Valve Spring Re-call
 

Hey all pretty new here to this site. Long story picked up a built and supercharged 13 last year. Had it delivered and after 3 miles it threw the serpentine belt = ARRGH! sat in the shop all winter because I could not get the answer on the belt size, Ok I could have taken the numbers off the old one if! my 23 yr old helper was not so helpful and threw it away on the way home!!!

Anyhew I finally have it together and 300+ hp and a handling package on these is mind blowing. Then I get a re-call letter for valve springs. I call the local dealer and set an appointment he says great I say HKS SC and he says sorry no coverage! This is not a warranty item it is a recall. he states that I must return the car to complete stock, which is impossible. Should a dealer do it if I remove the SC and put a stock timing belt on it? I just cannot return it completely to stock.

there are countless threads on this issue go in there for help with this. plenty of people have taken in forced induction cars and paid additional labor for those parts to be R&I'd.

My take is, that if those valve springs have survived a SC engine this long, I'd suggest you just pass on the recall.


humfrz

You know I thought that also. The original owner bought it with 300 miles on it and had it built it has made it to 13,000 no issues and I have to believe it was not driven only to Church on Sundays.

Just looking at the car would never tell me that it supported 300+bhp..




BTW, what if the valve train was updated when it was upgraded?

Here's a link to a relevant thread:
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132418

The only place that the recall work is mandatory is California. Just skip it.

I know the motor was not cracked open and it was done in 2014 so long before the recall.

The stock motor will and does support 300 Hp and there are many out there to support the claim. I even have 1.0 liter 3 cylinder 4 stroke snowmobiles that are producing more hp than that on stock motors. Not stock programming and fuel but stock motors! even without the sellers claim the HKS site for the basic kit which this is not. I am currently running 11 lbs of boost on a mix of 75% 91 and 25% 110 race fuel with timing pulled :

From HKS

■Features
Matching with the 91 octane gasoline is optimized. The kit layout and supercharger setting are improved from the existing kit.
The engine output shows a 50% increase from the stock.
PULLEY UPGRADE KIT and E85 fuel + upgraded fuel part enable the engine to output 90% more compared to the stock.
ECU Package includes FLASH EDITOR with preset data.
　HKS S/C RON91: RON91 gasoline spec. 255HP (+80HP of the stock)
　HKS S/C E85: E85 +PULLEY UPGRADE KIT + Fuel Pump + Injector. 320HP (+150HP of the stock)
※Pulley Upgrade Kit, fuel pump, and injector are available separately.
This kit is designed exclusively for FR-S/BRZ. All necessary installation parts are included in the kit.

Why would it be mandatory in California? it is for valve springs braking wiping out the piston and then the motor not an emissions violation.

Because, California, I guess. Somehow it was made an emission thing there. The notice even states the California requirement specifically. The guys there that don't get it done may have issue renewing their plates.

Cracked valve spring could result in a misfire, which is an emissions issue. And because California, as Tcoat said.

There is no "safe" HP number that can be assigned to FI so don't fool yourself. You can accept the increased risk to a certain number but does not mean the risk is not greater.
The issue is the high compression that these engines have right from the start and how well it plays with FI. Hardly comparable to snowmobile engine compression I am sure.
Saying that the kit can make that HP and that the engine is safe with it are not the same thing.

From my experience with my local dealer, the only way I see them MAYBE agreeing to do the work on your car is if you pulled off anything aftermarket and towed the car to them (because unless you plan on buying all the factory parts obviously it wont drive).

Even then, what I envision happening (from numerous horror "after-the-recall-failure" threads) is IF your motor gets screwed up because they gunk it with gasket material they'll just say "it was modified previously so the damage is not ours to cover" and then you'll be out of a motor.

If it put up with the abuse thus far I would just drive it and see what happens. If a spring lets go, well then you pull it and fix it, or have it fixed. Maybe take some time to get some upgraded internals in there while you are at it.

Okay okay I did not start this for a shouting match over the strength of the engine. This one has had the PISS beat out of it for 13,000 miles most of which were track miles and greats me like puppy at the front door every night wanting to go for a run. I have been adding turbos to carb'd and F/I motors for over 20 yrs now and well know the risks involved.

And you are correct this is in no way comparable to a snowmobile engine they are way more intricate and complicated than this engine. pumping out more than 2 times the hp per CC this one did 394 hp on the dyno at the track 1098 CC's

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a25esTG1Bs4[/ame]



I bought this one built by a professional tune shop and set up with plenty of miles to prove its pudding.