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View Full Version : Anyone use Beehive/Conical/Ovate wire Valve springs and Ti retainers/locks?



tulowd
12-21-2014, 05:08 PM
Investigating hardware for ported Victor Jrs on a 333 cid Windsor. Hydraulic roller for now; 6500 rpm max or so.
Looking at the smallest top dimension of the spring for reducing the retainer size and thus the mass. Likely going to Ti retainers and 10* Ti locks as well; gulp - that's a lot of extra dough. The odd shaped springs apparently have totally different harmonics, so they don't need a second spring or damper and are more durable at higher rpm.

Anyone has done this, looking for comments on durability and streetability as well as road racing applications.
Needs to be reliable first and foremost.

Dug thru the COMP Cams catalog and found two beehive springs that should work from a height and pressure perspective.

Would like to hear what you have used and the results / comments, thx

tulowd
12-21-2014, 05:29 PM
Have you talked to any camshaft/spring suppliers? Do you have all cam info and valvetrain parts spec's out?

Have all info handy, calling COMP tomorrow. Thinking a full package is safer, since they have likely tested it for harmonics and fitment. Paul at PSP likes using COMP stuff and has had good durability and success with it, however - he has not used anything other than conventional dual springs on street motors, hence the research here.

ZR
12-21-2014, 06:34 PM
No downside to them so long as they make one applicable to your combo.

Tailites
12-21-2014, 11:56 PM
I have them in my motor...on iron heads & theyre fine

you can run less seat pressure & zing them way up there with no valve float

where a conventional spring would not close the valve

but I seldom hit 6 grand

they simply work better than conventional stuff...over the long haul tho? I dont know

tulowd
12-27-2014, 10:19 AM
Comp Cams told me three different things during three different phone calls, so I passed. The conical and beehive springs were all designed for LS1 motors, so that's why they didn't have the correct size retainer to match the 11/32" standard Ford valve stem. Had I gone 8mm valves, woulda worked. Then they told me they cant keep the conical springs in stock - could be as long as a 5 month wait.
No thanks.

Their commentary was in order of performance:
1) conical springs
2) beehive
3) ovate / dual springs


Ordered lightweight tool steel retainers and machined locks (very close weight to Ti, but way more durable; app 30% lighter than conventional steel retainers) and the conventional dual springs that Paul at PSP has had good success with.

Should be pretty decent. When I redo the heads with smaller stems/lighter valves and conical springs/ hardware and switch to a solid roller and shaft rockers, this will all make more sense. Will also need aftermarket block for it to rev to 8000 rpm.......