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Cam and Spring combos for longevity

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Old Nov 28, 2005 | 10:56 PM
  #1  
budhayes3's Avatar
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Default Cam and Spring combos for longevity

Has anybody installed any relatively "radical" cams and run them for any length of time, like a few years? Been checkin out all of these high lift, aggressive lobe profiles and wondering how much maintenance is required once the set-up is in and good to go. Seems like alot of these set-ups should require annual, or bi-annual spring replacement, not to mention, having to let the vehicle warm up to get some heat into the springs before pounding on it, to avoid breaking a cold, brittle spring. Then there are the smaller lift cams that are kinder to the valvetrain, but at the expense of hp that could be found with a little more lift. I guess that's the trade-off...go mild and you can run LS6 springs and be done with it (but be wishing you had more power)...or go wild and run some Comp 918's, let it warm up in the winter, beat the **** out of it with a big smile on your face, but get another set of springs ready to go for when the big lift and aggressive ramps spanks the life out of your springs. What's everybody's experience and opinion on this?
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Old Nov 29, 2005 | 12:43 PM
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i've wanted to know the same thing,

my cam is not aggressive by any means (Tr220) but i know 918's wont last as long as normal stock ones', the life span has me worried enough that i'd like to change them after a year and a half of use.
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Old Nov 29, 2005 | 12:55 PM
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I had heard that the 918's are very durable. Like they should last tens of thousands of miles. Now you have me wondering.
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Old Nov 29, 2005 | 01:15 PM
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I've read a lot on LS1Tech about guys talking about having to change springs yearly with over .550 lift and/or agressive lobes...seems it's considered an expected maintenance item with a performance cam. I also wonder what kind of beating the valve seats can take with the valves constantly slamming against them so fiercely
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