C5 Z06 OEM Valve Spring Replacement Questions
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 17
Likes: 3
From: Cleveland, OH
C5 Z06 OEM Valve Spring Replacement Questions
I have a friend with a 2002 Z06. It's his daily driver and it has 212,000 miles. The other day he broke an exhaust valve spring. No other damage occurred. He plans to drive this car for a long time, so I told him to replace all the valve springs. The mechanic that replaced the exhaust valve spring told him not to worry about the other valve spring and just deal with it IF one of the other springs break. He said OEM valve springs are not available and aftermarket valve springs are junk and will probably break before the ones that are currently in the engine will. I find that hard to believe. I still say replace all of them now. So two questions:
Jim
- What would you do?
- Which valve spring/brand would you recommend?
Jim
Drifting
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From: SC
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I have a friend with a 2002 Z06. It's his daily driver and it has 212,000 miles. The other day he broke an exhaust valve spring. No other damage occurred. He plans to drive this car for a long time, so I told him to replace all the valve springs. The mechanic that replaced the exhaust valve spring told him not to worry about the other valve spring and just deal with it IF one of the other springs break. He said OEM valve springs are not available and aftermarket valve springs are junk and will probably break before the ones that are currently in the engine will. I find that hard to believe. I still say replace all of them now. So two questions:
Jim
- What would you do?
- Which valve spring/brand would you recommend?
Jim
Last edited by grinder11; Jul 14, 2023 at 06:22 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2022
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From: NW Burbs of Chi-Town
2025 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Was this a yellow spring that broke by chance? Yellow went to the improved Blue, which them went natural steel color in the GM lineup. Change them all. GM, PAC....
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 17
Likes: 3
From: Cleveland, OH
Glad I don't know, nor want to know, that mechanic!! You can certainly tell it's not his car!!! At 212,000 miles, if one valve spring broke, others will soon follow. I wonder if the guy that broke the spring realizes how lucky he was?? When a single spring breaks, many times the valve says hello to the piston, and they aren't friendly with each other. Just deal with it when, NOT IF, another spring breaks, eh? Russian roulette, valve spring version. Replace every other valve spring in the engine. As for replacement brand, PAC gets my vote. If you dont know what brand spring the "mechanic" used to replace the broken spring, replace all 16 with PAC's. Deal with it......WOW.
One correction to my original post - the mechanic that’s giving him advise is his regular mechanic, but not the one who replaced the spring. He was on his way from Cleveland to Florida when the spring broke, so a service station in the town he was in changed the spring. I don’t know why they didn’t change all of them at that time.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 17
Likes: 3
From: Cleveland, OH
Was this a yellow spring that broke by chance? Yellow went to the improved Blue, which them went natural steel color in the GM lineup. Change them all. GM, PAC....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gNlgnHdq1o&t=7s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gNlgnHdq1o&t=7s
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I agree 100%. I tried to explain that to him, but for some reason he thinks his mechanic is great. I showed him this post and I think he’s on board with replacing all the springs now.
One correction to my original post - the mechanic that’s giving him advise is his regular mechanic, but not the one who replaced the spring. He was on his way from Cleveland to Florida when the spring broke, so a service station in the town he was in changed the spring. I don’t know why they didn’t change all of them at that time.
One correction to my original post - the mechanic that’s giving him advise is his regular mechanic, but not the one who replaced the spring. He was on his way from Cleveland to Florida when the spring broke, so a service station in the town he was in changed the spring. I don’t know why they didn’t change all of them at that time.
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2023
Posts: 94
Likes: 22
From: SW CO
I believe an 02 C5Z was originally built with the "yellow" springs? If the broken one is plain finish, does that suggest that the springs had been previously replaced?
If so, does the owner know at what mileage the plain-finish springs were installed?
BTW, I agree: Change them all.
If so, does the owner know at what mileage the plain-finish springs were installed?
BTW, I agree: Change them all.
Last edited by vito02; Oct 3, 2023 at 09:47 AM. Reason: Addition
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2023
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From: SW CO
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 17
Likes: 3
From: Cleveland, OH
You're welcome.
I wish I could, but I'm in Cleveland, OH., his car is stored in Florida, and he is out of the country until the spring. He'll likely be back in Florida towards the end of May. If you'd still like to know at that time, just send me a message to remind me to ask him. Sorry, that's the best I can do.
I wish I could, but I'm in Cleveland, OH., his car is stored in Florida, and he is out of the country until the spring. He'll likely be back in Florida towards the end of May. If you'd still like to know at that time, just send me a message to remind me to ask him. Sorry, that's the best I can do.
Race Director
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????????? This thread is about valvesprings-NOT shock absorbers!!! If you want answers to your shock questions, you should start a new thread, instead of hijacking the OP's thread.....