I need some help you guys, Ok I am currently building a 383 stroker and I am having a problem with picking valve springs for my engine. This is what I already know about valve springs: The higher the spring rate the quicker the valves can close and the better seal is created, important at high rpm’s. That’s about as much as I know. So what spring rate do I want? Should I go for single, double, or triple springs? Now your probably asking what my intentions are for the car. I want this car to get up and move! Perhaps Ill take it to the drag strip every once in a wile. However, it is going to be my daily driver. Now for those of you that are familiar with valve spring I would like to let you know what is going into the build; I am assuming that I want springs that will match the build of the engine. The parts there are going into the engine are as followed.

Eagle rotating assembly w/ 6” rods and flat pistons, for 383 stroker

Pro Topline lightning heads that have been polished, 72cc chamber w/ 200cc intake runner,2.02intake and 1.60 exhaust. Compression will be at around 10.1

A Magnum Comp Cam, duration 224 for both intake and exhaust w/ .475 lift @ .05

Magnum Comp Cam 1.6 roller rockers

Manley valves

LT1 intake: ported, polished, and port matched

SLP headers

If anyone of you have dealt with spring rate options and have knowledge please inform me. Please give me your imput

Thanks a million for your input you guys!!!

 

Comp Cams offers springs specifically designed for their own grinds. On their site you can look up all the info needed. Most of the guys who use Comp cams just buy the recommended Comp brand springs, but sometimes you can save a few $$ by ordering springs that match the specs of the recommended Comp brand springs from a company called Competition products (not the same as comp cams)
The Competition Products springs aren't listed online tho, you have to order their printed catalog to find the right match.

 

thanks a lot, ill look up into the compation products! By any chance do you konw valve spring rates that would be agressive enough for the strip but practical for daily street use?? This is the main question that I am getting at. However I wanted to thank you again for your input!!

Thanks agian!

 

Match the valve springs to the cam. I.E. typically best to run the springs recommended by the cam manufacturer. 981-16 or 983-16 in your case.

 

The Comp cams online catalog has a section that shows the spring rates for each of the springs that they offer. Just find the number for the spring that's recommended for your cam and look up the specs for that part #

 

Ok I wanted to start of by saying thanks for the input you guys have given me. Stekman was right about the spring I need for my Valves. The spring rate of the 981-16 is 417lbs/in, these valves springs cost about $60 so it’s a pretty good buy!! I got the definite answer or the spring rate you want to choose. I wrote the same question to the guys at the summit web site. The answer that I got was:
On hydraulic cams, use the cam manufacturers recommended spring, which will usually be a single, or single with a damper. Solid flat tappet cams usually use a double spring, due to higher lift numbers. Higher spring rates may destroy the cam. Roller cams require higher spring rates because of how fast the ramp speeds are. This keeps the valve from bouncing on the seat.

I just wanted to give you guys a little more information when you are picking springs for your car. So today I learned to go with the recommended spring, higher spring rate is good up to a certain amount, depending on the cam you have. Too much spring rate and you could destroy the cam.

Thanks a million you guys