[Z06] Valve Springs Preventive Replacement?
#1
Drifting
Thread Starter
Valve Springs Preventive Replacement?
So every few weeks I read about a C5Z that breaks a valve spring. I know a few guys are replacing theirs as preventive maintenance. I am curious how common these fail, and is this something that really needs to be replaced in advance on a stock car? How commonly do these fail?
What are people's stance on this?
What are people's stance on this?
#2
Safety Car
So every few weeks I read about a C5Z that breaks a valve spring. I know a few guys are replacing theirs as preventive maintenance. I am curious how common these fail, and is this something that really needs to be replaced in advance on a stock car? How commonly do these fail?
What are people's stance on this?
What are people's stance on this?
#3
Drifting
Thread Starter
#6
Melting Slicks
Springs can be had for $200. Add new gaskets for the valve covers, use of a tool to compress the springs and an afternoon. Maybe $300 or so depending on the springs...Shops charge $100-120 or so an hour, figure 3-4 hours book would be my guess.
If I had gotten an earlier car I would have changed them, but '04's are safe from what I know...
If I had gotten an earlier car I would have changed them, but '04's are safe from what I know...
#7
Melting Slicks
This is a good replacement spring for the stock cam: http://www.texas-speed.com/p-439-pac...ve-spring.aspx
#8
Team Owner
This is a good replacement spring for the stock cam: http://www.texas-speed.com/p-439-pac...ve-spring.aspx
#9
#10
Race Director
Member Since: Apr 2004
Location: Bronson FL
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Cruise-In VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '07
I have swapped springs several times and it really is not that bad a job. I have a spring compressing tool, that acts as a rocker arm and I compress it, have a buddy use my magnet, grab the retainers and swap it out. I have it down to a science now and can do a how set, and have it all buttoned up in about 2.5 hours and running. As long as the hose I use doesn't give me troubles when I am ensuring air is being put into the cylinder to hold up the valves. I run COMP 918s on my stock setup, no issues. COMP had a short stretch of quality issues/concerns, but they since got that fixed. Honestly, for the price and the time it takes to do it, I would just do it and continue driving without having to worry to much about the concerns you are having.
- Micah
- Micah
#11
In my research of these cars, it happened often enough to make me decide if i bought one in the affected years, i would have it done, unless the current owner had a receipt showing it had already been done.
The car i ended up buying was a 01 though, and they did not have that problem, due (i think) to a cam with less lift.
The car i ended up buying was a 01 though, and they did not have that problem, due (i think) to a cam with less lift.
#13
I have swapped springs several times and it really is not that bad a job. I have a spring compressing tool, that acts as a rocker arm and I compress it, have a buddy use my magnet, grab the retainers and swap it out. I have it down to a science now and can do a how set, and have it all buttoned up in about 2.5 hours and running. As long as the hose I use doesn't give me troubles when I am ensuring air is being put into the cylinder to hold up the valves. I run COMP 918s on my stock setup, no issues. COMP had a short stretch of quality issues/concerns, but they since got that fixed. Honestly, for the price and the time it takes to do it, I would just do it and continue driving without having to worry to much about the concerns you are having.
- Micah
- Micah
If you get a wicked strong rare-earth magnet like the ones you take out of computer hard drives, you can stick it on the valve stem and it will catch the retainers every time.
If anybody has had it done at a shop, it would be interesting to hear what they charged.
#14
Le Mans Master
Getting ready to do mine and for more "peace of mind", am going to do this also:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-p...2-and-ls3.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-p...2-and-ls3.html
#15
Drifting
Thread Starter
I just asked this question of Rich ( richierichz06 on the forums ) who works at Able Chevrolet which is a shop that specializes in Corvettes. I drive 200 miles to get my car serviced by them. He is also a prior owner of a C5 Z06 and current owner of a C6 Z06. He said that in all of his years of working at Able and at another Chevrolet dealer, he has seen a single valve spring failure ever. He said he works on countless race cars, etc...and only one failed ever. He said he didn't want to tell me not to swap them out just in case they did fail, but his attitude is that the failure rate is maybe 1 on 2,500 cars.
