Valve Spring Replacment

[OneEightSeven]

Re: Valve Spring Replacment

Doing the valve springs now. The 3gal compressor is working fine. I can't even hear any leaking. It's staying above 80psi, around 85. Also the middle plug on the passenger side is a total POS to take off with pacesetter headers. The socket is near impossible to fit over it.

Now my question is, what are the black things that come with the yella terra non-adjustable rocker arm kit? They look sort of like valve spring retainers. I guess they go under the rocker since the groove matches the round shape of the bearing in the rocker. Manual is not super clear on it.

* also... what is a good tool to compress the last 2 valve springs on each side of the block. I can't get my hand around the knob on the screw down kind of compressor even when I get it fitted properly around the spring.

[OneEightSeven]

Re: Valve Spring Replacment

Valve springs are all in, and the seals too. ZZP forgot to include the valve locks I ordered so I had to be super careful to not lose valve locks :-/.

Question about the rockers. Do I need to put each cylinder to TDC in order to properly torque down the rockers? Or do the 3.4 60 degree ppl have me confused?

[ssms5411]

Re: Valve Spring Replacment

No, we just did each cyl. and that was it , tq down everything , make sure the pushrods have oil on the tips and in them , started it up and took it for a test drive, everything was great. This was on a 3.8 96' Camaro so if yours is a 3.8 you'll be fine. Sometimes it will make alittle noise if you don't have enough oil on the pushrods , it will make a tapping sound until the oil builds up to the rockers then it should go away. Good luck.

[OneEightSeven]

Re: Valve Spring Replacment

@ssms5411,

Thanks :). I ended up finding a post from Merlin on ftv6 and it seems it mattered on the 3.4 60 degree motors. I already have the rockers in. Doing the electric water pump now (got to torque down and wire). Then I will hookup the ICM and EGR for a minute and run the motor before throwing the valve covers and generator back on.

** Update **

Meziere water pump is installed. I cranked the motor over (with coolant) but no ICM/Coils/Wires and it was turning over just fine. I heard the water pump after the fuel primed. :). Time to put the drivers side together, wire her up and take a vid of the passenger side running.

** Update 2 **

I put the driver side valve cover on. Put the ICM and coil packs on. Put the EGR back in it's place. Ran the spark plug wires and zip tied em up (damn pacesetter headers!) Cranked the motor, sounds good, runs good. Oil came up pretty quick and dirtied up my pretty new rockers. I bled my cooling system and am pretty impressed with the electric water pump. I've never seen the coolant come out sooooo hard out of the bleeder. Ooo.. and my battery is now nearly dead because I never hooked up the generator since I don't have a long belt any way. I plan to drive down to the parts store (less than 1 mile away) to pick out a belt. Good to have that electric pump.

[OneEightSeven]

Re: Valve Spring Replacment

All Done!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZ3VXtXvPI4&fmt=22

I can feel a big difference in performance for sure. I'm sure a cam would be more drastic though, but either way I'm happy. With the drive belt off on my way to the store (running on battery) I was able to break the rears free (275/40/17's) with ease, I even lost traction when I punched it at 20 and fishtailed for a second. But it was a moist morning and now its crazy rain out there so I couldn't test much after I got the belt back on. I ended up with a 75" belt, fit perfect. The guys at Orilley's that I shop at a lot let me go in the back and keep trying belts till I found the right one. Was a lot quicker than waiting for them to grab me a belt.

Going to get dyno tuned ASAP :), want to see the difference in the numbers and raise that rev limiter.

[ssms5411]

Re: Valve Spring Replacment

Nice to hear, I know I chirp 2nd and 3rd on my 315/35/17's and if I get on it it will fish tail around the corner , with a auto. You'll pick up somemore with a tune, just remember a tune iin the summer will run richer in winter due to the temp. change. I have a Summer tune and winter tune I flash every Nov. for winter and then about May for summer.

[OneEightSeven]

Re: Valve Spring Replacment

Yea thats why I'm glad its not super hot right now. My tuner is decently priced for return customers so it's not a huge deal to re-tune in the winter time. He charges $150 for a retune on the dyno.

[OneEightSeven]

Re: Valve Spring Replacment

Got to run with my buddy's 1.8T GTI yesterday. Owned him. I'm pulling on him now like he was pulling on me before. He's not stock though:

- Carbonio Cold Air Intake
- GHL Turbo Back 2.5 Inch Exhaust & Down Pipe
- REVO (4bar/Stg 2) ECU Retune
- 4 Bar Fuel Pressure Regulator
- Stiffer Dogbone Mount
- Short Shift Kit
- Light flywheel
- Stage 3 clutch kit
- Upgraded diverter valve

I'm going to get dyno tuned tomorrow so we can see the numbers. I'm hoping to crack 200 whp this time :P.

