ls3 valves breaking becoming an issue? - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

2010 SS RS · 03-14-2011, 06:03 PM

Hey guys... I did a search and saw some threads of this happening, but no specific info was really found, if this is a repeat subject I apologize.

I'm just trying to gather up info and have a general discussion on LS3/L92 heads breaking and dropping their Stock Valves. Who else has had or heard of records of this happening ?

It's happened to 2 local guys here in Colorado, and a LS3 camaro over-seas that the owner lives here 1/2 the time in the year. Thats 3 I have personally heard about all happening in the last 6 months. All with LS3 heads, all with stock valves and in mild cammed cars. All breakages happened at low engine load and 2500 or less rpms, and the valve springs were ok.

I know valve springs can break due to harmonic valvetrain noise, can the same be said about these light valves? Just another avenue of thought to think about when it comes to breakage.

Again, just a general discussion, this is not to scare off anyone from modifying their engines. There are literally thousands and thousands of people out there with zero issues, I'm just wondering if this is becoming more common trend to follow here, or if this unfortunately follows under "low percentage & bad luck"

Clint@A.I.R. · 03-15-2011, 01:55 AM

I too have heard of this lately. Perhaps we know of the same 3 people that I know of. I hope this is a very small percentage of the cars out there. Any shops/builders have any input?

I personally have not seen this in cars that we worked on, however I know a few of the people in the local area that have had this happen.

Scourage · 03-15-2011, 02:15 AM

Running a Comp Cam with .624 lift, per the vendor and Comp Cams, their 918 springs would be fine.
Had an exhaust spring break just after I pulled out of my garage and was heading out of the apartment complex, couldn't have been doing but 10 MPH at the time.
Warranty on the springs expired 2 months prior. Happened about 5K after install.

Rockslam · 03-15-2011, 02:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scourage

Running a Comp Cam with .624 lift, per the vendor and Comp Cams, their 918 springs would be fine.
Had an exhaust spring break just after I pulled out of my garage and was heading out of the apartment complex, couldn't have been doing but 10 MPH at the time.
Warranty on the springs expired 2 months prior. Happened about 5K after install.

Ouch , thats a horrible sight!

MillerTime · 03-15-2011, 02:18 AM

OUCH!!!!!!!!!!!1

walhan_qtr · 03-15-2011, 02:32 AM

I guess im one of those three. It happened to my camaro. its an LS3 with about 28k miles. mods were bolt-ons (installed at about 4k miles), TSP 231/236 cam kit (installed at around 19-20k miles), and a ported fast 102 (2400miles before it happened). it happened in 3rd gear at around 5000RPM. when inspected, it turned out the valve dropped and also we found out that one of the springs broke (which we believe caused the failure). good thing the block and cylinder walls ...etc are all fine. one of the heads got damaged, one piston broke, and pretty much thats it. car was driven really hard all its life. and have seen many long cruises (hence the mileage on the car) and have seen many 6300-6400RPM shifts (almost every day it was driven on lol)

it happened but i moved on. went with stock parts and ordered some ported heads and soon i will have a 100shot installed and only use it when needed

Ovenmitt · 03-15-2011, 12:35 PM

Comp 918s LOL, I almost feel sorry for you.

Spec out your valvetrain properly. A little extra seat and guide wear is a fair price to pay for using overkill valve springs, especially if you turn rpms.

Badger · 03-15-2011, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ovenmitt

Comp 918s LOL, I almost feel sorry for you.

Spec out your valvetrain properly. A little extra seat and guide wear is a fair price to pay for using overkill valve springs, especially if you turn rpms.

Just trying to learn here....so are the 918 springs a dual spring??...What's the best dual spring out there??

Clint@A.I.R. · 03-15-2011, 01:45 PM

Never had issues with PRC Dual Springs... But looks as if Walhan had PRC's and he broke a valve spring.

SSACCO · 03-15-2011, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Badger

Just trying to learn here....so are th

e 918 springs a dual spring??...What's the best dual spring out there??

Single. I never had luck with them in my ls1 either

Commit and Conquer · 03-15-2011, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clint@A.I.R.

Never had issues with PRC Dual Springs... But looks as if Walhan had PRC's and he broke a valve spring.

Does it it make sense to upgrade the valves when you do the heads? What are the best valves for an upgrade?

Russell James · 03-15-2011, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Commit and Conquer

Does it it make sense to upgrade the valves when you do the heads? What are the best valves for an upgrade?

Everything should match as a package. Valves, springs, keepers, retainers,lifters, pushrods... all designed for a specific purpose and rpm. Mixing and matching is where people get into trouble. Along with the snafu's like a bad batch of crap from comp cams.

Get with a very experienced engine builder, and they will know exactly what valve train parts to use for the combo you are building.

