I can't seem to figure out why I am having issues. I am using 918 springs with +.05" locks and 4705 seats. The install height with that setup is supposed to very close to 1.8". I don't have the means to check the seat pressure or the install height, but I didn't think I had to. The cam is a 227/239 .560/.577 on a 115 lsa. The heads are stock. I took out my comp R's in favor of stock lifters and the pushrods are stock hardened 7.200".

Basically, the car makes low vacuum, I believe it also is floating at very low rpms... It drives like crap and has minimal power. Also, my not matter how I manipulate my WOT tables in tunercat, the a/f goes way rich as the rpms go up, sometimes as low as 10.8 on my wideband and I know that it is somehow related to the valvetrain.

What do you guys suggest I do to diagnose/fix this problem?

 

The installed height with stock heads, the 26918s, the 4705s
and +.050" locks will be right at or just under 1.75". I was
measuring them anywhere from 1.745" to 1.755" when I
did my install.

1.75 - 1.085 (coil bind) = 0.665"

0.665 - 0.577 = 0.088" margin to coil bind

The 0.088" margin to coil bind looks fine. You may want to
check the clearance between the retainer and oil seal.

 

Sorry to be asking this but have you checked the basic stuff like valve lash.

 

I have lashed them a million times... at this particulator moment they are at 1/4 past zero lash. I could write a book about finding zero lash hot, cold, car running, car off, whatever.

What would happen if the retainer hit the seal? I presume that I would not be getting maximum lift out of the cam right. Would it behave the way my car is now??

 

Did you degree the cam when you installed it?

 

Do you KNOW what the installed height is exactly? That might be a really good idea to check.

Bret

 

I don't actually... I don't have a height micrometer. Is there anywhere I can get a cheap one that works?

 

you should check to make sure you have the marks on the timing gears lined up correctly.
brian

 

They are. It's a cloyes double roller by the way. I know the syptoms sound like the valve timing could be off but that's not the problem. The car has ran good in this configuration in the past.

What is the best way to check for coil bind? Does the car have to be warm (ie lifters pumped???) What does coil bind feel like?

 

If you only added +5 locks and what ever seats to match the springs... you might have found your problem. The springs vary... you have to be 99-100% with the valve train hight. I brought a 39dollar mic fron summit "proform version". That I used to set my heads up. there were so many variences I don't think I would of got it right by combinaiton guessing.

 

A dial caliper will work in a pinch.

 

How.

Heatmaker - I guess I'll have to just buy one unless I can use a dial caliper. Don't those mics sometimes give you inaccurate readings because the retainer doesn't sit flush with the micrometer surface?? I guess you'd need another measuring device to check the error on the micrometer.

I mean honestly though, how can I be the only one running into this problem? I haven't heard of anybody else that had issues. Is it because of the lift on the cam?

 

Turn it upside down and use it as a depth mic. Or use the inside measuring part if the spring cups are not recessed in the head.Make sure to pull up hard on the retainer to seat it.

 

I had a micrometer available to me, because I use that to set up gears. I'd measured out the high mic, by turing it as hard as I possibly could, untill it stopped and I got the actual reading. Then I removed the mic, and checked the height the mic was set at with my micrometer, to get the exactness. The height mic was always pretty accurate. I have the same springs you do, so I guess your using the same retainers as I. There where no problems with the mic and getting the correct readings. What I will say is that I tried setting my heads up with both the +5's and the 10degree locks. The +5 degree locks gave me the hardest trouble shimming things out right, I couldn't seem to get a good combination to get the appropriate height. The 10 degree locks made things much easier to set up. I just played around with the two till I tossed the 5's and went with the 10's. Just a heads up.

 

I had a micrometer available to me, because I use that to set up gears. I'd measured out the high mic, by turing it as hard as I possibly could, untill it stopped and I got the actual reading. Then I removed the mic, and checked the height the mic was set at with my micrometer, to get the exactness. The height mic was always pretty accurate. I have the same springs you do, so I guess your using the same retainers as I. There where no problems with the mic and getting the correct readings. What I will say is that I tried setting my heads up with both the +5's and the 10degree locks. The +5 degree locks gave me the hardest trouble shimming things out right, I couldn't seem to get a good combination to get the appropriate height. The 10 degree locks made things much easier to set up. I just played around with the two till I tossed the 5's and went with the 10's. Just a heads up.