ls3 valve springs - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

tbss1 · 11-05-2017, 12:56 AM

I'm going to change my valve springs, and I want to pressurize the cylinder with compressed air. to hold the valves up. How much air can I pressurize the cylinder with, without hurting the rings? after this I can do the Whipple install.

racesloth · 11-05-2017, 07:14 AM

Last time I did this - I just used 120lbs of air....

xc_SS/RS · 11-05-2017, 07:22 AM

I think I used 90 psi last time I did valve springs. What tool do you have?

ZO6 Bryan · 11-05-2017, 08:15 AM

Nothing your air compressor could put out would ever hurt those rings.

christianchevell · 11-05-2017, 08:29 AM

Yes whatever you can put out, yet.....4:10 gears are pretty steep hopefully your nice to the things as I have heard over the years the higher you go the more prone to breakage and the only cases I heard of were 4:10- 4:11 as the teeth get so small and if your draggin that's a shock even with all the suspension mods I baby my axles until someday I can get some 1000 hp drag axles and or a zl1 rear... Good Luck I know its hard getting help in Hawaii...And a whipple...More likely to make too much boost for stock hypereutectic ....2300-2900? Your going to have to keep it turned down, and I don't see on your list of mods a cam..... so worrying about the springs? I would too with boost and want duals....

Russell James · 11-05-2017, 08:29 AM

You'll find the sweet spot. Too little and the valve will open when compressing the spring. Too much and the motor will spin.

Once pressurized, tapping the retainer with a socket and heavy rubber hammer helps to free up the locks. They can tend to bond themselves to the retainer/valve. If the valve just keeps going down when using the spring removal tool. Tap on the retainer again with the socket and hammer. Some can be stubborn if on there a while. I have a BBC drag motor that after a season of racing, takes a small sledge/socket whack with about 140lbs in the cyl to break them free. If you tap the retainer top with a socket and hammer, and air pressure pops out...the locks are stuck. As soon as they free up, the hit will just bounce the spring without the air pop. Then crank down the spring remover.

tbss1 · 11-05-2017, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by christianchevell

I don't see on your list of mods a cam..... so worrying about the springs? I would too with boost and want duals....

Yah, I didn’t mention, I did get a blower cam. I bought everything from Jannetty racing. I just finished the cam install doing valve spring, seats and seals. Did cam, timing chain, gear, milling oil pump, pined crank, crank seal, and I have to do the trunnion upgrade. When I’m done I’ll start the supercharger
My son has been helping me cause I have back problems, he into turbo Subaru’s, since he’s been helping me he seems interested on doing most of the work, he says it’s easier then working on his car. I told him “you weren’t here when I had to center the oil pump, then the timing cover” it wasn’t that bad, just takes time. I told him it’s just a lot of little details when putting thing back together.

NikolaiD · 11-06-2017, 11:14 AM

I've done a few by just rotating the engine, so each piston is at TDC when you're working on it, that way there's 0 chance of the valves falling in.
No air needed, much easier and faster. Just stick a long straw in the spark plug hole until you feel the piston at the highest positions.

2010_camaro · 11-10-2017, 03:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NikolaiD

I've done a few by just rotating the engine, so each piston is at TDC when you're working on it, that way there's 0 chance of the valves falling in.
No air needed, much easier and faster. Just stick a long straw in the spark plug hole until you feel the piston at the highest positions.

How I did mine

2SSLincolnSS2 · 11-14-2017, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NikolaiD

I've done a few by just rotating the engine, so each piston is at TDC when you're working on it, that way there's 0 chance of the valves falling in.
No air needed, much easier and faster. Just stick a long straw in the spark plug hole until you feel the piston at the highest positions.

I did mine this way too. No problem, valves not going anywhere with the piston at tdc. Did the first couple with compressed air and then decided I didn't want to waste any more time getting the cylinder pressurized; what a pain that was.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

hammdo · 11-14-2017, 11:08 PM

Agreed, safest was to insure no dropped valves...

-Don

Clarkstar · 11-15-2017, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NikolaiD

I've done a few by just rotating the engine, so each piston is at TDC when you're working on it, that way there's 0 chance of the valves falling in.
No air needed, much easier and faster. Just stick a long straw in the spark plug hole until you feel the piston at the highest positions.

This is the meathod I use too...works great!

