Ok so to try and keep this short I'm in the middle of a 360 build. Got the short block done and now focusing on the heads. I just lapped the valves and want to check spring installed height and shim them if necessary. So I buy one of comp cams valve spring micrometers rated for 1.600" to 2.200". I've found multiple sources stating my installed height should be 1.68. So I go to check installed height and with the micrometer in place couldn't get the valve spring retainer installed. Then I remembered how difficult they were to get out even with the springs fully compressed and thought maybe I should've gotten a micrometer where my installed height was closer to the middle range. Either way I went to a backup with calipers to just get a rough measurement so see what's going on and the installed height measures ~1.60. What's going on here?!? Any ideas? Do I need +.020 retainers? It ran before without any valve train issues. Is there a certain combo where this would be normal. The motors out of a truck.
Valve spring installed height help!
- Thread starter Bhealey
- Start date
If all you did was lap the valves (bad idea), and it ran fine before, leave it alone. You are not doing a valve job, so the valve position in the head has not changed. Sometimes, the guide boss or retainer ID is too big for those height mics. The intake spring height is 1.6875" and the exhaust height (with rotators only) is 1.625" IIRC. I am at home now, so would have to verify the exhaust at work. If there are no rotators on the exhaust, then the height is the same as the intake.
Does it have the thick rotater style retainers? .080" below factory spec something isn't right. Usually on a valve jobbed small block head you'll see 1.700"+. It may have minus .050" locks and retainers.
Doug
Doug
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