i'm gonna replace my broken valve spring this week...just wondering how long of a break in i should give it before i really start gettin the revs up and racing it...thanks for your help

 

Springs can benefit from a number of heat and cool cylcles to break them in. A few days to a week of normal driving would be sufficient, IMO.

 

if i only drive my car on the weekend should i wait about 3 weekends before i really turn her loose?

 

Interesting. In most cases I find your advice to be 100% correct. But I have to admit that this one caught me by surprise. I have never heard of the need to break in the springs themselves. And although I can think of several reasons to run them for a few hours, I wouldn't have though there was a need for heat cycling.
From my limited knowege of material properties of spring steel I would think the temperatures seen in normal operation would have no effect and in fact should have no effect on them.
Anyway if you have a link to a tech. paper or info. on this I'd be interested in reading it.

 

I could have spelled cycles correctly...

Look at item 11. on this link from Comp Cams...
http://www.compcams.com/Technical/Pr.../ValveSprings/

 

It is important for new springs to take a heat set. Never abuse or run the engine at high RPM when the springs are new. Upon initial start-up, limit RPM to 1500 to 2000 until the temperature has reached operating levels. Shut off the engine and allow the springs to cool to room temperature. This usually will eliminate early breakage and prolong spring life. After the spring has been “broken-in”, it is common for it to lose a slight amount of pressure. Once this initial pressure loss occurs, the spring pressure should remain constant until the spring becomes overstressed. Then the springs must either be replaced or shimmed to the correct pressure.

so will i still need to let the spring adjust for about a week? what will i need to do when "the spring loses a slight amount of pressure?" also how often will the spring need ot be shimmed? thanks for the link

 

Unless you plan on using a spring pressure tester on all the springs, I wouldn't worry about it for a street driven car.

 

if you question shoebox your gonna get burned ...

shoebox if it weren't for you, thered be a lot more posts not answered correctly on here

keep up the good work

btw...just wandering, what are the chances of me running my car to empty and my fuel filter not being clogged ???

 

I say some stupid stuff on occasion , though I strive not to.

While you are out "wandering", try to make it to a gas station before you get to empty.

It's not that hard to change the filter, anyway and should be part of your maintenance routine. There is a procedure on my site, if needed.

 

I knew that,..honest...I knew that!

Thanks,
This may be one of those things I yoosta know but forgot. It's been a long time since I've done this myself. Usually just get the heads back from the "shop" assembled and ready to go. And the normal engine break-in takes care of the needed heat cycling.