I took apart my valve train last night to replace my GMPP guide plates with some Trickflow guideplates (GMPP were starting to show a little wear cause they're non-hardened)

Also, after seeing all these people on this site with valve float issues with the aggressive BRE/comp 3100 series lobes, I decided to pull all my lifters to inspect for any damage due to valve float and to pull a couple of valve springs to check the pressure.

Anyways getting to the point, I didn't want to leave my compressor to come on once an hour while the car was down to keep the valves in place...so I started looking for a way to hold them up with the air line disconnected....and I came up with this:





Zip-ties FTW, Just thought I'd share

I'm sure some of you have already used this trick though

For the record, I wasn't having any problems with my BRE stuff. The car hasn't shown any signs of valve float and pulls hard to 7k rpm.

The guideplates were my motivation for taking it apart. And I figured I'd be a fool not to take a little extra time to inspect everything in the valve train while it's apart.

So far, everything looks great and chances are it'll be put together just the way it was. That is unless I find out that the valve springs are gettin weak, whick I'll know later today.....

 

If you put the piston at TDC, you don't have to worry about the valves falling in.

 

True, but I used compressed air in the cylinder so it was at BDC. Zip ties were alot easier and faster than manually cranking the motor back to TDC.

Plus, what if I wanted to remove the springs for more than two cylinders to take them to have them checked?....I can't have more than 2 cylinders at TDC at the same time.

I was more thinking this would be useful for people that need to remove all of their valve springs at once, like when you need to send a whole set of beehives back to comp so they'll send you a new set perhaps...which seems to be pretty common

 

that is a good idea, i will have to remember that

 

It would be a solution for doing multiple cylinders.

 

I can't help to think you are implying something here.

Very good idea though, something I would have never had the sense to think up.

 

Maybe.....


But, I just got back from having my 918s checked, they were both ~135ish at my 1.75 installed height. So I think that I'm one of the few people having good luck with 918s from the early '06 production era. No broken springs so far, and they seem to be holding thier pressure ok with the comp 3100 series lobes and 7k shift points.

So I'm gonna put it back together just as it was (only with trickflow guideplates this time) and keep running it

 

I've been running a 3192/3194 camshaft with early 918's for three years. Had the springs checked last fall and they were still close to original specs.

 

Thats good to hear I'm running a little bit bigger lobe though (3196), so I hope mine last that long.

 

Oh, I forgot to mention. In those three years the car has only been driven ~4000 miles. But, for now I still believe in the springs.

Hope to see the track for the first time with this combination Friday night.

 

They should be ~145-146 at 1.75". How many miles are on your setup?

 

About 2300 miles so far.

I was thinking that it was the PAC 1218s that were ~145...Aren't the 1218s suppose to have a little more pressure than the older 918s?

I'm fairly sure the 918s were suppose to be about 140# new? I figured if they only lost 5# in 2300 miles that I was in good shape

 

Same spring pressures between the 918's, 1218's, and 1518's. They are ~130 @ 1.80 new and ~145 at 1.75 new.

 

Hmmm...ok so I've lost about 10# then. Is that too much or something?

edit: Nevermind, I just went back and looked at one of the emails that Ron at AI sent me, he said it's normal for them to lose 10-12#s...but much more than that is not ok.

So it looks like I'm still in good shape, for now at least

 

Not sure, I know all springs lose some pressure after breaking. If you are really reving it to 7k I would get it on a dyno to make sure everything is ok though.