Table of Contents
What are valve spring cups for?
LPC Performance Valve Spring Cups protect your expensive aluminum heads from being galled by your high-pressure valve springs.
How do I choose a valve spring retainer?
Selecting a Spring
- Use only the valve springs that will give the correct spring pressure with the valve both on the seat and at maximum lift.
- The outside diameter of the recommended valve spring may require that the spring pocket of the head be machined to a bigger size.
What does a heavier valve spring do?
Simple physics tells us that heavier objects require more force to accelerate, just like a heavier car requires more horsepower to accelerate. Adding larger valves means the valvespring must control additional weight, more than likely at higher engine speeds.
How much is too much coil bind clearance?
About 0.060 inch used to be the textbook safety margin, with more OK and even desirable. That’s still an acceptable standard for everyday performance use, but for cutting-edge setups the “correct” safety margin can vary up or down.
What do titanium retainers do?
In conclusion, titanium retainers are an effective performance modification that allows better valvetrain control for race engines and modified street engines where the RPM is higher than stock and where the camshaft profile produces higher rates of acceleration to the valves.
How much spring pressure do I need?
Recommended Spring Pressure
| Engine Type | Seat Pressure | Open Pressure |
|---|---|---|
| Stock Small Block | 120 – 145 lbs. | 260 lbs. minimum |
| Moderate Performance Small Block | 300 – 360 lbs. | |
| High Performance Small Block | Up to 425 lbs. | |
| Stock Big Block | 130 – 165 lbs. | 280 lbs. minimum |
Whats better steel or titanium retainers?
Wear increases the valvespring’s installed height, resulting in a loss of dampening over the nose of the cam. On the high end, a titanium retainer may actually wear out faster than the valvespring. That’s why today’s wear-resistant tool steel is the preferred retainer for most applications.
What are valve keepers?
Valve keepers, also known as valve keys or valve retainers, are small steel/high carbon components that snap into a notch in the end of a valve stem. These keepers fasten the valve stem, valve spring and retaining washer together to work properly in an engine.
What happens when valve spring tension is too high?
If the spring pressures are too high, the added friction will result in: More heat, Faster valvetrain wear, Potential failure of other valvetrain parts (i.e. rocker arms, pushrods, etc.), and.
Are titanium valve springs good?
The properties of a titanium valve spring yield a spring that won’t loose its seat pressure a quickly as steel valve springs. A titanium valve springs cost more than a steel valve spring but in the long run titanium valve springs are also a better value, they will last 5 to 7 times longer.
Can I reuse valve spring keepers?
Springs should not be reused if there is visible wear or nicks. Another condition to look for is corrosion. Corrosion creates stress risers that can cause the spring to break. Rotocoils and valve locks (keepers) are very rarely considered to be a reusable component.