How to soften a spring
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,927
Likes: 9
From: Ozark, Alabama
How to soften a spring
I have a small spring (about the size of a valve spring)in the boost controller that takes too much force to open ~ 20 Psi. I need to reduce the force required to about 10 Psi.
It is a short fat spring and I can't get a substitute. Is there a way to change this with heat or something. Making it stiffer is easy but I don't know about making it softer.
Thanks
It is a short fat spring and I can't get a substitute. Is there a way to change this with heat or something. Making it stiffer is easy but I don't know about making it softer.
Thanks
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,927
Likes: 9
From: Ozark, Alabama
Thanks ... it is the spring for the waste gate so it does not get hot. It was supposed to be 7-8Psi but it acts more like 15 Psi which is much to high. That will smoke my engine with that much boost.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 327
Likes: 5
From: West Palm Beach FL
St. Jude Donor '11
Cut a half coil off of it. Make a test run.
Cut another coil off of it. Make a test run.
Repeat until desired boost level is reached. Be careful and don't blow the motor.
Ive used this technique before and it works great.
Cut another coil off of it. Make a test run.
Repeat until desired boost level is reached. Be careful and don't blow the motor.
Ive used this technique before and it works great.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 285
Likes: 0
From: Boca raton Florida
I have seen this done to. But on big suspension springs.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 6,149
Likes: 11
From: Greater Detroit Metro MI, when I'm not travelling.
Whatever you do, DO NOT HEAT IT UP TO SOFTEN IT.
Yes, heating it up will soften it, but then it won't be a spring any more; it will be a helical bent piece of non heat treated metal. The temper is very important on springs and if you heat it up it will deform when fully compressed.
