I did a cam swap on a 2008 5.3 with DOD. This motor "had" the plastic style timing chain dampener on it. When the cover was taken off, the plastic guide and spring steel were just barly hanging on.

When I went to swap out the springs, this is what I found. 10 of the stock 16 springs were broken. All were broken in the same place. So if you're planning on cam swap, and you don't want to put forth the extra time/money/labor to replace it . . . here's something else that can happen.

This was a bone stock 5.3 with a tune on it. 53,000 miles on it.






Here's the new style dampener

 

Wow some of the new DOD motors really have some bad luck with valve train.. Im guessing the engine was running with the broke springs?

 

yeah still running. One of the valves kissed the piston, but there was no dammage. The stock timing chain had lots of slack in it, but it was still dot to dot.

 

Tried avoiding using the plastic dampner, but the ls2 wedge didn't fit lawlz... Those springs are brittle indeed. GL on the fix.

 

damn 10!!!!!!!!!!

 

what is the rpm cutoff/shift point with the tune???

i took all of the stock springs they looked new at 70k + miles and i rev the hell out of my truck at 6200 rpms with stock dod lifters and springs

 

Same here, I rev to 6200 on stock valve train. Only have 60k on my motor.

 

if I had to guess 6200-6500

 

Makes me wonder if you were floating the valves, which caused the springs to break. Revving a stock DOD 5.3 to 6500 is just a waste, honestly...power has already fallen off with that tiny cam they have.

 

Agreed, mine starts falling off at 4700rpm lol