Valve Springs replacement

[Scoobum]

We used anything that was antifreeze and oil resistant. Just look on the package at your fav auto parts store.

[Scoobum]

There's a torque sequence. Check Steves site.

[gnonyx]

We used anything that was antifreeze and oil resistant. Just look on the package at your fav auto parts store.

Do you put the RTV on both side of the intake gasket or just one side only?

[Scoobum]

We always put a smear on both sides. I never had any leaks. To my knowledge they went on dry when new. Up to you what you wanna do. I was afraid of a possible antifreeze leak into the engine.

[gnonyx]

Quote from: Steve Wood on November 09 2021, 05:52:10 PMI would use new matching retainers and locks if I did it to make sure everything fit just right.

Steel Retainers:728-16  /   750-16
Tool Steel Retainers:1750-16WOW, I can't believe the price for both of these items
Is it possible to still use the existing retainers?

Which is cheaper. New locks and retainers, or dropping a valve.

I defiantly do greed with the new locks and retainers

Hi Steve,
 I meant to ask you since I already installed all of the valve springs today, and I want to know since these heads are cast iron I don't need a valve spring seat, but if I did change to an Aluminum heads then I would need a valve spring seat or the valve springs would eat the Aluminum seat.
Is this statement true?

[Steve Wood]

I think most use a cup on aluminium in general these days.  Don't have any Buick specific experience.

[gnonyx]

I think most use a cup on aluminium in general these days.  Don't have any Buick specific experience.

Thanks for the updated info
Using the rope method wasn't too bad to used, like everyone else claimed #6 was a challenge, but a few minutes longer then the other replacements.
Now I'm waiting for the white rocker arm buttons to come in for replacement

[Steve Wood]

👍

[Steve Wood]

Did the new springs feel a lot "stiffer" than the old springs?

[gnonyx]

Did the new springs feel a lot "stiffer" than the old springs?

Definitely, and I'm glad you mention about getting new retainers.
I didn't even try to see if the original one fits or not, as I wanted everything to fit as a unit from comp cam's valve springs, comp cam retainers, and comp cam locks. When in doubt don't guess, just do it right.
A while back you did mention I might need to replace the intake manifold gasket, I did smoked the intake, but could not see the end of the intake at the firewall end. I'm glad I did removed the intake gasket since the rubber gasket on the edge of the block was very brittle and dried.

[Steve Wood]

that only would create a potential oil leak, not a vacuum leak.  Unless you have a lot of blowby, there is not normally any pressure in the valley area (and that pressure has nothing to do directly with a loss of vacuum.

And once again , I will remind you that minor vacuum leaks are really not material unless it forces the blm correction outside the range of the ecm.  Blms not being 128 is pretty much immaterial as long they are still with the ecm range.  Modern chips with different fueling can also have an effect on this correction not to mention the lack of true closed loop correction at idle.

[gnonyx]

that only would create a potential oil leak, not a vacuum leak.  Unless you have a lot of blowby, there is not normally any pressure in the valley area (and that pressure has nothing to do directly with a loss of vacuum.

And once again , I will remind you that minor vacuum leaks are really not material unless it forces the blm correction outside the range of the ecm.  Blms not being 128 is pretty much immaterial as long they are still with the ecm range.  Modern chips with different fueling can also have an effect on this correction not to mention the lack of true closed loop correction at idle.

Before removing the intake I did both smoke test (Vacuum, and Exhaust) just an overall any type of leaks If any.
I'm using an GM 3" MAF, and the Scanmaster reading is as follows:
02-675
AF-05
LB-35
BAT-13.4
INT-124
BL-120
NPH-0
CLT-176
ATS-121
R-725
TP.42
IAC-25
CC-237-32
NAL-0
Fuel press is set at 45 w/vac.hose off (as per Bob Bailey Chip)
Once I put everything back together again, do a drive run and see the scanmaster numbers

[Steve Wood]

good thing you did not have that smoke tester when the car was new.  You would have gone crazy

[~JM~]

Do you have an air compressor that you can dial down to 15psi?

If so, test your PCV valve to see if it blocks flow into engine. You might be surprised.

[gnonyx]

good thing you did not have that smoke tester when the car was new.  You would have gone crazy

Now that is funny, Thanks Steve