C5 ZO6 Valve Springs

[halp]

I own a 2002 ZO6 that is used primarily as a nice weather driver. The car is mostly stock. No track or Auto-cross.
I have read on another forum that 02 and 03 ZO6s are vulnerable to valve spring failure due to a bad batch of springs installed at the factory.
Many posters on that forum are having the valve springs in thier cars changed out.
I am wondering if I should do the same. From what I have read the cost including parts is under $500.
Thanks for any info on this.

[c4c5specialist]

Hi there,

That really depends on what you mean by "MOSTLY STOCK'.

Truthfully, I have not seen ONE FACTORY VALVE SPRING FAILURE ON A STOCK C5.

C6, I have seen a few but NOT c5.

More issues with roller rockers than anything, so I would wonder what your mods are and your mileage.

Allthebest, c4c5

[halp]

Thanks for the reply. By mostly stock i meant the car has a blackhawk intake and TI modded exhaust.
The posts I read on the other forum stated that the spring failures only happen on the 02 & 03 ZO6s due to the higher lobe cam in the LS6 motors and the poor springs.

[c4c5specialist]

HI there,

2001 Cam lift
Intake and exhaust: .306

2002-2004 Cam lift
Intake: .324
Exhaust: .322

There have been no part number revisions on the valve springs themselves to indicate a change in vendor or specifications.

Allthebest, c4c5

[halp]

Hi back:
What do you think is causing all the valve spring failures that I have read about. Some claim that they are just sitting idling at a light or in the driveway and suddenly a spring breaks. It is random and not the same cylinder on each one that I have read about. A lot of the owners say that the car is low to medium mileage and pretty much stock.

[Fixvet]

Originally Posted by halp

Hi back:
What do you think is causing all the valve spring failures that I have read about. Some claim that they are just sitting idling at a light or in the driveway and suddenly a spring breaks. It is random and not the same cylinder on each one that I have read about. A lot of the owners say that the car is low to medium mileage and pretty much stock.

Ask them on that forum, then report back your findings to this one. Maybe we'll all learn something new. I have known alot of C5 Z06 owners thru the years and I've never heard of any valve spring failures.

[LT1driver]

his info is from corvette forum, many of the cars were bone stock, there were of course some modded cars also. most people with the stock cars stated as op posted that they were at idle when failure happened. most cars were late 02 to early 03 time frame for build date on car. hope this helps.

[halp]

Thats exactly what I'm posting about. It's really strange that there seems to be so many on that forum that have had valve spring failures. I have not seen this problem brought up on any other forum.

[ALMSGT1]

The number 3 cylinder exhaust valve spring failed as I was waiting at a traffic light in my 2003 Z06. The car had 17,800 miles on it, there were no engine modifications and the car had not been driven aggressively.

I have been wondering if this was just a fluke or if I should have all of the valve springs replaced.

[vettex2]

To me , springs are cheap and easy to replace.
If I were paying someone I may feel different.
But if you drop a valve , bye-bye motor......

Being dual springs , that shouldn't happen though