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  • 1996 - 2004 SN95 Mustang -General/Talk-
  • SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech

Which valve springs for my 4.6

  • Thread starter Thread starter BLOWN347STROKER
  • Start date Start date Feb 28, 2011

BLOWN347STROKER

Member
Jan 13, 2009
237
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topeka kansas
Feb 28, 2011
#1
  • Feb 28, 2011
  • #1
I am wanting to get some input on which valve springs I should get for my 4.6
I have a set of doherty racing cams with .550 lift And am currently looking at a set of valve springs to upgrade of the stock ones. I am looking at two different sets both made by trick flow

First set
205lbs open pressure @1.020" height .600 max lift
for street applications it says

second set
275lbs open pressure @ 1.020" height .580 max lift
for power adder racing application

I am leaning more towards the second set because I am going to be running a 125 shot on the motor. Now which set would you reccomend and why?
 

trinity_gt

10 Year Member
Jan 31, 2003
3,125
81
99
Canada
Feb 28, 2011
#2
  • Feb 28, 2011
  • #2
The first set.

By "power adders" they mean blowers which pressurize the intake. If you have an intake valve that's 1.75" in diameter (e.g. 44.5mm), that valve has an area of ~2.4 square inches. With the intake tract pressurized to 10psi, that means the pressure in the intake is producing a force on the intake valve of 24 pounds. And that's just 10psi...if you're pushing 20psi, now you've got 48 pounds trying to push the valve open.

You can see how even a set of standard Comp "beehive" springs may not offer sufficient seat-pressure (93-pounds) under boost (93-48 == 45 pounds) to ensure good sealing. They offer a "high load" set giving 120 pounds on the seat and 275 pounds open for this reason.

For engines revving in the normal range and not experiencing large boost, there's no need for high-force springs. And remember, spring pressure is not the only determining factor for valve stability at high-RPM...
 

BLOWN347STROKER

Member
Jan 13, 2009
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topeka kansas
Feb 28, 2011
#3
  • Feb 28, 2011
  • #3
Thanks for the reply and for explaining that to me. That works out good for me though being the first set. They are a little cheaper anyways.
 

BLOWN347STROKER

Member
Jan 13, 2009
237
0
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topeka kansas
Feb 28, 2011
#4
  • Feb 28, 2011
  • #4
Do you know how hard it is to replace the springs. I don't want to pull the heads off if I don't have to. Can I turn the motor over and do one cylinder at a time putting the piston at the top of the stroke on each cylinder to hold the valves up? I have read about air pressure too to hold the valves up but I don't have a compressor.
 

trinity_gt

10 Year Member
Jan 31, 2003
3,125
81
99
Canada
Feb 28, 2011
#5
  • Feb 28, 2011
  • #5
Springs can be done with the heads installed.

If you don't have access to air you might try this:

Obtain a long (several feet) length of nylon rope of, say, 1/4" so (thin enought to fit through the plug hole...) Set the cylinder about to be worked on at mid-stroke on compression (both valves closed, piston on the way up.) Feed a foot or two of rope into the cylinder through the plug hole, leaving plenty hanging out. Now, using hand tools only, turn the crank slowly to bring the piston toward TDC. Stop when you feel resistance. The rope is bunched up between the piston and the valves and valves won't go anywhere as you work on them.

When you're done, turn the crank back just a bit, enough to relax the pressure on the rope, and pull the rope out of the cylinder through the plug hole.
 

BLOWN347STROKER

Member
Jan 13, 2009
237
0
16
topeka kansas
Feb 28, 2011
#6
  • Feb 28, 2011
  • #6
Thanks for the advice
 
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