Cam and spring decisions

[MI6TA]

I'm at the stage in the rebuild where I blow all my tax refund on a cam, lifters, and potentially springs.

My cam builder has supplied me with a cam of 224/230 .560/.544 110 LSA cam.
That's with the springs currently on the heads which are rated for 125lbs seat, and 300lb rate; the springs would be shimmed for that cam too.

While that doesn't sound like a bad cam grind for a daily driver, (mod list in sig), I'm getting horsepower greedy and would like to be up in the 570ish area for lift. So I found these springs rated as such:
Specifications:

• OD: 1.290"
• ID: .680"
• Free Length: 2.310"
• Seat 140 Lbs @ 1.850"
• Average Coil Bind: 1.115"
• 380 Lbs Open @ 1.200"
• Good up to .650" Lift

And also states "Kit requires +.100" longer then stock valves to obtain 1.850" installed height."

Which has me a little confused.

Should I spend a little more money on the springs to be safe or stick with what I got?

[MI6TA]

Just found the Ai 226 / 234 - .566" / .566" - 110 LSA. That sounds right up my alley as far as not too much lift, or duration, and the lope isn't too extrme though it's pushing it. I'd have to get the springs to run that cam though. I foresee me getting these springs in the near future... they're only $100

[FlatBlackZ28]

I'm running a 237/245 .603/.611 lift cam and I believe the dual valve springs Lloyd recommended for me on my 21* trickflow heads had 155lbs of seat pressure. I wouldn't keep the ones you currently have if you plan to rev real high. My engine will be seeing 7000rpm on a regular basis.

[Catmaigne]

You definitely don't need that much pressure closed, around 130lbs is probably fine. Guys who run 145-155 are usually boosting. They need extra pressure because the intake valve will struggle to close from the pressure.

[FlatBlackZ28]

You definitely don't need that much pressure closed, around 130lbs is probably fine. Guys who run 145-155 are usually boosting. They need extra pressure because the intake valve will struggle to close from the pressure.

I built mine for high rpm and up to a 200rwhp shot of nitrous. Lloyd told me the few pounds of extra seat pressure wouldn't hurt me N/A.

[firebird_1995]

You must be looking at "Alex's springs".... I've got them, a buddy of mine runs them on a cc306. They are a great spring for the money, the problem I have is, the only think holding you back from a set of springs that won't make your butthole pucker up when you hit the rev limiter is another hundred dollars or so. Yes they will work, they meet all the specs you need in a spring but after you've spent all your money on parts and the car is put together, in the back of your mind you are going to regret not spending a good nights worth of beer money on a set of springs that you'll never have to loose sleep over.

[MI6TA]

Haha Firebird_1995 I don't want a puckered butthole. That's basically what I was thinking, what's another $100 just wanted to make sure it was a good idea before spending. And yes alex's parts is where I found the springs, just wasn't sure if it was a good idea to drop names or not.

I will set my rev limit at 6200 I believe for longevity purposes, it's not a full race car so I need reliability.

My other question is what does this mean? .1" Isn't huge but with valvetrain I know it's gotta be set tight. "Kit requires +.100" longer then stock valves to obtain 1.850" installed height."

[englundjd]

@MI6TA i have alex springs in my car, the .595 lift single springs. They worked well enough for the price on the little cam that I had but i definitely wouldn't trust them to much on a decent sized cam... and I'm not using them on the new setup. I'm going to lunati's double spring setup.

[firebird_1995]

My other question is what does this mean? .1" Isn't huge but with valvetrain I know it's gotta be set tight. "Kit requires +.100" longer then stock valves to obtain 1.850" installed height."

It just means that if you need a 1.85 installed height you need longer valves. If you installed them in a stock lt1 height (1.75 I believe) you will lose .100" of max lift, and the seat pressure will be higher by the # per inch of compression times .100". Not generally a big deal depending on what cam you're running. But you're right, for not much more money you can get a patriot gold double spring and fear not. Lloyd strongly recommend these springs for me with my cam but I already had the Alex springs. He said they would work for me especially with the very few miles I'll put on the car in a year but to check them for loss of pressure yearly. They are supposedly made by Elgin.

[MI6TA]

It just means that if you need a 1.85 installed height you need longer valves. If you installed them in a stock lt1 height (1.75 I believe) you will lose .100" of max lift, and the seat pressure will be higher by the # per inch of compression times .100". Not generally a big deal depending on what cam you're running. But you're right, for not much more money you can get a patriot gold double spring and fear not. Lloyd strongly recommend these springs for me with my cam but I already had the Alex springs. He said they would work for me especially with the very few miles I'll put on the car in a year but to check them for loss of pressure yearly. They are supposedly made by Elgin.

So if I'm understanding you correctly... By not swapping out longer valves, if my cam says a .560 lift, it'll be .460 instead because of the valve being .1" smaller than meant for the springs?
And seat pressure will be 380 times .1 which is 38. So 140+38=178lb seat pressure? That's no good. When I bought the heads on craigslist he told me new manley valves of the stock size were on there. These new springs are creating more hassle than good, it's supposed to be a budget build haha.
@englundjd what specs for the "little" cam you had? The springs I am talking about are double springs for a 650 max lift. I won't come close to maxing them out.