Valve Springs/installation

Super Duper Cou

Registered User
I've got two questions.

1. Right now I have the stock valve springs in my car and it gets valve float. I'm looking for a set of stiffer valve springs for my Super Coupe. Which valves springs would you recommend?

2. I'm going to install the valve springs with the motor in the car and re torque the head studs. I don't want to take off more things on the motor than i have to to get the valve covers off and have enough room to use a torque wrench to re-tighten the studs. So what's the least amount of stuff I have to take off in order to be able to tighten the studs down and install the new stiffer springs?
 
I've got two questions.

1. Right now I have the stock valve springs in my car and it gets valve float. I'm looking for a set of stiffer valve springs for my Super Coupe. Which valves springs would you recommend?

2. I'm going to install the valve springs with the motor in the car and re torque the head studs. I don't want to take off more things on the motor than i have to to get the valve covers off and have enough room to use a torque wrench to re-tighten the studs. So what's the least amount of stuff I have to take off in order to be able to tighten the studs down and install the new stiffer springs?

First you should talk to Dave Dalke about valve springs. I believe he is having lots of luck with the more modern beehive style valve spring. I believe he has a spring, cup, and retainer combination that require no machining to the guide but I may be incorrect. Again check with Dave.

Second you should not retorque head bolts. If your engine is stock and still uses a TTY bolt then you can't retorque them anyway. You would only stretch out the bolts further.

Why do you believe your cylinder heads need retorquing?
 
First you should talk to Dave Dalke about valve springs. I believe he is having lots of luck with the more modern beehive style valve spring. I believe he has a spring, cup, and retainer combination that require no machining to the guide but I may be incorrect. Again check with Dave.

Second you should not retorque head bolts. If your engine is stock and still uses a TTY bolt then you can't retorque them anyway. You would only stretch out the bolts further.

Why do you believe your cylinder heads need retorquing?

Thanks I'll probably message him about it.

I replaced the headgaskets about 6 months ago with mls gaskets and ARP head studs. I'm getting air pockets in my coolant system so I think the studs might have loosened up a bit and is allowing the headgaskets to leak. I torqued them to 80ft lbs in 3 increments. I wanna check if the studs are still at 80ft lbs. I might even tighten them to 90ft lbs this time to make sure I don't have to check them again.
 
Thanks I'll probably message him about it.

I replaced the headgaskets about 6 months ago with mls gaskets and ARP head studs. I'm getting air pockets in my coolant system so I think the studs might have loosened up a bit and is allowing the headgaskets to leak. I torqued them to 80ft lbs in 3 increments. I wanna check if the studs are still at 80ft lbs. I might even tighten them to 90ft lbs this time to make sure I don't have to check them again.

To re-torque the head studs you will also need to remove the headers, or exhaust manifolds. When you first installed the head stufs, did you use any type of thread lube on the studs, nuts and washers like ARP moly lube ?

David
 
I would never recommend re-torquing a head stud even with MLS gaskets that were installed over 6 months ago. If you are getting air in the cooling system I would pressure test the cooling system before you went through the aggravation of re-torquing head studs. It could be somethign as simple as an intake manifold that was never tightened properly.


If it does turn out to be head gaskets then I would recommend installing new head gaskets. Here is why. To go as far as to get to the point where you can actually re-torque the head studs, you could replace the head gaskets with a minimal amount of additional work. It would really suck to re-torque only to find a head is warped, etc. and you continue to get air into the cooling system. Then you get to do it all over again. :eek:

85 pounds seems to be as far as most take these studs as an FYI.

If you go too tight, the cylinder head can distort and you will actually get uneven clamping force across the head gasket surface.
 
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I'll check the intake manifold bolts first and get the air out of the system and see if that solves the problem. Still gonna put stiffer valve springs in sometime though.
 
I'll check the intake manifold bolts first and get the air out of the system and see if that solves the problem. Still gonna put stiffer valve springs in sometime though.

New valve springs are always a nice upgrade especially if they have been over reved a few times.
 
The amount of spring required is dependant on the cam.

Head studs can be retorqued. Dave asked if you used a lubricant. That is very important and you should answer. I believe the torque is higher than. 80 lbs for the sc.
 
The amount of spring required is dependant on the cam.

Head studs can be retorqued. Dave asked if you used a lubricant. That is very important and you should answer. I believe the torque is higher than. 80 lbs for the sc.

Man it's a lot of work just to get to the point to be able to retorque. Why not spend an extra hour and just replace the HG's? Sounds risky to me. Wouldn't you rather replace them and know for certain?
 
Mls gaskets are expensive and can be retorqued. I did it with one of my cars with no adverse effect. I believe the agreed upon torque spec was upped to 100 lbs. So I retorquedmy studs.
 
I know MLS gaskets can be reused and they are pretty darn healthy. That's my point. I would want to be certain a head isn't warped etc.

100 pounds on that small 11mm stud is overkill. If it was a 1/2" stud as used in a 351W I would say that makes sense but those studs are too small for 100 ft/lbs. IMO

Unless an MLS gasket is just days old, or never fired, etc. I will always pay the $120 for new MLS HG's every day of the week and twice on Sunday. IMO
 
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