[Cliff R]

"In fact, in 2008, the Comp #995 spring increased its rate significanty while the part number remained the same. This caused quite a few problems for the Pontiac community."

I was hired around that time to assemble a Pontiac 455 engine where the owner had a "falling out" with the machine shop/engine builder he was using. I chose NONE of the parts being used, just assemble, dyno and get it ready for the customer to pick-up.

It came with a complete Comp Cam kit, cam, lifters, springs and retainers. They were part number 995's. They looked really "beefy" and as I always do I pulled out the spring tester to measure them with the retainers supplied. They were 160lbs on the seat and 380lbs over the nose for the cam being used.

YIKES, a flat tappet cam with that much spring pressure in an engine that will only see maybe 5500-5600rpms. Cripe that's like having 16 fat guys standing on your pushrods!

I actually called Comp Cams tech line and asked them why so much pressure? The tech told me they will loose ten percent of their pressure during "run-in". I asked him if that was before or after they knocked all the lobes off the cam?

I ended up getting some different springs with considerably LESS seat and open pressure and the engine was fine on the dyno and far as I know still running out there someplace......