valve job questions

[minneman]

While driving to work yesterday (03 2500 Ram 5.7)I lifted my foot off the accelerator to go threw a small town, when I slowed enough to idle threw town I got back on the pedal, its now missing and lost power. I pull over and find nothing obvious so it gets towed to the dealer. I later get a call from them saying that I have a broken valve spring.

they say $1300 for the one head and $1650 for both sides, sound right?

What would the benifit be to do both sides at this time vs just the one side?

BTW, this has been a virtualy trouble free truck for 99000 mi, do these springs just go?

[Whoaru99]

There is some chance of failure with anything but, that said, I've never had a valve spring failure on any vehicle I owned.

[Scott K]

Dont feel pressured from their estimate on the other head, it was mostly to cover their butts. Just say if they put it all together and you drive it 500 miles and the other side breaks a spring, you would need to pay another $1300, when you could have had it done when you had the other side done for another $350. The nice thing about having two new heads on it would be that they both would be new, and shouldnt have any valve problems for awhile.

[Capt. Don*]

Covering butts and maybe looking for some work. Just the spring is broken, valve not bent, head ok? Why not just replace the spring. I have had a few valve springs break on the 3.0 Vulcan motor Taurus, pressurize the cylinder, remove old spring replace with new, all ok. If it was warranty, I don't think Dodge wouldn't be buying heads. You may want to ask them.

[harvey lee]

A valve spring can go but usually they loose tension. if you were going to drive the truck for a long time yet, I may have replaced all springs but I dont know about both h

eads. Only thing is, I have not seen the condition of the heads. Once upon a time it could have overheated and warped a head but they usually can be trued by planing them.

I would ask why I have to have two new heads, there must be something else wrong or maybe they are selling parts. I do not know but I would ask.

[minneman]

A little more info, I'm under the impression that they are'nt replacing the head, only the springs and both valves for that cyl. ?

Ill be talking with them this am.