usa1racing

I'm building up a SBC that will see about 85% drag strip use and 15% street use, 6800 max RPM. The heads will be either Edelbrock Victor Jr. or Dart Pro 1 215's. The cam will be a solid roller with around 630-645 lift. My question regards the Comp Cams 943 Pacaloy valve springs, the Comp Cams 954 valve springs, and the Edelbrock-supplied roller valve springs. Does anyone have expierience with any of these springs?

ede

i wouldn't use edlebrock anything. only springs i'd use would come from comp or lunati.

RB83L69

I wouldn't use Edelbrock springs, period. Since Dart doesn't supply Edelbrock springs on their heads, and they don't come with a Vic Jr. intake, it's impossible to even guess what springs they might be.

The 954 is enough spring for that cam. It's also the spring Dart supplies on the 1.55" optioned Pro 1s.

The 943 requires a different retainer from the ones that go with the 954. Available only in titanium. Probably overkill but would work fine.

usa1racing

I just talked to an Edelbrock tech rep, and he gave me the following info on #5823 solid roller vavle springs on Victor Jr. heads:

Installed height: 1.925"
Seat Pressure: 210lbs.
Open Pressure: 480lbs. @1.4 in.
Max. Lift: 0.665"

They're supplied by Pioneer, which doesn't list any specs on their web site. Ideally, I'd like to use the Comp springs (either 943 or 954's) on the Edelbrock heads because the Victor's have better flow numbers than the Darts above 0.500 lift. But since the Edelbrock's come with springs good to 0.665" lift, I may just use them. It'd be cheaper than buying bare heads and then having to buy valves, springs, retainers, locks, etc. Comparing the Edelbrock/Pioneer springs to the Comp Cams 954 springs, the pressures are nearly similar if each is checked at the same lift. Edelbrock, as stated before, shows a pressure of 480lbs. at 1.4 inches. The Comp 954's show a pressure of 465 lbs. at 1.4 in. Edelbrock has an installed height of 1.925" and a seat pressure of 180lbs. Comp has a seat pressure 211lbs. if you average the values given in the Comp Cams catalog. The confusing part is that each company gives pressures at different spring heights. If data is compared at the same spring heights, the springs appear similar in pressure. Quality and spring life is still in question.

ede

i don't think you'll be sorry with springs from comp, as long as they match your cam.

usa1racing

Yea, I'd really like to stick with Comp, especially since the 954 is what Comp recommends to match the SR cam they recommended. However, since the Edelbrock/Pioneer springs closely matched the 954's, I was hoping those springs and the cam would interface.

I'm guessing you guys are anti-Edelbrock from what I've inferred from your posts. You've had bad expieriences with them, or know someone who has? It seems like a lot of people have a love/hate relationship with the company in general, which is why I ask. No disrespect intended.

I'm kind of leaning towards using the Victor heads on the motor now, after reviewing the cams I was recommended and seeing the the Victor's outflow the Dart Pro 1's from 0.500" on up. Also, I was hoping to use the Victor's out of the box, set up for SR cams, due to nothing other than the increased price to buy the bare heads and piece them together. I guess the main question now is whether or not it's worth it, considering the car's limited use, (5-6 racing weekends/year, and <50 street miles/year), to spend the extra money to upgrade to Comp Cams valvetrain components over what is installed by Edelbrock from the factory. I don't like the fact that Edelbrock doesn't show exactly what parts they're using and where they came from, as Dart does. I guess while we're at it, that purchasing the Pro 1 vs. Victor Jr. debate is still open to interpretation. Thanks for all the help.

RB83L69

I'm not so much anti-Edelbrock, as anti- anything for valve springs that comes packaged on heads, if it doesn't come from a cam mfr. I don't count Edelbrock as such because all they do is sell generic cams from Elgin or whoever; they don't actually make them (or even grind them themselves).