Valve Spring Tension

[Will-77]

First question:
I am trying to determine the tension specs for solid lifter valve springs and hydraulic lifter valve springs. I know these are the part numbers, but I am more interested in the tension setting?

Solid lifter engines use 021 109 623 J valve springs. [NLA from VW]

Hyd lifter [GE] engines use 021 109 623 K valve springs.

Second Question:
Does spring tension matter a lot whether I use solid or hydraulic? What if I don't know my spring tension and use hydraulic lifters?

Thanks for any thoughts.

[MarkWard]

There is a difference in spring tension. Years ago I purchased two new aftermarket heads for a vanagon. The engine ran great, but there was an odd problem when it sat if I recall. The lifters would overpower the springs and hold the valves open. I had to swap the springs from the old heads and that solved the problem. I did not go as far as to verify the seat presure. I just wanted the van to go away. At that point, I was working for free. I am sure someone here will give you better information. I just wanted to share my experience.

[chrisinsd]

Great simple post.
Beware of old "airheads" working on your water cooled heads.
Used springs on a valve job can make symptoms of every engine issue under the sun.
Weak springs can burn valves in a heartbeat...and then you will have every engine issue under the sun.
When you adjust your valves on the "self adjusting" lifters...generally, a quarter turn past tension is plenty...and Bentley even digressed on the original two full turns.
If your springs are shot...even a quarter turn may be too much to let the valves shut...bad, bad, bad for an engine.
If your motor is misfiring, things may not be catastrophic.
Adjust your valves back to zero lash. Do this in sequence. 1,2,3,4 TDC each. Loosen valve tension completely and then tighten to finger tight...zero lash.
When you start your van...you will be like "Thank God" the miss is gone. Compression comes back to normal because your valves are actually closing.
If such a scenario plays out...chances are, your springs are shot...or one step worse, a lifter or two is shot...neither of which, do you need a new engine.
Springs are cheap. You can replace all 8 for $100 in a few hours.
Adjust them down to zero lash plus 1/4 turn. It may miss for at start up and as long as a good drive or two. Such should subside relatively quickly.
If the miss doesn't subside...you've probably got a bad lifter or two...of which, go back to zero lash, a little or a lot of tapping...yet full power and compression.
If your vanagon sounds like a bus, who cares. You won't burn a valve from noisy lifters...you will burn a valve from silent lifters with shot springs and valves that don't close...

[SGKent]

the /E spring was used on solid lifter. It is heavy enough to get to 5,000 RPM. They are also easier on camshafts, bearings and gears. However they are too light to control the Hydraulic lifters from pumping up. Bleed down is a balance between the spring pressure, oil viscosity and the lifter valve orifice. You must use /K springs for hydraulic. The /J was short lived, and often a /K was substituted by VW for a /J.

You do not want your air cooled heads worked on by a water cooled shop. Just to start, type 4 heads are prone to cracking and seat failure so those things have to be engineered for when rebuilding the heads. To rebuild a type 4 head properly costs about the same as new heads from Len, Don or Adrian. Len and Don won't rebuild a bus head, and Adrian is the only one around whom everyone trusts to do it. .