[Bird_Of_Prey]

Re: Valve Spring Replacment

The guys at Orilley's that I shop at a lot let me go in the back and keep trying belts till I found the right one. Was a lot quicker than waiting for them to grab me a belt.

rofllulz. my autozone is the same way. they just tell me "you know where it is".

[OneEightSeven]

Re: Valve Spring Replacment

Got dyno tuned today. Picked up 10 HP at peak, im at 190hp and 200tq at peak. Which was disappointing, however I picked up 20-30 HP through weak spots in my previous dyno chart which is what explains the much improved performance and ability to burn rubber with ease. My average horsepower is way up. Also there is no more drop off past 5800rpm, it peaks and drops a tiny bit then stays relatively flat til the shift point.

HOWEVER those results were with the knock retard disabled. The motor sounds great, no pinging, no weird exhaust smells/smoke, running ~12.6AFR at WOT. It reaches its peak HP then runs fine another 100RPM at near peak power, then the knock retard starts at 5900 RPM and causes me to lose power hard. With the knock sensor disabled I can hold the near peak power through 6500rpm. Like I said the motor sounds perfect while doing this. Since this isn't an LS1 we can't desensitize the knock sensor via the PCM. For now I had the tuner save our best safe tune (results I mentioned), but had him re-enable KR and flash the PCM. This way once I figure out how to resolve the KR issue I should have that good tune working fine.

My tuner suggested that the rolling rockers, heavier springs and my exhaust are causing the false KR at those high RPMs. He also does not believe the knock is real since there is no indication of detonation other than the KR. I'm running 93 octane. I'm using NGK TR55IX plugs. The tuner did suggest I switch to a TR6 plug before we did runs, but said hes not sure if it will be very beneficial or not in my application.

I really want to get that nice flat line through 6500RPM, its a HUGE power difference over my prior results between 5800 and 6500.

[ssms5411]

Re: Valve Spring Replacment

Theres ways of correcting your KR senesors , mines 40 % disabled, still no KR and not audibale. My VS cam is rough at 6200 RPMS so I shift at 6000 RPMS to be safe. What was your dyno #'s?

[OneEightSeven]

Re: Valve Spring Replacment

Theres ways of correcting your KR senesors , mines 40 % disabled, still no KR and not audibale. My VS cam is rough at 6200 RPMS so I shift at 6000 RPMS to be safe. What was your dyno #'s?

We tried playing with the attack and decay, but it was only making things worse. Made the power sink like a stone :-/. I'm reading the resistor thread. I also thought about using potentiometers. Do you know if the values are the same on the 99's? (ERR just saw your other reply, email sent in PM).

Pulled 190hp and 200tq at peak with a safe tune with KR disabled. Could probably push more timing if I was less nervous about the KR. Tuner was assuring me its false though, motor does sound very smooth. For now KR is on and I'm losing a lot of power past 5900rpm.

The biggest gains were off-peak, in areas where my last dyno chart was severely lacking power. At 6K RPM (with KR off) I gained nearly 30HP (just below peak power) where as before it would drop off heavily (prior to latest mods). Ill post my dyno chart later, i got to go back for it. I forgot to grab it off the printer when I left :( so I'm going from memory.

[ssms5411]

Re: Valve Spring Replacment

I have ran 28 degrees timing in 115 degree temp IAT at 130's -140's with no KR on 91 octane, this is with TR6 plugs though, becuase I thought I would have the turbo on by now.LOL The resistors work on 96-02 far as I know since Malice had them on his 98+ Camaro. Send me a email I send you the rest of the program where it will calculate the resistors for you for both sides.

[OneEightSeven]

Re: Valve Spring Replacment

Just sent you my email address in a PM. :-) I'm running 23 degrees now to be safe, but I can always come get that number up, i was just being paranoid. 23 should be very safe especially since it's only in the 90's. And I think I will invest in some TR6's since the tuner thought it was a good idea too.

[ssms5411]

Re: Valve Spring Replacment

I run right now 25-26 degrees since my coolant temps were up , so when the weather drops I'll put it back at 27-28 degrees. I will have to see what the P/P heads, intakes, 130lb springs and a double roller handles, if I ever can get my car in the mechanics shop, hes going to do all my engine upgrades while I'm recovering from my back surgery coming up next month. My parts list is Manely 1,9/1.57 servere duty II valves in the P/P heads and COMP 130lb springs , 1.7 Pro mag roller rockers, Comp .105 pushrods, .065 MLS gakets, COMP lifters, JB double roller, machined oil front plate , OIL PSI mod and ARP head studs. Might be forgeting somethings but thats the major stuff along with what I have now it should be a nice built engine for a turbo. LOL I think the labor was about $500 or so , so its not too bad, I'll be in bed for 3 months or so then recovery for 6 months or so.