Bad70supreme · 03-15-2011, 03:18 PM

Great now I am worried, I cant afford to break this motor after a cam swap! :(

Bell040 · 03-15-2011, 05:03 PM

good article

http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/e...ngs/index.html

03-14-2011, 06:03 PM	#1
2010 SS RS Drives: 2010 2SS/RS IBM Black Polished Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Colorado Posts: 2,106	ls3 valves breaking becoming an issue? Hey guys... I did a search and saw some threads of this happening, but no specific info was really found, if this is a repeat subject I apologize. I'm just trying to gather up info and have a general discussion on LS3/L92 heads breaking and dropping their Stock Valves. Who else has had or heard of records of this happening ? It's happened to 2 local guys here in Colorado, and a LS3 camaro over-seas that the owner lives here 1/2 the time in the year. Thats 3 I have personally heard about all happening in the last 6 months. All with LS3 heads, all with stock valves and in mild cammed cars. All breakages happened at low engine load and 2500 or less rpms, and the valve springs were ok. I know valve springs can break due to harmonic valvetrain noise, can the same be said about these light valves? Just another avenue of thought to think about when it comes to breakage. Again, just a general discussion, this is not to scare off anyone from modifying their engines. There are literally thousands and thousands of people out there with zero issues, I'm just wondering if this is becoming more common trend to follow here, or if this unfortunately follows under "low percentage & bad luck" __________________ 418 Stroker, 621RWHP 648 lbs TORQUE Built by Laramie GM Auto Center Tuned by Nick at Mac Autosport. EForce SC, 2 3/4pulley,LPE dual fuel pump, JRE Twin fuel rail upgrade, posi clutch kit, RX oilcatch can and breather, Callies Compstar crankshaft and rods, Racing bearings, CP -13.8 race pistons, steel rings, Comp Cams X6 blower cam, Springs, HD timing chain and tensioner, Doug Thorley Tri Y LT headers, 89.7lb injectors, RPM rollbar, DSS1400 shafts, Simpson 5 pt harness, BMR Toe rods and trailing arms, led lights, RPM input and output shafts

03-15-2011, 02:18 AM	#5
MillerTime Blowin the doors off! Drives: A 2013 SS RS 6M SR Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 2,390	OUCH!!!!!!!!!!!1 __________________ 2G1FS1EWXD9163847

03-15-2011, 02:32 AM	#6
walhan_qtr ..[ Z06-QTR ].. Drives: '10 Camaro 2SS RS M6/ 07 C6 Z06 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Colorado Posts: 763	I guess im one of those three. It happened to my camaro. its an LS3 with about 28k miles. mods were bolt-ons (installed at about 4k miles), TSP 231/236 cam kit (installed at around 19-20k miles), and a ported fast 102 (2400miles before it happened). it happened in 3rd gear at around 5000RPM. when inspected, it turned out the valve dropped and also we found out that one of the springs broke (which we believe caused the failure). good thing the block and cylinder walls ...etc are all fine. one of the heads got damaged, one piston broke, and pretty much thats it. car was driven really hard all its life. and have seen many long cruises (hence the mileage on the car) and have seen many 6300-6400RPM shifts (almost every day it was driven on lol) it happened but i moved on. went with stock parts and ordered some ported heads and soon i will have a 100shot installed and only use it when needed __________________ - 07 Silver C6 Z06, Darton sleeved LS7, 441ci, H/C/I, Duel Stage Nitrous, RPS BC3, TR6060, E85. (615whp/582wtq N/A) - 09 Blk Z06, 427ci LSX, F2 Procharger, Brodix, Holley, ZR1 TR6060, ... (1204whp/1045wtq @ 24psi) - 06 Blk C6, Darton Sleeved LS2, 427ci, H/C/I, F1X, RPM Trans/Diff, RPS BC3. (New #s soon) - 10 Black Camaro LS3, 2SS/RS, H/C/I, bolt-ons, Spec. (470whp/450wtq). - 07 Black Corvette C6(SOLD). - 98 White/Red Corvette C5(SOLD). Last edited by walhan_qtr; 03-15-2011 at 03:14 PM.

03-15-2011, 03:18 PM	#13
Bad70supreme Drives: 2010 aqua blue SS/RS M6 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: plainfield, IL Posts: 2,706	Great now I am worried, I cant afford to break this motor after a cam swap! :( __________________ 10.91 at 122 H/C stock block N/A

03-15-2011, 05:03 PM	#14
Bell040 Drives: 2SS/RS - Black - GFX Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: B'ham, Alabama Posts: 2,458 View My Garage	good article http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/e...ngs/index.html __________________ Ordered: 10-13-08 Built: 3-30-09 (#1691) Recieved: 6-12-09 Blacked out, Cammed (Lunati Voodoo 233/245, .578/.598 @114°, +4°), ARH LTs, VR OTR CAI, Cutouts, and lots of other fun mods.

03-15-2011, 01:55 AM	#2
Clint@A.I.R. Account Suspended Drives: 99' Camaro 404 TT Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Wheat Ridge Posts: 324	I too have heard of this lately. Perhaps we know of the same 3 people that I know of. I hope this is a very small percentage of the cars out there. Any shops/builders have any input? I personally have not seen this in cars that we worked on, however I know a few of the people in the local area that have had this happen.

03-15-2011, 02:15 AM	#3
Scourage Syntax Error Drives: 2010 Camaro 2SS/RS Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: SE Nebraska Posts: 557 View My Garage	Running a Comp Cam with .624 lift, per the vendor and Comp Cams, their 918 springs would be fine. Had an exhaust spring break just after I pulled out of my garage and was heading out of the apartment complex, couldn't have been doing but 10 MPH at the time. Warranty on the springs expired 2 months prior. Happened about 5K after install.

03-15-2011, 12:35 PM	#7
Ovenmitt Account Suspended Drives: 2011 RJT 1SS Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Fort Lewis, Washington Posts: 730	Comp 918s LOL, I almost feel sorry for you. Spec out your valvetrain properly. A little extra seat and guide wear is a fair price to pay for using overkill valve springs, especially if you turn rpms.

03-15-2011, 01:45 PM	#9
Clint@A.I.R. Account Suspended Drives: 99' Camaro 404 TT Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Wheat Ridge Posts: 324	Never had issues with PRC Dual Springs... But looks as if Walhan had PRC's and he broke a valve spring.

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