Valve spring advice - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

Camcar · 09-11-2018, 08:41 PM

I was driving down the highway yesterday home from work, cruise control on, 63 mph in 6th gear, and my engine started missing. Felt like it was starting to run out of gas, kind of. Traction control light came on. Gauges all read normal, I didn't hear any noises, so I kept driving about another mile and it got worse. As I came up to an intersection and to a stop all of the lights came on and I could hear a click from the engine, so I shut it off. Got out and popped the hood and everything looked normal. Checked oil and it was fine. Had it flatbedded to the dealership because when I bought the car 20k miles ago I also bought an extended warranty for up to 100k miles, and I figured that would be the best place to take it. Got a call from the dealership and they told me I have a broken valve spring on number 4 cylinder (LS3, 72k miles). They asked if I had replaced the springs with aftermarket ones, because the ones in there didn't look like original springs, and they wanted to make sure they all match. I told them no. So they're saying that the warranty company probably won't pay to replace all of the springs so they match- just the broken one. Any advice? Does it sound like they're trying to rip me off? Thanks for your thoughts on this.

theflea42 · 09-11-2018, 09:59 PM

I built a brand new 5.3 liter engine for my s10. I put in a comp cams camshaft along with a matching set of valve springs. One of these new valve springs broke around 15k miles, and the engine swallowed the valve. The comp cams tech people said it was a myth to have to replace all the springs. They just said to replace the broken one and it would be ok.

So, I built another engine. I bought a new valve spring to replace the broken one, and it's running just fine, about 24k miles and so far so good.

I'm guessing the ls3's have dual valve springs?

JOURDAN · 09-11-2018, 10:14 PM

If they understand how to set seat pressure then it wont matter, just fix the broken one with OEM or other spring.

Stock cam? if OEM, they will know the spec.

Camcar · 09-12-2018, 07:31 AM

Thank you for the replies. Great information. I will bring up the seat pressure point with them today. I got the feeling they were thinking they would be happy to have me pay for all new springs other than the one that broke out of pocket. They were saying the warranty company would probably only pay for the one. Stock cam, as far as I know... I bought the car with 52k on it, and it's run perfectly until this happened. Wondering why anyone would have replaced all of the springs...? I don't think the LS3 has dual springs, from what I've read, but I could be wrong. Thanks again, you probably saved me a lot of $$!

suprchrgd · 09-12-2018, 10:03 AM

my car started doing this last night on my way home from work and you described my issue exactly. Looks like I'll go home and pull the valve covers off and see if I have any broken springs. i have about 24k miles on my btr cam and springs...

i'm also getting a vibrations coming thorough the tranny, that i can fell hear through my shifter...

Russell James · 09-12-2018, 12:38 PM

All LS3s came OE with single Beehive springs.

Early years were yellow, later blue. A '10 would have been yellow beehives.

Ask them what would cause them to think they were not OE springs?

To determine if it needs one or 16, one would need to use a - on "on head spring pressure tester" and measure seat spring pressure. They all need to be very close. A weak spring about to break will be very obvious. If they don't know how to measure spring pressure on the head, the tech is clueless.

In drag racing, all the top classes - pro stock, top alcohol, nitro... all regularly check spring pressure between runs. When one all the sudden goes weak, out it comes.

Here is a tool to check spring seat pressure. A bad spring will be very obvious. It will have very weak pressure and soon there after break.

https://www.jegs.com/i/LSM-Racing-Pr...00SLC/10002/-1

KW Baraka · 09-12-2018, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Camcar

…….I also bought an extended warranty for up to 100k miles, and I figured that would be the best place to take it. Got a call from the dealership and they told me I have a broken valve spring on number 4 cylinder (LS3, 72k miles)…....

Change all the valve springs. Even with the stock cam, even the beehives will eventually wear......hell, one has already and there's no telling how many others might be ready to give up the ghost.

If after haggling with the warrantee company you still have to pay for the other 15 springs.....then so be it.

Bottom line......the other 15 need to be tossed.

IMHO, of course.

KW

Camcar · 09-12-2018, 07:39 PM

Thank you for the support. I will for sure ask them why they think they're not original springs. And great to know that they should be the yellow beehives. I'm concerned too that since one broke others might do the same. I'm just glad I asked here, so when I talk to him again I can sound like I know what I'm talking about. Thanks again.

Russell James · 09-13-2018, 07:56 AM

The blue beehives are really good springs. If it were me, I'd see if they will go for installing all 16 as blue. May have to pay for 15, but worth it to get a fresh set of good springs.

metrogdor22 · 09-13-2018, 08:21 AM

I'd replace all of the springs for peace of mind, even if I had to pay for them out of pocket. That's chump change compared to the time and money involved if another one breaks and drops a valve into your motor.

marklsx · 09-13-2018, 09:23 PM

I would replace all the spings, and while in there replace all the valve seals too.

