lefrog

I have an 02Z with 33K on it, engine is entirely stock. Car is now a dedicated track car.
I have read a bunch of horror stories for LS6 valve spring defects during that period. Do you think that it would be a wise move to replace them preventatively? If yes, with GM replacements or aftermarkets?
Do you need to do the seals as well or just the springs?

Thanks for the info

DansBlkonBlkZ06

I had my '02 springs redone at 45,000 miles for piece of mind. I ordered them from GM Partshouse. I didn't do the seals.

ZedO6

Absolutely change them out ASAP. I did mine with GM springs and valve seals. My 2002 C5Z only had 16K miles Dirt cheap and a very worthwhile 2 hour time investment. Valve springs should be a maintenance item on a track car.

Valve spring failures on the LS6 is catastrophic most of the time. Lots of threads here...head their warning.


Good info in this tread complete with DIY info and part numbers
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-z...placement.html

froggy47

Anyone know the cutoff date when gm put the better valve springs in ls6?

lefrog

Thanks for the link. It looks much easier on the LS than it is on my old SBC on the C3! Will do that as soon as the car comes back from the rollcage install.

lefrog

Look at this thread for the stats on failures: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-z...-failures.html

froggy47

Frog to Frog I thank you.

CHJ In Virginia

LS6 valve springs should be considered an annual maintenance item on a car that is tracked more than 8-10 times a year. They are cheap about $100 a set and it takes about a 3-4 hour time investment (including a beer break) once you figure out what you are doing. I did my seals about every third change just because - never had a leaker using GM stock seals. Stay with the stock GM springs unless you are heavily modified, they work fine.

lefrog

Ribbit! The Z Frog will be getting new springs soon

lefrog

Agreed. The fact that there is no need for 0-lash adjustment makes it so much faster, you don't have to deal with all the fancy business of getting each valve in the right position to adjust it. What a time saver!

I was thinking of upgrading my old pull-style valve spring compressor to this one: I can't really justify more than twice the price for the Proform ( ) even if it can do 2 springs at once.

69autoXr

I disagree, having done the job on both.

lefrog

What could possibly be harder on the C5?

69autoXr

Maybe you'll find it easier, but for me the C3 was easier. Stock manifolds and emmisions tubes, along with the angled plug holes, made it tricky to get spark plugs in/out and get the air hose adapter threaded in. If you have headers your experience will be different. Plug wires aren't terribly fun to get pushed on all the way, and coil packs need to be removed.

The cowl overhangs #7 and 8 cylinder's springs, this can make it tricky depending on what type of spring compressor you're using. I didn't use a fancy expensive one, just an old school star wheel type that I had to modify to clear the cowl overhang.

All in all neither is terribly bad, I just found my C5 more challenging than my C3. YMMV

Kubs

I have done springs on an LS2 with headers and I thought it was easier than my C4, but all in all not a bad job in either one.

lefrog

Does that mean that a compressor tool like the Powerbuilt 940541 ( ) would not work either? Only the more expensive Proform 67605 would do the job painlessly?

ErnieN85

Get the 67605 it is worth it
I have a crane cams one for LS6 I'd let go for $50

lefrog

What's the difference between the Proform and the Crane Cams?

Kubs

This is the one I used and it fit under the cowl no problem.

ErnieN85

I'm not sure they look the same to me I think the proform is a copy of the crane cam I got it quite a while ago and wrecked my C5Z so I never used it.

CHJ In Virginia

I use the Crane Cams tool - works fine on every cylinder - no clearance problems at all. Be sure to get the compressed air fitting to hold the valves in place during spring removal.