martyr

Oh great and wise Auto Gurus;

I'm changing out the 1.26" valve springs on my Trick Flow 23 heads for the 1.46 ones.

I notices as I took the old valve springs off that one of the valve springs disappeared into the head...only kidding. I did notice that the bottom of the 1.26" spring sits in a metal cup on the head. I'm assuming that this is because the head was machined for 1.46" springs and they wanted to restrict the movement of the 1.26" springs at the base. Am I correct?? I don't want to go any further until I know I'm not going to have to take these off!!!!

Your help is, as always greatly appreciated.

ede

yes the cup is used to locate the sping and used to keep the spring from digging in aluminum heads, also used as sort of a shim to help get the correct installed height. i'm more of a dumbass than a great and wise auto guru.

martyr

I didn't get ones to fit the 1.46" springs....can I ommit them? I didn't see any on the stock heads...of course they aren't aluminum.

thirdgen88

don't want to omit them.. you need them on an aluminum head...

SMasterson

You need the larger .060" cups or valve spring shims under the springs. I used 12 cups from TFS for all but the 4 center springs. I used 4 .060 shims in the center because cups would not fit. You can get the shims at most shops. You HAVE to run them under the springs. You cannot run the springs on the aluminum!

You'll then need the +.050 offset keepers to get the spring height installed correctly.

TFS didn't send you everything you need to change the springs!

Be sure to follow the installed height correctly! Now, don't take this wrong but if you don't have the tools and the ability to measure this correctly then you need to have it done or find someone with the tools and ability to use them.

When they sent me my replacement 1.46" springs, retainers, cups, seals and keepers the keepers were the wrong ones. I had to buy them locally.

TFS-51400434 Spring Cups, set of 16
TFS-51400423 Retainers, set of 16
TFS-31400414 Valve Springs, set of 16
TFS-51400454 Valve Stem Seals, set of 16

This is the part TFS sent wrong you need +.050 locks
*TFS-51400444 Valve Locks, machined, set of 32 - These wouldn't work!

HTH

martyr

Well now I am a little upset. I've installed the driver's side. Now I need to uninstall and find some cups.

As far as finding someone to do this.. a quote of $600.00. Fat chance I'll buy the tools and do it myself...with your help of course.

TRICK FLOW????? YOU SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

martyr

Where would I buy the .060 cups locally??? As in what chain store?

SMasterson

You can buy the .060 shims at most machine shops, probably several auto parts stores and most likely any speed shop.

You don't have to have the cups, the shims under the springs will work and they come in different diameters and thickness.

You can measure the spring height pretty easy but there is a guage just for doing it.

Since you PM'd me with different spring specs., here's how you need to set them up.

1.470 in. Springs
1.470 in. O.D. single with damper
120 lbs. at 1.780 in. installed height
300 lbs. at 1.280 in.
360 lbs. per inch spring rate
.540 in. max valve lift

After installing the shims under the springs put a retainer and keeper on it and measure the height. (Search the net for a detailed explanation, there are several) You may, or may not need offset keepers depending on the height. Also, since you're not using the 1.46" springs I'm not even sure that .060 is the thickness of shim you'll need. Just keep searching and you'll understand and be able to set them up.

You're still not going to get 400# suggested by whoever at TFS but these springs should work for you.

As I have stated in a thread a long time ago, and was suggested by someone else lately, you/I should have just called Summit and ordered the spring and complete hardware recommended for that camshaft. At least you would know you had all the parts and they fit. But, trying to get TFS to "make it right" seemed important at the time.

HTH

martyr

Coulda, shoulda, woulda! Believe me when I say that if I had a time machine my ride would be equiped with AFR 195's and an LPE 219 cam. Nobody's fault but my own.

If these folks at Trickflow would just be upfront about their products they wouldn't be getting slammed so hard. I've checked and there have been 1000 views of two threads I started complaining about their product. Talk about "avoidable bad public relations."

They didn't even send everything I needed to make it right. Two e-mails to Arnie at TFS to inquire about the 400# spring issue..with no reply. Guess the 3 day weekend excuse will pop up.

I'm so critical of Trick Flow right now. Even working on the heads I notice that the valve seats are really all over the place as far as machining is concerned. I purchased these when there must have been a rush on them as they were back-ordered.

Not too much of an issue to add the shims...actually pretty easy to get the springs off. Another story setting the valve lash stuff..but another day...I'm learning and I do enjoy that part of it. Just not delays resulting from incompetence.

If I could do one thing to make working on my car easier it would be a quick release setup for the AIR tubes on the headers...what a PITA. Anyone want to create a startup company for AIR bypass or quick release?

If I were Summit I'd either dump Trick Flow or start looking at a little reorganization. It just seems they don't have anything together.......bad tech support..bad customer service....questionable product.

I'll research how to measure the spring height. Almost bought one of the specialty tools from Summit...probably should have!!!

Thanks for all of the info.

Marty