GONIF · 09-14-2018, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russell James

The blue beehives are really good springs. If it were me, I'd see if they will go for installing all 16 as blue. May have to pay for 15, but worth it to get a fresh set of good springs.

I agree ,cheap insurance against a future failure.

And anytime you replace valve springs you always change the valve seals , too cheap and easy not to .

Camcar · 09-14-2018, 04:57 PM

Thank you all for the great feedback. This site is a great resource!

christianchevell · 09-16-2018, 10:02 AM

You may have gone and bought someones demodded car......a car they took the cam out of also and left the aftermarket springs in which with a higher lift than stock cam last about 20-25k before needing checked and replaced....especially more if racing or higher than stock RPM limit..... any other tell tale signs its maybe been modified and demodded? you know you never get the money out of mods on resale....so the thing to do is pull them and in some areas you cant pass smog with cam headers etc.....

SO IMO your most likely demodded some and the warranty CO warranty is worthless most likely and a matter to take up with the dealer you bought it from as undisclosed alterations...but you bought it of course as is and if the warranty is worthless in the first place you should have never got it and be out that money or stuck paying for it further. And I would lean on the dealer...…. with big fat WTF is this in my engine I warrantied …. They sold you a CAR make them honor the repair at their cost for the undisclosed alteration of the vehicle they may not have known about,( though there usually is signs of a previous tune in the ECU supposedly), that they should rightfully should have known about by their inspection of the used vehicle which was represented to you as stock as is...… and could be a big price difference had you known it was prior altered by owner etc..... Just my thought I would be Steaming pissed. Hold a fuggin Sign on the Corner next to stealership pissed...…….

And BTW try Wongs performance engineering in Vancouver he is that good, check him on face book.

09-11-2018, 08:41 PM	#1
Camcar Drives: 2010 RS/SS Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Southeastern Washington Posts: 77	Valve spring advice I was driving down the highway yesterday home from work, cruise control on, 63 mph in 6th gear, and my engine started missing. Felt like it was starting to run out of gas, kind of. Traction control light came on. Gauges all read normal, I didn't hear any noises, so I kept driving about another mile and it got worse. As I came up to an intersection and to a stop all of the lights came on and I could hear a click from the engine, so I shut it off. Got out and popped the hood and everything looked normal. Checked oil and it was fine. Had it flatbedded to the dealership because when I bought the car 20k miles ago I also bought an extended warranty for up to 100k miles, and I figured that would be the best place to take it. Got a call from the dealership and they told me I have a broken valve spring on number 4 cylinder (LS3, 72k miles). They asked if I had replaced the springs with aftermarket ones, because the ones in there didn't look like original springs, and they wanted to make sure they all match. I told them no. So they're saying that the warranty company probably won't pay to replace all of the springs so they match- just the broken one. Any advice? Does it sound like they're trying to rip me off? Thanks for your thoughts on this.

09-12-2018, 10:03 AM	#5
suprchrgd Drives: 2015 2SS 1LE Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 116	my car started doing this last night on my way home from work and you described my issue exactly. Looks like I'll go home and pull the valve covers off and see if I have any broken springs. i have about 24k miles on my btr cam and springs... i'm also getting a vibrations coming thorough the tranny, that i can fell hear through my shifter... __________________ 505/465: 416 stroker, landspeed stg 3 heads, 10.5 compression, btr stg 3 stroker cam, E85, kooks 1-7/8" headers,k&n intake,vmaxx tb,mgw,rxt,bmr 1.5" drop springs,bmr poly cradle bushings,bmr toe rods,bmr trailing arms,bmr uca,bmr diff bushings

09-13-2018, 08:21 AM	#10
metrogdor22 Drives: 2013 2SS M6 Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: USA Posts: 76	I'd replace all of the springs for peace of mind, even if I had to pay for them out of pocket. That's chump change compared to the time and money involved if another one breaks and drops a valve into your motor. __________________ 2013 2SS M6 - Custom cam w/ miscellaneous valvetrain upgrades, ported heads, longtubes, CAI, CTS-VR lifters, Forza NPP exhaust controller - 500hp/460tq

09-13-2018, 09:23 PM	#11
marklsx Drives: 2014 Camaro 1SS Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: MA Posts: 103	I would replace all the spings, and while in there replace all the valve seals too. __________________ 2014 1SS - BTR Stg3, GMPP CNC Heads, Kooks LTs & cats, Magnaflow 2.5" Street w/Res X, Z28 CAI