#16
Le Mans Master
Member Since: May 2007
Location: Belleville Mich.
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They don't even make the LS6 motor any more.
If that motor blows over something as simple as a v/spring replacement,
your going to kick yourself.
Get your A-- down to a shop, if you can't do this simple job & have your springs replaced.
From one 03 Z owner to another.
If that motor blows over something as simple as a v/spring replacement,
your going to kick yourself.
Get your A-- down to a shop, if you can't do this simple job & have your springs replaced.
From one 03 Z owner to another.
#17
Instructor
guys i can tell you from my own expeience. if you are stil running the stock springs, dont take the chance. change them as soon as you can. 2 months ago i had a spring failure & it reaked havoc on my engine. it put the intake valve from #5 down through my piston & destroyed the head. i spent close to $2800 rebuilding my engine but that was with a few upgrades as well. like & cam & LS7 clutch package.
dont take the chance guys, replace them & be done with it.
dont take the chance guys, replace them & be done with it.
#18
Le Mans Master
I just asked this question of Rich ( richierichz06 on the forums ) who works at Able Chevrolet which is a shop that specializes in Corvettes. I drive 200 miles to get my car serviced by them. He is also a prior owner of a C5 Z06 and current owner of a C6 Z06. He said that in all of his years of working at Able and at another Chevrolet dealer, he has seen a single valve spring failure ever. He said he works on countless race cars, etc...and only one failed ever. He said he didn't want to tell me not to swap them out just in case they did fail, but his attitude is that the failure rate is maybe 1 on 2,500 cars.
http://ls1tech.com/forums/generation...-question.html
#19
It happens quite often it seems as seen on various chat boards. Not sure why shops claim they never see any cases of broken springs. Here's another one that just showed up. Read the first 3 sentences. Also, there have been dozens of reported OEM spring failures on the board alone. Don't play Russian Roulette ... could be costly in the long run.
http://ls1tech.com/forums/generation...-question.html
http://ls1tech.com/forums/generation...-question.html
Thing is, with the internet, people typically are only going to go and make a thread if they have an issue, so of course when you search it, the problem seems like an epidemic. Combine this with people who know little about cars and you start getting "automotive hypochondriacs" who think their car suffers from absolutely all "known issues" for a given car.
Nobody makes threads saying "valve springs all good here, no issues" to offset the people who experience an issue.
That said, I'm still doing it to my 02.
Last edited by 98DC231; 10-08-2011 at 09:19 AM.
#20
Le Mans Master
While its probably a good idea to get them done as a preventative measure, its easy to see why the problem is so "rampant".
Thing is, with the internet, people typically are only going to go and make a thread if they have an issue, so of course when you search it, the problem seems like an epidemic. Combine this with people who know little about cars and you start getting "automotive hypochondriacs" who think their car suffers from absolutely all "known issues" for a given car.
Nobody makes threads saying "valve springs all good here, no issues" to offset the people who experience an issue.
That said, I'm still doing it to my 02.
Thing is, with the internet, people typically are only going to go and make a thread if they have an issue, so of course when you search it, the problem seems like an epidemic. Combine this with people who know little about cars and you start getting "automotive hypochondriacs" who think their car suffers from absolutely all "known issues" for a given car.
Nobody makes threads saying "valve springs all good here, no issues" to offset the people who experience an issue.
That said, I'm still doing it to my 02.
I wasn't going to wait around and take chances to see if I was lucky or not with an issue like this. If it was a failure that wouldn't result in a destroyed motor than I'd probably take my chances. But in this case, the resulting consequences outweigh the risk of doing nothing by a mile.
Last edited by ZeeOSix; 10-08-2011 at 01:29 PM.