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CHEAP 4.0L Valve Spring Suggestions

16K views 14 replies 11 participants last post by  Raymond K 
#1 ·
We're basically OUT of funds for our 4.0L head swap on our race 258, so I need cheap alternatives. We have a '95 7120 casting 4.0L head but need valve springs. We had the recommended 926 valvesprings from Comp on the 258. We're running the Comp 68-231-4 cam (206/212 @.050 4.63/.477 lift). I need cheap valve springs that will drop right in and use the factory retainers and keepers. I think I read somewhere where people used the Chevy Z-28 springs. With the change in installed height, I'm worried about coil bind. If using a spring rated at the 1.700 installed height. I need one that has at least .540 lift capabilities. I've also heard that 5.9L magnum springs will drop right in, but can't find anything but the Mopar Performance springs for those, either.

The Mopar springs are too costly at this point.

I'm in need of suggestions. Please help.
 
#2 · (Edited)
We're basically OUT of funds for our 4.0L head swap on our race 258, so I need cheap alternatives. We have a '95 7120 casting 4.0L head but need valve springs. We had the recommended 926 valvesprings from Comp on the 258. We're running the Comp 68-231-4 cam (206/212 @.050 4.63/.477 lift). I need cheap valve springs that will drop right in and use the factory retainers and keepers. I think I read somewhere where people used the Chevy Z-28 springs. With the change in installed height, I'm worried about coil bind. If using a spring rated at the 1.700 installed height. I need one that has at least .540 lift capabilities. I've also heard that 5.9L magnum springs will drop right in, but can't find anything but the Mopar Performance springs for those, either.

The Mopar springs are too costly at this point.

I'm in need of suggestions. Please help.
You cannot use 258 springs without milling the spring seats.

There are two ways to go on the cheap:

1) Comp Dodge Magnum springs for Dodge 340. Believe P/N is 901. Require MOPAR 4.0L HD retainers. This works well.

2) SBI spring 160-1378, 94-03 Magnum. Requires no machining or alteration of stock 4.0L valve-train. Stock retainers due to "beehive" design. Cheap. Same installed height as 4.0L, slightly more clamping pressure.

There you go.
 
#3 ·
The SBI springs are too weak. The Cranes would probably work, but the retainers are sorta costly. How about Comp's Conical 982's for small block Chevy's but turned upside down? They're about $60. The problem is that Jeg's and Summit are both out of them and say 10 days or more before they ship. I need this motor done by this weekend.
 
#5 · (Edited)
The SBI springs are too weak. The Cranes would probably work, but the retainers are sorta costly. How about Comp's Conical 982's for small block Chevy's but turned upside down? They're about $60. The problem is that Jeg's and Summit are both out of them and say 10 days or more before they ship. I need this motor done by this weekend.
No they are not. Listen - these springs work just fine. Your cam will last with these springs.

I'm not reiterating some one else's tech here dude - I've ran them, I've installed them on numerous engines, and they work very well with the same cam you are running. You want a spring that drops in, works well and is cheap - well that is the right spring.

If you aren't willing to listen to the people that know their shit - you are fucked already.
 
#7 · (Edited)
Aaron, the 68-232-4 has slightly less lift then the 68-231-4. I went on SBI's website and looked up the number that corey gave, and they gave the number for similar springs, so I ended up ordering the Sealed power equivalent to the SBI 160-1378. It was $60 from advance auto for 12 springs and they had them in next day. I installed the new springs in 15 minutes with stock retainers and lockers. I put the head on yesterday and it looks like it will be okay. There is no bind and I believe there is enough pressure from researching the springs compared to stock. It's a bit more then stock but nothing ridiculous that would wear a cam quickly. I wont have the motor in and running until next weekend. I'll update you if needed when it is running.

Also, if you are replacing cam bearings be careful. Each bearing goes in a certain position, none are interchangeable. I think this is the reason alot of people keep having cam bearing failure with new bearings and cams.
 
#13 ·
Im curious how this turned out as well. I bought the equivalent springs SBI listed, VS-1456 Sealed Power from recommendations on JeepForum.com. Then I started having several people tell me they will not work.

Now I have my engine sitting while Ive been googling my eyeballs out! lol! Came across this forum so I made a profile. They seem like they will work ok, but nobody I have asked has been able to confirm. This thread is the closest confirmation I have come across about this issue.

If I had known prior to buying from Comp Cams, that they dont supply compatible springs for this cam, I would have considered buying from another company. But now Im stuck with both the cam and springs. I cant afford to buy something else. My budget is pretty much dried up.

Can someone chime in with an update please :) :D
 
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