'77 valve springs question

the spring is a price of metal, it does not care which way it is facing it will always react the same.

Some of the coils will require more pressure to compress, and then they will put more force on the valve to retract back into its seat....but the spring does not care which way the coils are oriented, it will react the same to pressure regardless.

I would still install the more tightly wound side of the spring towards the head, if for no other reason other than uniformity.

Post edited by: hardr0ck68, at: 2008/01/28 21:36

I am loving the theoretical conversation going on here. I physics does say that it shouldn't matter as the force on one side is equal to the force on the other. However, I would like to get them all in there uniformly.

BUT, MY QUESTION was whether or not the stock springs on a '77 kz 1000b1 actually HAS variable rate springs. I would rather not take it back apart to find out if some here already knows whether it does or not. Thanks again and I am not actually trying to come off snotty above. I just know how folks get easily swept up into the theoretical and away from the topic:) It is one of the best parts of technical forums.

Post edited by: kzmason, at: 2008/01/29 11:31

kzmason wrote:

...whether or not the stock springs on a '77 kz 1000b1 actually HAS variable rate springs....

Pictures in FSM show constant rate valve springs (both the inside and outside valve spings).

yep:) I ended up not going to work today and decided to quit being so lazy and just take one apart. the springs are constant rate. Infact, I believe this is why there is an inner and outer spring. The outer in longer and heavier gauge spring that the inner shorter and smaller gauge spring. This would give you a variable spring rate via dual springs. It makes sense in MY head, at least:laugh:

Per FSM:

An inner spring is used with each outer spring to prevent spring surge, which may cause valve float at high rpm.

But drat! The dreaded "spring surge" is not further explained.