11-05-2017, 12:56 AM	#1
tbss1 More then meets the eye! Drives: 2010 Camaro 2SS/RS 426 hp Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Maui Posts: 584 View My Garage	ls3 valve springs I'm going to change my valve springs, and I want to pressurize the cylinder with compressed air. to hold the valves up. How much air can I pressurize the cylinder with, without hurting the rings? after this I can do the Whipple install. __________________ 2010 2SS/RS, M6, OBX 7/8" l/t headers, with high flow cats, MBRP full 3" exhaust, Whipple supercharger, 3.875 pulley, ID-1050X 1260CC injectors, JRE rough idle street blower cam kit, ZL1 fp, ZL1 fpcm, ZR1 3 bar map sensor, cold air intake, Richman 4.10 gears, BMR toe rods, trailing arms, f/r sway bars, f/r sway bar end links, BMR end link brackets, full BMR poly bushing including solid rear cradle bushings, BMR frame connectors and tunnel brace, f/r Hurst swaybar bushing brackets, Fluidamper, MGR shifter, and tune by Jannetty Racing.

11-05-2017, 07:14 AM	#2
racesloth Dan Drives: 2010 Camaro 2SS IOM Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Georgia, USA not the other one Posts: 1,041	Last time I did this - I just used 120lbs of air.... __________________ Dan 2010 IOM SS YSI-B, Pat G Cam, Ported CTS-V Heads, ARH LTs MBRP 3" exhaust http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showth...&highlight=ysi

11-05-2017, 07:22 AM	#3
xc_SS/RS Drives: 2010 Camaro SS/RS Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: somewhere in MD Posts: 4,883	I think I used 90 psi last time I did valve springs. What tool do you have? __________________ 2010 2SS/RS Z/28 intake, NW, FAST 102, speed engineering LT's, some exhaust, ATI -10% pulley, GM flex fuel injectors, DSX flex fuel sensor, MGW shifter, HP Tuners, some suspension work, stickers and a little weight loss. 12.63 @113.53

11-05-2017, 08:15 AM	#4
ZO6 Bryan Drives: 02 Z06, 95 Trans Am, 2012 ZL1 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Southeast Posts: 1,838 View My Garage	Nothing your air compressor could put out would ever hurt those rings. __________________ Bryan 2018 ZL1 M6

11-05-2017, 08:29 AM	#5
christianchevell old school chevy rodder Drives: 2013 2SS/RS Manual,DM exhaust,CRT Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Oregon Posts: 5,587 View My Garage	Yes whatever you can put out, yet.....4:10 gears are pretty steep hopefully your nice to the things as I have heard over the years the higher you go the more prone to breakage and the only cases I heard of were 4:10- 4:11 as the teeth get so small and if your draggin that's a shock even with all the suspension mods I baby my axles until someday I can get some 1000 hp drag axles and or a zl1 rear... Good Luck I know its hard getting help in Hawaii...And a whipple...More likely to make too much boost for stock hypereutectic ....2300-2900? Your going to have to keep it turned down, and I don't see on your list of mods a cam..... so worrying about the springs? I would too with boost and want duals.... __________________ 2021 Wild Cherry ZL1 A10, Sunroof, Data, Carbon, Nav, RotoFab Dry CAI, Elite x2, Borla ATK, Driveshaft shop

11-05-2017, 08:29 AM	#6
Russell James Drives: '15 SS 1LE, '69 Z28 drag car Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Mich Posts: 4,482	You'll find the sweet spot. Too little and the valve will open when compressing the spring. Too much and the motor will spin. Once pressurized, tapping the retainer with a socket and heavy rubber hammer helps to free up the locks. They can tend to bond themselves to the retainer/valve. If the valve just keeps going down when using the spring removal tool. Tap on the retainer again with the socket and hammer. Some can be stubborn if on there a while. I have a BBC drag motor that after a season of racing, takes a small sledge/socket whack with about 140lbs in the cyl to break them free. If you tap the retainer top with a socket and hammer, and air pressure pops out...the locks are stuck. As soon as they free up, the hit will just bounce the spring without the air pop. Then crank down the spring remover.

11-06-2017, 11:14 AM	#8
NikolaiD Drives: 2002 M3, LS3, TR6060 Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 31	I've done a few by just rotating the engine, so each piston is at TDC when you're working on it, that way there's 0 chance of the valves falling in. No air needed, much easier and faster. Just stick a long straw in the spark plug hole until you feel the piston at the highest positions.

11-14-2017, 11:08 PM	#11
hammdo 'It's an experiment' Drives: [COTW 2/09/15] '11 GPI LSA SC Z/LE Join Date: May 2014 Location: Dallas TX Posts: 8,694 View My Garage	Agreed, safest was to insure no dropped valves... -Don __________________ 747 RWHP 794 RWTQ "Horsepower sells cars, torque wins races." - Enzo Ferrari See My Build: http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=385577