Topic: Which of these valve springs would you use?

[Patrick]

Please see the picture linked to this inquiry. On the right are the valve springs I took out of my K0 750 project. On the right are valve springs I pulled from a parts head that came with the bike. I do not know the pedigree of these parts. I thought someone might recognize them:

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p247/wordguy11111/HPIM2164.jpg

These might all be stock, but from different years. The golden caps overlap the springs bit and don't separate from the exterior spring, at least easily. Those springs also seem a bit stronger, although I have no way to test them.

Here's the real kicker. The PO tried to do a self porting job on the parts head, apparently with a drill. He did not pull the valves first. One was destroyed, along with the spring cap. Those springs are gone. So I have seven sets of the golden-domed springs. Would I be better off with the original set, since they all match, even if the others are better? Or would it be in my best interest to replace all the intake valve springs, or all of the exhaust valve springs? Or seven out of eight?

As always, thanks. This project is starting to look like it may run again someday.

Patrick

[MRieck]

 The spring and retainer on the left are aftermarket. It's more than likely an aluminum retainer. Unfortunately 7 sets is useless. A set of Kibblewhite springs is about 80.00...APE may be a little cheaper. Ti retainers are about 185.00 or so....it's tough to know as the price of Ti changes hourly. How on earth did the PO screw up a retainer PORTING a head....it doesn't make any sense. You could screw up the valve but the retainer.....impossible IMO. The bit is in the port....not on top of the head.

[MRieck]

 Get a set of new springs and use the OEM retainers as the cheapest way out. New Ti retainers would be nice too.

[Patrick]

It has boggled my mind how the PO managed some things. He (she) was well meaning, witness the big bore, aftermarket studs and four bins of NOS and lightly used parts that came with it. His mechanical skills, however, give me great pride in my workmanship - and I'm just a weekend wannabe mechanic.

He was either scary bad, or ingenious, I'm not sure which. He tried to use a stock head gasket with a big bore. But he also fashioned a shifter mechanism out of two of those tabbed, double nut lock washers you use on the front brake disk. It worked. I didn't know there was anything wrong with the shifter until I disassembled it.

I don't know how he messed up the valve spring. The top is intact, but the neck that extends into the springs is half gone. I assume it was done at the same time he murdered the head.

Patrick

[Patrick]

Mike, could you suggest a couple of sources for valve springs?

Thanks

[RRRToolSolutions]

Patrick, go to
www.dynoman.net

Buzz will fix you right up. I've got a set of valves, springs, and retainers from a 9,000 mile bike I'll give you for the cost of shipping if budget is an issue. However, those Kibble White springs are nice. I just sold a new set on EBay for $60 I believe - I'd ordered two by mistake. The Ti retainers are candy - and do help at high rpms, but if this is a stock rebuild I would spend that $160 elsewhere.

Regards,
Gordon

[KB02]

...His mechanical skills, however, give me great pride in my workmanship...

 

That's a very kind way to put it.   

[Big Jay]

Mike, could you suggest a couple of sources for valve springs?

Thanks

Only need one source

http://cbrzone.com/cams.html