RHS LAX beehive springs - Wich ones?

-
polara1974

polara1974

Active Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2010
Messages
43
Reaction score
1
Location
Buenos Aires - Argentina
Hi all,
I want to move to beehive springs in my engine since with normal springs my rockers are hitting the springs/retainers and the only rockers that cleared were the Proform, and I don't like them.
So the beehive springs will be the solution to this and I got 273 STD rockers and Crane Ductile Iron rockers in hand.
Now I'm not good at selection the correct parts so here is were I need your help! Alrady sent a question to Comp Cams about this, but I prefer real life recomendations.

I'm runing RHS LAX heads with 2.02/1.62 SS valves, 8mm stem, 0.100 longer that STD (I bought them out of Ebay from ENGBLDR user), Comp Cams 20-231-4 cam 282/290 242/250, LSA 110 0.520/0.540 lift. The valve locks are Comp Cams 632-16 10° 1 groove beadlock style.

Wich beehive springs and retainers will you recomend for my combination? Any brand will do, although Comp Cams products migth be the ticket since all my other parts are from them.

Thanks in advance! Martin
 
When I switched to beehive springs on my big block with iron heads I had an issue with the springs moving around a lot on the seat because of their small diameter. I didn't have enough coil bind clearance to run spring cups. So be sure to factor the cup thickness into your calculations.
 
Here is what Comp Cams recommends for your cam. But with the variables involved, like installed height, you would need to know approximately what you have and then find a beehive with similar load specifications at the installed height you actually have to work with. (i.e.: Similar to the 986-16 and 987-16.) There may be some locks and retainers available that can add or subtract .050" installed height to help you reach your goals.

20-231-4 - Xtreme Energy Mechanical Flat Tappet Camshafts

You can find all the spring specs online for comparison, but it will help to know what installed you have to start with using a "0" lock and retainer. These are the beehives:

COMP Cams® - Valve Springs By Design

I like a little bit more open pressure for race-only (like the 987 specs) to minimize potential for valve float. But be extra careful with break-in as you go up on the open pressure.
Some people have had some issues with getting the correct rocker-to-valve contact pattern with RHS heads with certain rockers.
 
Locomotuon thanks for your answer!
I need to go back a do some measures on mi actual springs before selecting new ones. But I'll be out for three weeks... So I'll have to wait a little bit more to solve this.
 
I have got answers from Summit and Comp Cams tech line about this.

Both recomended Beehive Springs 26986-16 kit for my cam, but about valve locks and retainers, Comp Cams suggested 795-16 retainers and 614-16 valve locks and Summit 787-16 retainers and 623-16 valve locks. The only difference I could find was in the valve locks beeing 10º or 7º and the retainers beeing the required link between valve lock and springs for each.

Wich set you think will be better? a 10º o 7º valve lock and retainers? I think 7º is OEM equipment and 10º is used when more apring pressure is used? maybe for my engine ...?

Also another questions that arise is that regular springs for my cam are double with damper type and the recomended beehive are single type. This caught my attention ... do they work THAT different from each other?

Thanks!
 
I always read that beehives were more stable and the design was self-dampning. As long as the open/closed pressures are similar, they will perform as well. I went with 10* lock with much heavier beehives. Each has it's advantages, but it's been so long, I forgot why I chose them. More meat in the locks, perhaps. There may be some write-ups on that subject online somewhere. But machined locks are much stronger than stamped steel.

I wondered if they would recommend the 26918-16 springs, but they are more aggressive. Either way, I hope you have good, high zinc oil available down there.

If you have a choice between 273 and Crane adjustable rockers, the Cranes have a more accurate ratio and lock-nuts on the adjuster. Very likely stronger as well.
 
I also thought that the recomended springs by Comp and Summit were on the strong side ... but two different sources told me the same, so go figure... But looking at the beehive spring chart and comparing them to the regular ones suggested for my cam my choice was 26981 ... but both Comp Cams and Summit suggested 26918.

My oil is Valvoline VR1 10-30 with Zddp, I think is good enough for this.

I'm also towards the Crane ductile for the lock nuts and for the accurate ratio against 273 rockers.

So maybe it is time to charge my Visa with parts ...
 
I think the numbers are getting mixed up.

* You originally said that 26986-16 springs was recommended by both.

* 26981-16 is actually a stiffer, higher rate spring, but has a smaller O.D. usually used for a small block Chevy.

* I used regular springs with similar characteristics to 26918-16 years ago in my bracket engines with solid lifter cams in the .555"-.585" range. But I don't recall what was actually recommended. Closed/open pressures around 140/340 worked well for me. (Race only.)

* I was hoping someone with a similar set-up to yours would share their combo and results.

* Your installed height with the +.100" valves is still an important factor on which spring you get. Your baseline will be the closed valve installed height. You don't want to get the "recommended" spring if the spring installed height will end up too short or need a big stack of shims. Comp Cams has a chart that shows the pressures of each spring at different heights/lifts through their range. But I don't have a link to it.

* All of the numbers mentioned here are for springs only, not kits. A catalog chart I found shows what parts are compatible with each spring that may look like a "kit".
 
I got mixed up with all the srping part numbers .....

Still I need to go back and check the installed height on my actual springs to make my final choice.

Thanks for your help Locomotion!!!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top