so just for my own understanding... this would have to be a spring failure?

i mean, the retainer and lock were still on the stem of the valve.. you think the spring let the valve go down too far, and it slapped the piston, and thats what broke the valve?

i am just trying to understand this so it wont happen to me again. the new motor i just got has patriot heads with double springs and titanium retainers on it, so hopefully it wont happen again.

 

By the sound of it you probably did just have a valve break. The LS6 springs don't have much of a record of breaking. How do the springs and pushrods look?

 

pushrods are perfect, springs look great too..

i dont know if i should take the spring from the failed cylinder to a machine shop and have them do a pressure test or seomthing? would that be an indicator of a failure if it had less holding pressure than the rest of the springs?

 

here is a pic of the top of the retainer/lock with the stem still attached.

 

Can I see the bottom side.

 

I like your comment Zippy, never seen one break that's not attached to a 918 lol!

 

will get that pic up in the morning. i didnt take one of that, but you could see shiny spots and dull spots where the break occured, as if it wasnt a good pour on the casting or something...

i will post a pic up in the am though for sure.

 

Looks like someone was right.... (see post 12)

Sucks to hear about... That cam wasn't too big and with stock springs I could see why it could be warranty..

so bigger and better?

 

Valve float can cause a valve stem to break up by the locks. The valve doesn't have to hit the piston. Ls6 springs are light PSI and designed to control the light LS6 valves, on the ls6 ramp not the heavy truck valves with the comp ramp. Chances are the valve was bouncing on the seat.

 

here is the underside of it.