installing springs and use shims where needed.

Lloyd told me to set mine up at 1.780". Said that would give me 155-160 LBS on seat and 380 lbs open pressure

My heads previously were machined to use 1.800" springs (Comp 987's) before I changed to the 918's. Now with the Lunati I used shims under the spring locators to get them at 1.780". Stock heads they should be right there as is but again always check height with a tool.

96SS_813

Great Information... I have gotten really good at taking the whole front of the car after changing 3 opti's and refuse to believe the springs could be an issue. SO I'm glad to hear all the great information in here. I emailed Lloyd Elliott and this is the recommendation I got. Same as the previously suggested by ******:

I would suggest the lunati 73925K5 dbl spring kit.
This will work with that cam with out even breathing hard.
We sell the Lunati 73925K5 spring kits for $230 shipped in the US.

I will be ordering a set tomorrow. the weather is breaking here in FL and I want to get my LT out there in the mix...

Thanks to all!!!

350 groundpounder

iTrader: (5)

+1 for the lunati double springs. I have them in my 383 and rev to 6400rpm without a hiccup. And my total lift is .590.
In my cam only 350 i have the PAC 1218's which are very highly rated beehives. PAC used to make the 918 spring for comp back in the day. These days i wouldn't put a comp 918 spring in my car if they were free.
Im also willing to bet a few of those spring failures are do to improper set up valve train geometry.

96SS_813

Just an update:

I finally got the parts and we started swapping the Valve Springs and when we started removing the BeeHive spring they came off very VERY easy. They were all very soft (A sign that they were going weak.) I'm installing the Lunati Kit suggested by Lloyd Elliot: set springs up @ 1.770-1.780" and they feel to have solid closing pressure. I'm doing other things to the car so I wont be able to test drive until Tuesday but based on that looks like that is the issue. I will let you know once the car is finish.

The donor car I took this head cam set up had dyno chart of 405 RWHP at 400 FT-#.; I have bigger injectors and a few other things. I hope to see something similar. The car was pretty strong even with the misfire