It isn't so unusual that a valve spring breaks. They even have problems with them in race engines and those springs are x-rayed for defects. I suppose that even some bad ones get through whatever inspection/QC happens.

 

ON A PRODUCTION VEHICLE???? Sure aftermarket springs break all the time as do race applications since they are custom made but production springs. Come on. I havent heard of a single LS1 motor blowing up a stock spring on a STOCK application and those motors routinely see 6000-6300 rpms.

I could understand an aftermarket cam with more lift and faster ramps but not stock. They didnt design their spring very well if they are dropping valves, no excuses about it.

Arcane, sure warranty will fix it but something like this shouldnt be breaking. If there is a tsb for it, then that means there is a problem which also means poor quality control. Besides I dont know about you, but I dont want my brand NEW motor being ripped apart by any tech at a dealership unless they are a personal friend of mine. Most dealers are more worried about getting them in and out than actually fixing a problem. Bandaids are cheaper than a real fix.

 

yooformula, I couldn't agree more. I don't know of any mass production vehicle that has had spring breakage listed as one of its known faults.

Arcane, even if the dealership rebuilds it, what are they going to put in there? The same kind of spring.. out of the same parts box.. off the same assembly line. You aren't going to be much better off.

That said, I'm not some whiney guy who wants everything handed too me.. There are plenty of things I just assume take care of myself. The worst part of all this is, after looking at how the engine is stuffed so far under the windshield, I don't think I could even pull the heads to replace the springs myself without yanking the entire engine... I don't have the facilities to do that??? who does? that is a seriously heavy engine and the clearence you would need to completely clear the front bumber after the suspension expands probably couldn't even be had by a standard cherry picker. This may be one of the main reasons a recall hasn't happened. The labor costs that Dodge would have to eat would be astronomical. Every HEMI?? every truck? every magnum? every 300?? that is a huge number of HEMI's to pull. And a huge number of vehicles on the road that might be safety time bombs. A recall probably won't happen until someone gets hurt because of it. sad but true.

If I was the NHTSA, I would be watching this very closely.

 

Sure. Why not? How do you know it's a design flaw and not a QC/manufacturer problem. The LS1 basic design is how old, 40-50 years. It had better not break at all, which we know they do. THe Hemi has some decent life numbers as well 472" I/460" E. That's pretty respectable for a production truck engine let alone a production HIPO engine like an ls1.
I really do think this is a something other than a design problem.

 

Look, I see it like this...

Assuming NHTSA's website is correct, and there was a TSB put out by Dodge in November '02 (shortly after the HEMI came out) for valve spring breakage...
AND
Assuming ksb's post earlier in this thread is true, he bought an 04 that died of the same problem...
THEN....
I could care less if its a QC issue, a manufacturing issue, or a fundamental design flaw. Dodge has been aware of it for some time, and still continues to sell the engine without resolving the problem. I find this lack of action unsafe, unprofessional, irresponsible and unacceptable. (and any more "negative nancy" words I can toss in there. )

 

Check out this link from dodgetrucks.org

http://www.dodgetrucks.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=53770

It would make sense that the valve spring issue and noise are related. Don't you think?

 

It could be, but I'm not totally convinced. I've recently purchased an automotive stethoscope and will listen to this engine with it. I'm going to try to at least pin down a region where the noise is coming from. I've heard valve slap before on other vehicles and the tapping noise I faintly hear isn't the same. I'm curious if we are hearing the same noise.

 

I really don't think the Diamler Chrysler is going to jeoperdize (-2 sp.) their future by saving a buck or 2 on springs....the Hemi is their heart and soul now...5.7....6.1 I don't care. It is going into jeeps, station wagons, sedans, sport coupes...and trucks. They will go bankrupt (again) if the Hemi falls on its face.

 

another question would be...what kind of driving? Are these guys going to the strip every Saturday to try to run 13s or better....any of them spraying? It seems to me a large number of the folks on here are into performance....and that does sometimes cause things to go bad....also I broke a valve spring on my 84 corvette....which was a production engine...no drag racing....**** happens.

 

mopartodd,

That seems like a good idea. Please let me know what you discover.