Not sure if this was ever posted on this board (I never saw it talked about here in all my searching), so I'm posting this in case someone has a box of PAC 1518s laying around that might be part of the two bad batches.

See letter below, which lists the two bad batches.

BTW - I just ordered some PAC 1518s last week, but I'm sure they are new stock, so they should be OK. If you are interested in more info on this, do a search on the web for 'PAC 1518 spring failure' and you'll get hits from other sites.

================== Letter from PAC ======================

PAC Racing Springs Phone: 1.866.799.9417
21200 Telegraph Rd Fax: 1.248.350.3206
Southfield, Michigan 48033

RE: PAC-1518 Engine Valve Product Quality Notice 03/22/2011

Dear PAC Customers,

In our continuing effort to be the world’s best spring manufacturer, PAC Racing Springs follows and tracks performance of our products in the field. Through this tracking, we’ve determined that a very small percentage of certain engine valve springs, produced in the fourth quarter of 2010 may be subject vs our world class quality standards. We have identified which production lots are affected and we have implemented a corrective action plan to prevent reoccurrence.

Affected springs are limited to lots 36822 and 36104, with manufacturing dates after October 2010. Please be aware that a potential failure occurs in only some products and only in very early mileage situations.

PAC’s return policy is: “Due to the nature of use, no warranty is expressed or implied”. In this case, however, PAC will, at our option replace qualified parts from affected batches.

Return criteria to include but not limited to:

· Buyer to return springs in original packaging, with proof of purchase, and proof of original batch number, tying product to affected lot(s). All costs to return springs, including preparation, packaging and shipping must be paid by buyer.

· All returns must be received by PAC Racing Springs no later than May 1st, 2011.

· PAC will replace springs with return paid standard/ground shipping.

Please call 1.866.799.9417 and our technical support staff will work with you to issue a return material authorization and work to resolve the issue.

Please feel confident that all current production parts have undergone several series of engine tests to ensure they are free from defects.

Please feel free to contact us with questions or concerns.

Sincerely,
Jason Youd
Business Development Manager Phone: 248.359.5648

 

Good info to post, but I did notice their return deadline has come and gone however.

 

Notice the date of the letter was not very long ago ... 03/22/2011. They sure didn't give much time (only ~ 5 weeks) to the customers to do something about this IMO. Hell, I didn't even find out about this issue until after a week of research on the web about PAC 1518 springs. I don't think it's well known in the community just yet.

I'm sure PAC got wind of these failures back in Oct-Nov 2010 time frame. Don't know why the letter came out so late, and they sure don't give a large time window to react.

I'm sure if someone found out they had one of the two bad batches in the box or even in their car that PAC would still do something about it.

 

That IS a short time for defect claims. Very short.

Did you ever find out what the nature of the defect was? Bad heat treating? Wire not properly alloyed?

 

Irony would be replacing your working oem springs with a new set that immediately fail.

Not trying to stir things up- I have all the replacement parts on hand myself to do the job. But the thought has occurred to me.

In my case- I have the new "Blue" color GM oem springs.

 

I talked to someone at PAC and they wouldn't give any details. Just said it was something related to the manufacturing process ... pretty broad statement.

Usually when a defect is discovered, steps are made to make it better than it ever was, so I'm confident that PAC has taken care of this issue. Doubt if there are any old bad batches on the shelves by now, but you never know and hence why I posted this information.

 

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. Something like that already happened to me when I swapped out the OEM ACDelco battery for an Optima Red Top to prevent any battery leakage possibility. Well, guess what ... the frickin' Optima leaked!

 

I thought this issues was primarily with the hemi motors, not sure why but PAC did state that for some reason the hemi motors have caused a lot of the observed failures.

 

That could be the case, but if I had one of these know bad batch numbers I wouldn't put them in anything. Not sure what the root cause of the failures is, but if the spring is under use in any engine it could be an issue.

 

So maybe- if it ain't broke, don't fix it??

 

You mean don't swap out the OEM springs? I'm definately going to swap them out. If the PAC 1518s I receive this week don't have a known bad batch number then I'm going to use them.

The bad batches were made Oct-Dec 2010, so I'm betting any springs bought now are probably much newer stock than that. If PAC identified the issue of the bad springs, I'm confident that the new ones are probably as good as they get. Usually when a problem like this is discovered, the processes, QA and testing is made even better to prove rectification of the issue.

 

ANY word on the PAC 1218 springs and if there's been failures with them? I just looked and the batch that I have are from November 2010.

 

According to the letter from PAC (in post #1 above), it sounds like it only effects PAC 1518 springs with batch lot numbers 36822 and 36104.

Call PAC at 1.866.799.9417 to see if any 1218s were effected ... I don't think they were.

 

good info on the recall; was this crossposted in the Roadracing section?

 

This place is here in the Detroit area... From my limited metallurgical experience in my automotive days I have a good hunch as to what is wrong. It is called, 'hydrogen embrittlement'...which means the heat treat process step where acid is used to clean the parts wasn't performed properly resulting in a brittle condition in the high carbon spring steel. The clue is their comment about very early service leading to the failure. As such, the part will appear normal but once stressed in service it will break up due to the brittle nature.

WIKI....

Hydrogen embrittlement is the process by which various metals, most importantly high-strength steel, become brittle and fracture following exposure to hydrogen. Hydrogen embrittlement is often the result of unintentional introduction of hydrogen into susceptible metals during forming or finishing operations.

Hydrogen embrittlement can occur during various manufacturing operations or operational use - anywhere that the metal comes into contact with atomic or molecular hydrogen. Processes that can lead to this include cathodic protection, phosphating, pickling, and electroplating. A special case is arc welding, in which the hydrogen is released from moisture (for example in the coating of the welding electrodes; to minimize this, special low-hydrogen electrodes are used for welding high-strength steels). Other mechanisms of introduction of hydrogen into metal are galvanic corrosion, chemical reactions of metal with acids, or with other chemicals (notably hydrogen sulfide in sulfide stress cracking, or SSC, a process of importance for the oil and gas industries).

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