texas97z

Let me start off by saying I did buy some springs off a guy in ebay that are good to .600 max lift but do not want to wait.

I broke a connecting rod and bought a used 383 from a guy here local. The receipts he gave do not show the sive/maker valve springs, just that they were replaced during rebuild. I contacted the shop and they do not remember as it was a year ago, not surprising. Probobaly regualr sbc z28 springs is what I was told. I think that may be the max .550 that were installed on just about every 350 gen 1 from what I have been told.

The cam is a cc304 .500/.510. I have 1.6 rr which would make it .533/.544. That is awful close.

I want to know if there is a way to measure with the springs installed what the max lift is? Like measure hieght installed(valve closed) and subtract valve at coil bind hieght, if I see it. Do this by hand turning the engine to compress spring.

Also if the spring doesn't completly compress/bind up, can I assume I am good?
Am I off my rocker?

Thanks guys, I just really want to put this thing back in my car and ordered springs a weak ago and they are still on the way,think the ysent parcel post. Was supposed to be UPS ground but they won't give me tracking #

Also, is it hard to change springs out with engine in car since I may be headed that way? Thanks again

MeanGreen97Z

Take one cylinder to TDC and pull that spring and have the pressures tested. See what you get from that. That will tell you everything. Machine shop should be able to give you the spring stats. It takes about 4-5 minutes to get the spring off.

texas97z

I figured I could take it to a shop and have test a spring, just wanted to know if there was a way to test it from home.

I did install one of my 1.6 and spun the engine and the spring never did bind up, just got close. I did not measure because I do not have feeler gauges but I could see through the spring the whole time.

Any thoughts?

Fei

why risk it for a 5min job.

I'm the ultimate DIYer but I wouldn't half *** it for the hell of it. Especially witht he correct parts on order already.

MeanGreen97Z

Just because you aren't close to coil bind on free spinning the motor, that doesn't mean the spring has the proper seat and open pressure to support the cam. If you can't identify them by looking take a picture and post it. Maybe someone here can by the locators or something. Otherwise you gotta pull it.

NightTrain66

The lifter is probably bleeding down and letting the pushrod cup go lower in the lifter as opposed to opening the valve the full amount. Once the engine is running and has oil pressure, you will have the valve opening the full amount and therefore this test is pretty useless.

3 ways to do it.

Best way - remove a spring and have that spring tested at your installed ht so you know the seat pressure, open pressure and where it coil binds at.

next way will just check for coil bind clearance but you will not have any spring specs. You might only have 90 lbs or 110 lbs of seat pressure or only 280 lbs of open pressure and end up having problems even if you do not have coil bind so I would suggest the above method . . . . . . BUT . . . . . . here is another way . . . . . . .

1- go buy (or make) a tool that slides under the rocker arm and compresses the spring for you. Open the valve to .550 and see if you can slide a paper clip in between two coils. If so, you are not gonna coil bind BUT there again, you have no idea what seat or open presures you have either.

Lloyd

texas97z

I am not against the work, I just need to get my car back on the road and still have not recvd the springs.

Lloyd, thanks for the advice. I will probably take to shop tomorrow and have them test the spring.

I appreciate the other advice I have got, I was hoping that no coil bind with my little test was good enough, but there are other things to consider that I do not have the tools to determine and as much as I want to get this sucker back on the road, I also don't want to have to tear it apart again in a week. So thanks all.

Update: Funny thing is I received springs today when I got home so I guess it doesn't matter now. But I do appreciate the advice.