Thread: 1.9's and stock springs

I want to get a set of 1.9 rockers, they say stronger springs are recommended for shift points above 6,000. My car shifts at a little above 6,000 would I be still be fine?

Are these the modified stock rockers you are wanting to get or a set of roller rockers?

Well Im with you, the issue has been argued to no end with no real conclusive pattern out there to draw from. But I asked my question because in my time in the community hearing reports from others that the stock modified rockers were somewhat okay to run with stock springs even with shift points in the 6k range because they tend to flex a bit more. But the roller rockers, the argument being that they were stiffer, less prone to flex, needed upgraded springs to run those shift points.

You kinda have to pick your ground and stand there until you know better and right now that seems to be the safe ground with all the differing opinions out there. There is a great number of variables in something like this, not the least of which as you mentioned, is something else being wrong. Personally I have 1.7 rollers to go on and Im still going to slap some 105 springs on there just because Im kinda cautious when it comes to certain things, particularly those I dont have a great deal of experience dealing with such as rocker and spring replacements.

They would be just modified rockers. Thanks for the information. Hopefully I will have some rockers in the mail soon.

i have stock springs. i shift at whatever the DHP 1.0 raised shift points are and if never experienced valve float. i believe my springs have somewhere around 100k on them as well.

There is a lot of gray area on the subject but it does seem that the modified stock rockers with the 1.9 ratio do work fine with the higher rpms with stock springs than the rollers do. Outside of flex-which I really dont see with a steel rocker and how you would test it is an even better question since we have hydraulic lifters that have give in them so you can accurately test this- the full roller aluminum rockers are much lighter and also have less friction which should help higher rpm use. Facts are facts though and though every car acts different I know a lot of cases that prove this to be true. 5900ish seems to be an average line to draw with the 1.9 roller rockers as I have seen many have boost stacking problems at this rpm-valve float starting. There are also a lot of people I know running the modified 1.9s and using stock springs and shifting over 6K with no issues. Maybe its not so much an issue that the rocker flexes but more of an issue that with a roller tip rocker you have a narrow contact patch on the valve tip that is more accurate, where on a stock rocker it is a rounded yet flat contact patch that is not the same across so will throw the numbers off the more it opens compared to a roller tip thus creating less lift. 1.8 or even 1.84 rockers work fine with stock springs and I have installed a handful of the 1.84s and not run into any issues around 6K but the engine is really on the down side of HP since on the dyno it peaks around 5300-5400 with the stock cam. On the note of the stock springs I have seen several bone stock engines break springs, stock cam and rockers and not even being driven hard.

Yeah every car is a little different. I just wanted to make sure that there was no major problems with every car that ran them that way. From the info I have been getting I should be fine.

I had used stock springs for quite a while on my 97 this past year......

no problems at all and they had 150K on them.... but it made me a little nervous.. so I changed them out. I think the car ran better witht he new springs... it felt more alive.

my stock springs with 135k are doing just fine with my modded stocker 1.9's. but im not shifting over 6k either.
my .02

I'd say unless you are staying @ 1.84's or under I would change the springs just to be safe. Even though they are just the modded 1.9's I would feel uneasy using stock springs shifting over 5800-6000.

I just wouldn't want that part failing b/c a grenaded spring can lead to other mishaps internally.

Just MY .02 cents worth

I think I will run the stock springs for now. I will just try not to go WOT till I can get new springs.

I installed 1.9 Rockers only on my GTP years ago. At about 70,000 miles after the rockers were installed I broke an exhaust valve spring on number 2. I've NEVER shifted above 6k or over reved it in anyway. I used to race quite a bit so it was wound a few times to say the least. Since the car was a DD at the time I installed a new spring from the dealer. I was LUCKY and I cought it before anything major happened. The valve was on the verge of dropping and the spring was damn near completely collapsed. When I pressured up the cylinder to replace the spring the spring literally fell apart.

About 6 months later I replaced all the valve springs with CC 105# spring/retainers and while I was in there installed a set of PRJ Viton valve seals and Reusable rocker bolts. I have since added about 20,000 miles with this new setup and all is well.

I saved the old springs with the new spring I temporarily installed. I have yet to measure them, but on the workbench feeling the spring pressure and looking at the heights you can see and feel the difference very well. I'm betting the old springs are WAY undertolerence, but I can't prove that just yet. Once of these days i'm going to have them measured just for my knowledge. One of these days.

I recommend WHATEVER rocker arms you install replace your springs/retainers/and valve seals while you're in there. Don't skimp out on this parts, doing my springs/retainers/seals/RR bolts/VC gaskets only cost me $150, don't cheap out like I did originally. Do it right.

Keep in mind, I was one of those guys for years on ClubGP saying for years, "don't replace valve springs, its a waste of money blah blah blah" till I had it happen to me. Now I sing a different tune because I became one of those guys, one of the many and growing club who broke valve springs on 1.9 rockers.

The choice is yours but i'll say, if your doing it, don't be a cheap ass, spend the extra $150 and do it right the first time. Keep in mind, when it happens to you, you won't probably be as lucky as me and you'll drop a valve and loose your motor. Food for thought...

Ok I have finally decided to replace the springs. I plan on getting the LS6 springs and retainers. Does that sound about right for what I need?

^^^ well i would run ls6 springs, but yes.

sorry typo I ment the ls6 springs.

eBay Motors: Chevy LS6 Valve Springs Camaro LS1 Firebird ZO6 New OEM (item 150309160783 end time Jan-08-09 17:13:50 PST)
I found these on ebay. They are the same thing zzp sells right?

One other question should I get different retainers or will the stock ones work fine?

No... you have to run LS6 springs and retainers. L67 retainers will not work and will cause valvetrain problems. Thats how Intense screwed up a few motors years ago, they didn't know this fact. Physically, yes they'll bolt up, but long term no they won't work.

IIRC, LS1 and LS6 retainers are the same but i'm not 100% sure on this, I heard this though. Research and find out. To be safe though, i'd go through Pace or your local dealer and order 02+ "Yellow" LS6 Valve Springs and Retainers. While your in there you might as well replace your valve seals too, I would, there easy and accessible. You'd hate to tear it back down in 50,000 miles to pull off all the springs again to perform this maintence wouldn't ya? Get OEM intake and exhaust seals or get the PRJ Viton ones, there really nice and better than OEM I think. Welcome to PRJ.Performance