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Broken LS3 Valve Spring

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Old Dec 20, 2014 | 04:29 AM
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mad mikes gto's Avatar
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Default Broken LS3 Valve Spring

I just wanted to share with everyone what I stumbled across a couple days ago. My desire to go faster may have saved my engine. I just finished putting a A&A V3 supercharger on my car. I decided to put a new cam in at the same time. When I was changing the valve springs I found 1 broken factory ls3 spring on the #3 cylinder exhaust valve. I have a stock LS2 short block and cam, with factory LS3 heads. I don't know when this spring broke. But it has 35k miles on it. I did not feel, hear, or expect any issues. So when I found this I was stunned.

Last edited by mad mikes gto; Dec 20, 2014 at 04:34 AM.
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Old Dec 20, 2014 | 10:58 AM
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It does not look like it's a fresh break

I wonder if I could convince my ole lady that putting new cam and new springs in the car is preventative maintenance... It's worth a try
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Old Dec 21, 2014 | 02:25 AM
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Originally Posted by mysloride
It does not look like it's a fresh break

I wonder if I could convince my ole lady that putting new cam and new springs in the car is preventative maintenance... It's worth a try
My old C5 had 93000 miles on it. The old lady chased me out of the house and told me to get myself a new one. So I found this with 2400 miles on it. I just love that old girl.
And yes I've already changed all the valve springs to Manley's, with tool steel retainers with 10 degree keepers.
And to the OP good save on your part catching that broken one. You must have had twin springs on there?
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Old Dec 22, 2014 | 02:46 AM
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Since you said cam (as it running it on the spring that cracked) , then who's after market spring is this that cracked?

If you where running a cam with stock springs, that pretty much sums up the problem in the first place.

Also to add, cam and 35K is about the time to replace the springs anyways, and besides the cracked spring, would start to check the rest of them for grins anyways (others should be close to dead too).
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