my boy just bought a set of skunk 2 cams for his gs-r... does he have to change the valve springs and retainers to create power or no? what power difference would it be?

 

Valve springs and retainers, etc. do not make power. Certain cams with higher lift require the springs to be changed to prevent valve float and piston damage. If you are putting them in an ITR or w/ITR valvetrain, you should be alright. Valvesprings & retainers are useful when you wish to rev the motor higher, and many aftermarket cams make power above the factory rev limit specs.

HTH
Rich
rich@3rdShift.org

 

well they are going into a gs-r head with stock valvetrain... and one of his friends said that they won't make power unless he gets a different vavlvetrain.. i was like thats not tru. so i thought id make sure and post it here thanx

 

No problem man. Valvetrain does not make power. It's as rediculous as saying that an AEM intake won't make more power unless you have a typeR transmission. Now if your friend said "He won't make power unless he can rev higher", that would be a different story.

 

skunk2 cams work with the stock valvetrain on the civic Si, and integra gsr, type R. Valve springs and retainers will not give you more power alone. They will allow you to have a higher redline if you change the computer, and then you will have more power since the skunk2 cams make power to 9000 rpms

 

Actually, aftermarket valvesprings (Toda, JUN) will lose HP. Aftermarket valvesprings are MUCH stiffer than stock ones ...

 

well, it depends on the valve springs. Some aftermarket ones are too stiff, while others are matched up for their cams. The web and crower are too stiff. Someone actually snapped a few of their crower valve springs when using TODA spec B cams. Valve springs are similar to suspension springs, they have spring rates. The rates have to match the cams ramp speed, duration, and lift.

 

Id at least get new ITR valvesprings for your geeser...move the old intake valvesprings to the exhaust side, and put the ITR intake springs on the intake side. Id always upgrade the valvetrain when upgrading the cam..

 

If it were me, I would call Web Cams and purchase the proper springs and retainers for your cams. I think they are cheaper and better than Crower. Valve springs won't make power but they will sure stop you from losing power if you over rev the motor. If you float a valve and it hits the piston, you will have no compression in that cylinder. Rev limiters don't always work quick enough to protect your motor unless they are set quite a bit lower than where the fun begins.
Earl


[Modified by earl, 7:24 PM 7/13/2001]