I recently bought a 'bird from a guy who dropped a machine shop 350 in it less than 5,000 miles ago. It's got what look to be stock heads worked over a bit with a port job, 2.02 1.60's, and higher lift springs. What he couldn't remember is whether the springs were .510 or .525, but the cam is a Lunati .468 .489 max lift (#60102), so they have plenty of clearance.

I would like to put 1.6 rockers on this motor, but that would bring total valve lift up to .5216" on the exhaust side, plus however much lash it takes. Is ther any way I can test the valve springs without putting one in a vice and measuring? Or is .0034" too little clearance to play with anyway?

 

how about checking it installed on the head? you're checking bind right?

 

yeah, i wanted to know if there's any way to test when a spring is going to bind (like at what lift).

but looking at it now, .0034" is gonna be pretty close. especially factoring in that the lifers still have to be loaded. I'm not sure i could trust myself to put everything in that perfectly. i'd like a little more headroom than that to play with.

perhaps new springs are in order.
what would i need to know in choosing springs? and for that matter, if the valves would clear the guides?