rcdynamic88

I am putting a Lunati Hydraulic roller Cam in my latest 455 build. I am using Edelbrock heads that still have the valve springs that they came with. These springs are 1.46" dia and have an installed height of 1.800". The closed seat pressure is 120lbs, the open seat pressure is 320lbs, and they are supposed to be good up to .575" of lift. I have seen several postings on the realoldspower.com forum that state that the springs Edelbrock uses are not very good and lose seat pressure very quickly. The Lunati hydraulic roller cam I am getting is a custom grind that has .518/.525 valve lift and the Lunati tech said that the specs for the Edlbrock springs are good enough to work with the cam they are making for my application. But I think I would like to upgrade the springs anyway. Is there anyone out there that has replaced there E-brock springs with some better ones? What did you use? Do they still have to be 1.46" dia or can they be larger? Does the installed height need to be the same 1.800"? I had to replace all the valves in the heads last year, and bought the same ones from E-brock, so I really don't want to buy new ones again to work with other springs. What do my fellow Olds lovers think are my best options? Any info would be appreciated...

PS:I keep on trying to register on realoldspower.com inorder to get some help with this but the administrater never contacts me, so I'm trying here on classicoldsmobile.com

cutlassefi

You might want to contact Pat (Citcapp) on this site. He just got a custom hydraulic roller, lifters, springs and retainers for his Edelbrock headed 455 from me. I can get you what you want and probably save you a few bucks, your call.

The springs you have will work but they are a bit light. But because you're only going to have .525 lift you can shim those a bit to get more pressure if you want. Any spring loses about 5-10% of its' pressure over time. Otherwise the Edelbrock stuff is fine.

cutlassefi

RC - sent you a pm regarding springs. You can use what you have with some shims or re-evaluate the total package. I can help with that. Let me know.

Warhead

There are many springs out there, you will get what you pay for.
I personally would stay around 130# pounds on the seat, but you had BETTER MAKE SURE IT IS AT 1.800 INCHES!!!

That 1.800 inches is the exact distance between the spring seat, and the retainer, and is what the head requires-if you change the installed height-you better know what you are doing...I.E. experience with assembling cylinder heads. Lots of springs out there are rated at this number so use 1.800 inches.
Do not screw with this number, unless you have a height mike, shims, and a Rimac spring pressure tester.

I do NOT advocate shimming up your old springs, unless you have the height mike, and an assortment of shims, and a tester.
Coil bind IS a danger, anytime you do this.

The spring diameter will be in part dictated by the retainer. If you change this, it "may" alter your 1.800 spring height. If it is a double spring, note the sizes of both the inner, and outer steps on the retainers, and the springs. And a flat damper is not considered another spring.

Do not shop by price on springs.
Shop by the set up pressure, set up height, available lift, diameter-and eat the cost, whatever it may be.
And Mark is correct about loss in spring pressure. Most all of them will drop 10% just after several hours use.
If you get a spring that is rated at 130# on the seat, drops 10# after 2 hours, it will hold (take a set) at 120# for a very prolonged period, if the spring does not get overheated.

Pretty much what you want-120#, long term
.
I am not yelling, but I can not emphasize this enough to people.
PAY a professional to do it right.
Jim