Beehive springs

[JAC]

Need to upgrade valve springs on AFR 185 heads for hyd. roller cam. Any one know if the Beehive springs work well? Which part #? Thanks.

[Dennis Kelley]

Great question I need the answer also. I have AFR 165 heads and valves float at 5800 rpm.

later

dennis

[JAC]

Hey Keith, are beehive springs as good as they claim? Have you built any engines with them? Just want to know if they are worth putting in my AFR 185s. Thanks.

[Badger]

AFR 185s are the "small port" heads usually used on 351 to 402 size small blocks. These heads won't flow as well as the 205 or 225 AFRs so using the beehive springs (which allow higher lift and better top rpm control) doesn't buy you as much as working with the larger sized AFR heads. Same thing for commercially made headers for Ford small blocks. Most header flange patterns are off the 185 AFRs so using those headers on engines built with the larger port 205 and 225 AFRs only ends up partially masking the ports! Be sure to measure before you buy. BRE headers are made for the larger port 205 heads. Badger

[Jim Vander Wal]

I have Comp Cams Beehive springs. Vic Jr heads, RDI 427w, hydraulic roller Comp Cam w/ .610" lift. This combinating will easilly spin to 7,000rpm but I try to keep it under 6,500. No valve float, no problems @ 19k miles. Sorry I don't have a p/n.
Jim

[aldersonjames20]

These are AFR 205 heads and the springs are Comp beehives. This motor has been to 7000 rpms with no signs of valve float.




James

[Badger]

Jim...I have almost the identical set up to yours in my coupe and it revs easily past 7000 although I have the electronic cutoff on the MSD set at 6500 because the cam runs out of breath there. Great combination for the street although the beehives are capable of running well over 8000, as they did when I had a much more agressive cam in the engine. Since most running is is in the 80 MPH range on long trips (its runs about 120 in 6th at 3000 RPM!) there was no point in the high rev range. Badger