Valve Springs...

How do we choose the correct valve spring for our application other than going with the cam manufacture recommendations? I understand coil bind, installed height, open and closed pressure.
Does valve weight ever come into play when selecting a set of valve springs? Titanium VS Inconel VS Stainless..

Thx

Tom

Yes, valve weight comes into play Tom. Also RPM comes into play, as does application, such as truck pulling verse drag racing. Do I have any set formula? No. However, I have lots of experience doing cylinder heads, and repairing hurt cylinder heads has given me some insight. The heads will give you clues if you look at and study the valve train components. Things such as beat up valve stems, shiny locks, shiny and scarred spring seat cups, wide valve seats that look like they have been pounded, tips of the valves that have an asterisk * pattern, and so on.

Charlie Evans

Thank you for taking the time to answer my question. I think its one of those things best left up to guys like you with the experience. I don't have the wallet to the experience of all the different combinations of valve and springs combinations.
I will be calling you within the next month for help with my Boss heads. They have titanium intake valves and I want to replace them. Once i get a spring compressor big enough to dissemble them, I will remove one and send it to you for replacements of all 8.

Tom

Well thank you Tom. Generally speaking the titanium valves can get away with a lighter valve spring, and the valve train will still be under control and not float. Of course it very much depends on how high of a rpm you are operating your engine at. So I will need some guidance and direction from you also.

Charlie Evans

Yup, Charlie knows. after years of dicking around with it 1 trip by my heads to the famous Uncle Charlie's and "Voila!" problems solved.

"Good judgement comes from experience ... and, experience, well, that comes from bad judgement". Ben Franklin

Frequency and resonance comes into play too when selecting proper valve springs.

rmcomprandy wrote:"Good judgement comes from experience ... and, experience, well, that comes from bad judgement".  Ben Franklin

I don't throw anything away and there are plenty of reminders around here from bad judgement...