I'm slowly picking up bits and pieces of knowledge on building engines, but with all newbies, I F'ed up. To make a long story short, how hard is it to change the valve springs on a pair of vortec's? or any head for that matter. I bought em stock, before I knew scroggins dickey had a pair of modded for sale. right now I'm limited to the XE268 cam, and I don't want to be dammit.

Thanks
Muzz

 

Are the heads on or off the car (assuming off) it's really easy. Either rent or buy the valve spring compressor tool that looks like a c-shaped vise grip or the kind that you clamp around the spring and screw it down to compress it. To get the old retainers out I think it's easier to get a long socket that almost as big as the top of the valve spring and hit it with a hammer. It might take a few hits as some of the retainers are bound to be gummed stuck to the top of the valve but the retainers will eventuall pop out. Take this time to replace intake and exhaust umbrellas and the o-ring on top of the valve. Then with the spring compressor over the newly placed valve spring compress it so you'll have room to slid the new retainers in and take the clamp off slowly. It might take a couple of valves to get the hang of it, but it's very simple.