Valve springs for Edelbrock heads

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FastMatt

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Im currently running a Hughes Hydraulic roller cam (242/246 @ 0.050") with Edelbrock LA heads with Ferrea 2.055 Intake valves that are a bit on the heavy side, with the Hughes 1129 springs (145# closed / 358# open). I'm also running the Hughes 1.6 shaft rockers so everything in my valve train is heavy. I'm currently getting valve float at about 5900 rpm. I'm looking for spring recommendations hopefully something available with a titanium retainers that will work as a drop in on the heads that I can swap in the car.

Thanks in advance for the help
 
Have a look through comps spring chart
https://edelbrock-files-v1.s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/catalogs/COMP-Valve-Spring-Master-Chart.pdf

Also, here’s a link to your springs so you can compare OD, installed height, bind height, and spring rates:
https://www.hughesengines.com/Index...MTcwLTIyNSBjLmkuIDE5NjAtMTk4Nyk=&partid=27138

Here are the hydraulic roller springs that come on the LA heads if you order them that way. They seem pretty close to the 1129 springs you have. So, you certainly could have a geometry problem like @Newbomb Turk mentioned:
https://www.edelbrock.com/sure-seat-valve-springs-5845.html

You should also verify your lifter preload vs what Hughes lists for that cam.

Last but not least, it looks like you listed the open load at 550 lift, but you should have closer to 600 (depending on geometry of course) with the 1.6 rockers.
 
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Have a look through comps spring chart
https://edelbrock-files-v1.s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/catalogs/COMP-Valve-Spring-Master-Chart.pdf

Also, here’s a link to your springs so you can compare OD, installed height, bind height, and spring rates:
https://www.hughesengines.com/Index...MTcwLTIyNSBjLmkuIDE5NjAtMTk4Nyk=&partid=27138

Here are the hydraulic roller springs that come on the LA heads if you order them that way. They seem pretty close to the 1129 springs you have. So, you certainly could have a geometry problem like @Newbomb Turk mentioned:
https://www.edelbrock.com/sure-seat-valve-springs-5845.html

You should also verify your lifter preload vs what Hughes lists for that cam.

Last but not least, it looks like you listed the open load at 550 lift, but you should have closer to 600 (depending on geometry of course) with the 1.6 rockers.
Assembled this 410 stroker motor almost a decade ago but the valve geometry and lifter preload was set up according to the Hughes paperwork at the time. But I don't really remember what it was. I have just kept the RPM's down and enjoyed it but I would like to fix the valve float problem now and rev it up past 6K. The Car made 416 RWHP and 475 RWTQ at the wheels, but power goes basically strait down at about 5900. The Car when it had a 360 in it with the box stock Eddy heads and a much smaller solid Flat Comp cam would pull to 6600 no problem. I think the problem is with the Heavier valves I installed in the heads, I wish I had gone with hollow stem.
 
Assembled this 410 stroker motor almost a decade ago but the valve geometry and lifter preload was set up according to the Hughes paperwork at the time. But I don't really remember what it was. I have just kept the RPM's down and enjoyed it but I would like to fix the valve float problem now and rev it up past 6K. The Car made 416 RWHP and 475 RWTQ at the wheels, but power goes basically strait down at about 5900. The Car when it had a 360 in it with the box stock Eddy heads and a much smaller solid Flat Comp cam would pull to 6600 no problem. I think the problem is with the Heavier valves I installed in the heads, I wish I had gone with hollow stem.
Are these the same springs? They lose rate over time/use/mileage. Also, did you check the installed height of the new valves? If they ground the new valves into the existing seats then they’re sunk in a little, decreasing spring load, and effecting geometry. The lock groove could also be higher up on the stem, also decreasing the installed height, again decreasing spring load. Get an installed height measuring device to check, and check the actual spring load on a checker…your spring loads may not be what you think.
 
Assembled this 410 stroker motor almost a decade ago but the valve geometry and lifter preload was set up according to the Hughes paperwork at the time. But I don't really remember what it was. I have just kept the RPM's down and enjoyed it but I would like to fix the valve float problem now and rev it up past 6K. The Car made 416 RWHP and 475 RWTQ at the wheels, but power goes basically strait down at about 5900. The Car when it had a 360 in it with the box stock Eddy heads and a much smaller solid Flat Comp cam would pull to 6600 no problem. I think the problem is with the Heavier valves I installed in the heads, I wish I had gone with hollow stem.


Ok, one more time. I don’t care what Hughes says. Simple as that.

Go read the tech pages on the web site I posted.

Educate yourself.

If you actually have those spring loads, hollow stems wouldn’t make a difference.

I’d bet everything I have your geometry is GARBAGE. Fix it.

Or keep on keeping on.
 
Solid lifters are bunch more stable than a hyd roller.

How much preload on the rollers? Hughes has some interesting preload numbers IIRC.
Geometry is another potential issue.
 

It’s more likely a Hyd lifter unhappiness issue than actual “valve float”.

If you add spring load and see no improvement, that’s what you’re dealing with.

The biggest pitfall of the typical retrofit Hyd roller valvetrain is……. The hydraulic lifter.
 
I had a set of new old Hughes springs, and found out the hard way that the springs were junk out of the box.
 
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