C5 Valve spring issue
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 121
Likes: 29
From: Madison Mississippi
C5 Valve spring issue
Just bought a 2003 C5 Z06. I am concerned about this model's ongoing issue with valve spring failure. How do I tell if a valve spring fix/replacement has been done on my car? I see no indication of valve spring replacement in the limited history I have of the car. Thanks.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,786
Likes: 483
From: Douglas County WI
Remove the oil filler cap and shine a light down there. You should be able to see a spring or two. If they are yellow or bare metal, odds are they haven't been changed. If they are blue that is a good thing.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 121
Likes: 29
From: Madison Mississippi
Were all the 03's yellow? If bare metal, how do you tell original vs upgrade? I plan on removing the valve cover to take a look. Just want to know what I am looking at when I get there. Thanks for your response.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,786
Likes: 483
From: Douglas County WI
I have an 02 built right in the middle of the problem era, so I can't speak to the yellow springs on an 03. I'm sure someone else will chime in about that. The springs on mine were bare metal. They may have had orange dots on them, can't say for sure. At any rate, I had just bought it in Sept of 2016 so I don't know if the springs were original or changed, although other people on the forum said theirs had bare metal springs, too. I guess if there is any doubt, change them out. It's way cheaper than a new motor! And you might as well change the guides, valve cover cover gaskets, and spark plugs and wires while you are at it because you will probably break some of the wires as they have a tendency to cook onto the plugs. If you have any mechanical apptitude at all you can do the job yourself. there are also several tutorials on you tube, etc.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 121
Likes: 29
From: Madison Mississippi
I have an 02 built right in the middle of the problem era, so I can't speak to the yellow springs on an 03. I'm sure someone else will chime in about that. The springs on mine were bare metal. They may have had orange dots on them, can't say for sure. At any rate, I had just bought it in Sept of 2016 so I don't know if the springs were original or changed, although other people on the forum said theirs had bare metal springs, too. I guess if there is any doubt, change them out. It's way cheaper than a new motor! And you might as well change the guides, valve cover cover gaskets, and spark plugs and wires while you are at it because you will probably break some of the wires as they have a tendency to cook onto the plugs. If you have any mechanical apptitude at all you can do the job yourself. there are also several tutorials on you tube, etc.
