valve springs differn't cam

[stevesLX]

I have a F cam right now and it was installed by a previous owner. Is there anyway of telling if the springs were ever changed. I think they are factory but I am not sure. I have a guy at crane cams telling me that the springs should have been changed when that cam was installed because the lift is 100 thousadths more than the factory. And that my ticking noise is coil bind. I dont know what all that means this is all new to me.

 

[TomCat]

Coil bind is when the springs are being pushed past their limit and the individual coils are coming into contact with each other. My stock spring were spray marked (green on intake, red and orange on exhaust) so if yours have those they're probably stock. Not sure if all of them were done like this though

Hey man read this over: http://www.cranecams.com/?show=faq&id=2
It's got a lot of useful info for people new to the valvetrain scene

 

[ninety15.0]

Correct me if i am wrong but coil bind does not usually occur at low engine speeds...aka Idle. I dont think you would be able to hear an audible tick from the valvetrain at higher rpms...so im assuming that your tick is at idle.

 

[stevesLX]

No you cant hear it at all at idle but as soon as you rev it up or drive it it sounds like a steam locomotive comeing down the road. You can hear it both inside the car and out. I had the covers off and on several of the springs when the valve is fully opened I cant get no more than a .015-.020 feeler guage in between the coils. I was told that you should have at least .060. I am no where even close to that on several of these. I have replaced lifters rockers and rods with no results and even stepped up to 4 qts of 20W50 and 1 QT of that thick lucas oil and its still just as loud. Which from looking at my springs now that makes perfect sence. I could put the thickest oil on the market in the crank case and its not going to quiet down springs that only have .015 clearance between the coils. And thats just turning the motor over by hand. Not putting it under any load like 3000 or 6000 RPM's.

 

[GT_Rich]

Are you sure you are supposed to have .060" between coils? I thought .060" was the minimum difference between installed height and max lift? So, if there's four active coils in the spring, you'd have .015" between coils when at max lift. I've been reading up on this b/c I have a tick right now (only under load) that I can't figure out. Summit tech line suggested a tired valve spring.

 

[stevesLX]

I could be wrong but I was told by a crane cam tech and a comp tech that its between the coils.

 

[TomCat]

I could be wrong but I was told by a crane cam tech and a comp tech that its between the coils.

It has to be total. If it was supposed to be between each flexing coil, I'd be having serious issues.