Need your help with my valve spring / head damage

R

rockin_rick

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Oct 9, 2003

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Aug 26, 2004

#1

• Aug 26, 2004

• #1

Please help!! Since I've got my HCI combo together, it's only ran for 100 miles over 5 different days. It's currently been down since the end of June, with a broken valve spring. The head got mashed up from the spring being short and dancing around. Normally, the recess in the head for the spring locates it on the head. Now, the recess is opened up and has a larger diameter than the spring. Do I need a spring cup? Does the head recess need machined to a larger diameter to fit the cup?

What do I need to do to fix this?!?!? Do I NEED to take these to a machine shop? Is it recommended?

Thanks,
Rick

 

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R

rockin_rick

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Aug 26, 2004

#2

• Aug 26, 2004

• #2

more pics

 

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R

rockin_rick

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Oct 9, 2003

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Aug 27, 2004

#3

• Aug 27, 2004

• #3

 

Rootus

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Aug 27, 2004

#4

• Aug 27, 2004

• #4

I would get on the phone with AFR. Their heads, their springs. Sorry to hear about your bad luck, that really sucks.

Dave

 

Joes95GT

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Jan 23, 2003

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Aug 27, 2004

#5

• Aug 27, 2004

• #5

I'm no cylinder head expert, but my guess would be that you need to machine the spring pockets and put a cup in it. I don't really see that many other "safe" options other than that.

What are you doing with the rest of the unbroken springs? Reusing them? Or did you buy a "stronger" set?

Joe

 

stangbanger94

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Apr 29, 2004

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Bergen County, NJ

Aug 27, 2004

#6

• Aug 27, 2004

• #6

I'm having my Trick Flow heads built right now, and the machinist made me order spring cups, to avoid exactly what has happened to yours. Without cups, the spring digs down into the aluminum. The spring cup also acts as a shim in the process though, to help with spring height during inital assembly.

 

RIO5.0

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Feb 16, 2001

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Aug 27, 2004

#7

• Aug 27, 2004

• #7

I agree with Dave....Brand new and thats what you got....
I would think AFR would come good on the repair....Tell em you want a replacement...

been there and you lucked out....i dropped a valve.... yes. thats rings, piston pcs and all kinds of stuff....i lost the shortblock too....thru a rod right thru the oilpan...TWICE...I can still hear that noise....DOH...
you wanna play, you gotta pay...i paid my dues....

 

R

rockin_rick

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Oct 9, 2003

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Aug 27, 2004

#8

• Aug 27, 2004

• #8

Joes95GT said:

What are you doing with the rest of the unbroken springs? Reusing them? Or did you buy a "stronger" set?
Joe

Click to expand...

I have an extra spring, so I could run the others and that new one. But I am open to another set. Considering beehives, but they are $$$$. Need to get a hold of Ed Curtis.

Andy - you could have slapped a JB weld on those parts and you've been good to go!

Rick

 

Joes95GT

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Jan 23, 2003

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Aug 27, 2004

#9

• Aug 27, 2004

• #9

Andy, I remember you telling us about that.

You really launched that thing good didn't you? How much was the clean up work on the heads? You mangled that one chamber real good. Did you ever find the valve(s)?

Joe

 

RIO5.0

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Aug 27, 2004

#10

• Aug 27, 2004

• #10

JB Weld...that would have saved me a few bucks... Seriuosly..I know how frustrating it is...if you in for a machine shop repair bill, which it looks like it needs to be revamped, i would like to think AFR would stand behind there product...yours isn't the first mentioned with spring problems...theres been a few post regarding that...It just sucks it had to be your set....

Joe..Nope..it turned into kibble...The head was repaired free...i upgraded to double spring while it was apart...luckly mines iron....