Snidley

Due to a mistake I made installing valve springs on my car, I have 1 Patriot Extreem valve spring.
First to reply can have it. I'll even ship it out.

Steve

bartekb93

Hmmm.... I'll bite
I'm even local so you can save on postage or bring it to an auto-x at Rt. 66 this weekend.

pipeliner1

Bart....WTF are you gonna do with a valve spring. It will not fit in a Miata or a Honda Fit

bartekb93

I'll wait till yours go again on your BSP vette and then wave it in front of you?

pipeliner1

Its SM not BSP and I actually know what a push rod is.....or in the Polish world....long pushy thingy.

bartekb93

I never called it "long pushy thingy". I think you confused me with someone else. Besides, we've hijacking the thread. Let's get back to the valve spring

Snidley

PM an address. I'll send it to you. Rt 66 is too far out of the way-I'm heading to Road America this weekend.

Maybe you are close--I'm in Buffalo Grove

bartekb93

PMed.
Ah, I think my friend is dragging his STi to RA this weekend. Please make sure to wave to him - been trying to convince him on a vette for a while now, but he just won't listen

Snidley

I'll wave as I go by him

bartekb93

Hehe, that's the same approach he has regarding other users of the track

Snidley

There is a grey 2006 STI in the Intermediate group. I'm in the next group up.

bartekb93

Valve spring arrived today - top notch packaging to boot!
Thank you very much for awesome service and operation.

Good luck at RA tomorrow and Sunday - I hope it stays dry for you.

dfinke23

How many other extra parts do you have?
What happened exactly, that left you not using a perfectly good valve spring?

Snidley

One set of valve seals for the intake, 1 stock spring, retainer and keeper, and 4 Patriot Gold springs.

I did a head/cam job last May. I bought a set of LS3 heads and a set of Patriot Extreem springs off the forum. For some unkown reason, I didn't get the base plates with the springs. The mechanic that installed the springs for me was not familiar with the Patriots, but did know that he could not mount the springs on the heads with out some sort of steel backing plate first, so he got a set of stock valve seals for it. That cured the spring to aluminum problem, but created another. The seals are a larger diameter than the inner valve spring. When everything got back together, it ran great, but we didn't know that the inner springs were binding. After a month or so of driving it and having it dyno tuned, it started a ticking that sounded like a valve that needed adjustment or a exhaust leak. I used a stethescope to listen to the engine, but at idle, it sounded fine. I found a exhaust leak and fixed that 2 days before we were to embark on a 2200 mile road trip.

About 500 miles into the road trip, the ticking that still was there became a pounding. At this time we stopped to check it out in a town called Cornwall, Ontario, Canada. I pulled a valve cover off and found that the retainer (titanium) on the valve closest to the firewall had broken, but that the center of the retainer had stayed in place and the inner valve spring had kept the valve from falling into the cylinder. Lucky for me. We happened to pull off the expressway next to a Chevy dealer, and a hotel right there, too. It was Sunday, so we took the car to the dealer on Monday morning. They took it apart, and found exactly what I had told them they would find. I told them to install a stock spring set up, and I would be on my way. The dealer screwed around trying to find a matching spring for a day. I had still not figured out what the real problem was. Meanwhile, I contacted Patriot, and they sent out a replacement spring and retainer to my home. Finished the vacation and got home with no more problems.

I talked to Patriot again about what had happened, and they informed me that the Patriot Extreem springs that were on the car were probably over stressed from the stock seals, and should be replaced. I purchased a new set of Patriot Gold springs (the Extreems were overkill for the engine, but I got a good price). Patriot sent out the springs and I started replacing them and noticed there were only 12 springs, but all the backing plates and retainers I needed. Called Patriot. They said sorry and we will send out the remainder. I guess to make up for it, they sent out 8 more springs, a couple of backing plates, and the additional retainer I asked for.

Its now all back together. It runs great. Sunday is going to be myone and only track day this year, but all facts considered with the springs, has probably saved me from buying a new engine.

And thats why I had 1 Patriot Extreem spring.

Steve