Comp Cams Beehive Valve Springs; 0.550-Inch Max Lift (96-04 Mustang GT)

Video Review & Installation

So COMP Cams Beehive valve springs we're taking a quick look at today are going to be a great option for any of my '96 through '04 two-valve owners out there that are thinking about getting into a hotter cam, or might actually be in the process of tearing into their motor. Install-wise, depending on if you're pulling your heads, which I would definitely suggest doing, you're looking at a full three out of three wrenches on the difficulty meter here, and easily a day's worth of work. So I can't stress it enough here, guys. If you're going to be doing cams, you're going to have to get into a set of springs, because it's going to help your motor reach its full potential. With a 0.550 maximum lift, these springs were designed specifically for the modular motor to help you get increased valve train stability, as well as a much lighter valve train. So keeping factory springs and throwing an upgraded cam in and wringing your car out can cause your valves to float, because they essentially can't keep up with that upgraded, lifted lobe. So because these springs feature a higher rate and have a unique construction, they're going to be able to accommodate that higher-profile cam, without running into the issue of floating a valve. Now, when you float your valves, you're essentially keeping your intake and exhaust ports open at the same time. If that sounds bad, it's because it really is. So that can kill performance. It can hurt your brand-new cams. You can bend a valve. You could drop a cylinder. A lot can go wrong here, guys. But talking about that unique Beehive design a little bit more here, guys, this spring is going to drop weight significantly over your factory equipment. So these were made to reduce moving mass, which is going to result in a lighter retainer as well. Now, this is going to let you push your motor higher into the RPM range, which ultimately is going to result in you getting that much more power up top. Now, expect to be spending about $180 to $200 to get these onto your car. I can't stress it enough. It's an absolute must. Furthermore, you should definitely pick up COMP's retainers as well, just to ensure that you're running at 100%. Install-wise here, guys, this is a full three out of three wrenches. That's no surprise here. Expect to be wrenching for about a full day, maybe even over the course of the weekend. Now, this is something that's going to absolutely require the entire toolbox. I'm going to throw it out there that you should have the Ford Service Manual there as well, just to make sure you've got all your torque specs and patterns when you're buttoning everything back up. So at a glance here, guys, you're going to need to pull that intake manifold. We're talking valve covers, spark plugs, crank shaft pulley and a damper, and a ton of other components here. Now, if that sounds labor-intensive, guys, it's because it is. I, honestly, would not have any issue taking this to a speed shop to have them installed. That's just me, due to the fact that this is going to be a pretty labor-intensive job here. But if you're looking for a good challenge, this can absolutely be done in your garage. So that's going to wrap up my quick review of COMP's beehive valve springs, fitting your '96 through '04 Mustang GT, which can be found right here at americanmuscle.com.