09-16-2018, 10:02 AM	#14
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	You may have gone and bought someones demodded car......a car they took the cam out of also and left the aftermarket springs in which with a higher lift than stock cam last about 20-25k before needing checked and replaced....especially more if racing or higher than stock RPM limit..... any other tell tale signs its maybe been modified and demodded? you know you never get the money out of mods on resale....so the thing to do is pull them and in some areas you cant pass smog with cam headers etc..... SO IMO your most likely demodded some and the warranty CO warranty is worthless most likely and a matter to take up with the dealer you bought it from as undisclosed alterations...but you bought it of course as is and if the warranty is worthless in the first place you should have never got it and be out that money or stuck paying for it further. And I would lean on the dealer...…. with big fat WTF is this in my engine I warrantied …. They sold you a CAR make them honor the repair at their cost for the undisclosed alteration of the vehicle they may not have known about,( though there usually is signs of a previous tune in the ECU supposedly), that they should rightfully should have known about by their inspection of the used vehicle which was represented to you as stock as is...… and could be a big price difference had you known it was prior altered by owner etc..... Just my thought I would be Steaming pissed. Hold a fuggin Sign on the Corner next to stealership pissed...……. And BTW try Wongs performance engineering in Vancouver he is that good, check him on face book. __________________ 2021 Wild Cherry ZL1 A10, Sunroof, Data, Carbon, Nav, RotoFab Dry CAI, Elite x2, Borla ATK, Driveshaft shop Last edited by christianchevell; 09-16-2018 at 10:12 AM.

09-11-2018, 09:59 PM	#2
theflea42 #938 of 1524 Drives: 2013 Hot Wheels Edition Camaro Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: West Virginia Posts: 182	I built a brand new 5.3 liter engine for my s10. I put in a comp cams camshaft along with a matching set of valve springs. One of these new valve springs broke around 15k miles, and the engine swallowed the valve. The comp cams tech people said it was a myth to have to replace all the springs. They just said to replace the broken one and it would be ok. So, I built another engine. I bought a new valve spring to replace the broken one, and it's running just fine, about 24k miles and so far so good. I'm guessing the ls3's have dual valve springs?

09-11-2018, 10:14 PM	#3
JOURDAN Drives: 2010 Camaro SS 2SS Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Oregon Posts: 145	If they understand how to set seat pressure then it wont matter, just fix the broken one with OEM or other spring. Stock cam? if OEM, they will know the spec.

09-12-2018, 07:31 AM	#4
Camcar Drives: 2010 RS/SS Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Southeastern Washington Posts: 77	Thank you for the replies. Great information. I will bring up the seat pressure point with them today. I got the feeling they were thinking they would be happy to have me pay for all new springs other than the one that broke out of pocket. They were saying the warranty company would probably only pay for the one. Stock cam, as far as I know... I bought the car with 52k on it, and it's run perfectly until this happened. Wondering why anyone would have replaced all of the springs...? I don't think the LS3 has dual springs, from what I've read, but I could be wrong. Thanks again, you probably saved me a lot of $$!

09-12-2018, 12:38 PM	#6
Russell James Drives: '15 SS 1LE, '69 Z28 drag car Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Mich Posts: 4,482	All LS3s came OE with single Beehive springs. Early years were yellow, later blue. A '10 would have been yellow beehives. Ask them what would cause them to think they were not OE springs? To determine if it needs one or 16, one would need to use a - on "on head spring pressure tester" and measure seat spring pressure. They all need to be very close. A weak spring about to break will be very obvious. If they don't know how to measure spring pressure on the head, the tech is clueless. In drag racing, all the top classes - pro stock, top alcohol, nitro... all regularly check spring pressure between runs. When one all the sudden goes weak, out it comes. Here is a tool to check spring seat pressure. A bad spring will be very obvious. It will have very weak pressure and soon there after break. https://www.jegs.com/i/LSM-Racing-Pr...00SLC/10002/-1

09-12-2018, 07:39 PM	#8
Camcar Drives: 2010 RS/SS Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Southeastern Washington Posts: 77	Thank you for the support. I will for sure ask them why they think they're not original springs. And great to know that they should be the yellow beehives. I'm concerned too that since one broke others might do the same. I'm just glad I asked here, so when I talk to him again I can sound like I know what I'm talking about. Thanks again.

09-13-2018, 07:56 AM	#9
Russell James Drives: '15 SS 1LE, '69 Z28 drag car Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Mich Posts: 4,482	The blue beehives are really good springs. If it were me, I'd see if they will go for installing all 16 as blue. May have to pay for 15, but worth it to get a fresh set of good springs.

09-14-2018, 04:57 PM	#13
Camcar Drives: 2010 RS/SS Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Southeastern Washington Posts: 77	Thank you all for the great feedback. This site is a great resource!