There is an article in a recent CAR-CRAFT magazine talking about a new valve spring that CRANE offers to use on vortec heads. The springs are supposed to be good to .550 lift with no machining required. The springs sell for 186.00. Well there is a guy on EBAY who says he has a spring that will do the same thing for 36.99. Talked to him via e-mail and he seems to know his stuff. Anyway I ordered a set. He says they are made by PIONEER. Does anybody have any experience with these type of springs. If these work, they would be a heck of a deal for anyone else wanting to use vortec heads.

 

doesn't really mtter if the springs are god for .550 lift the heads aren't. didn't it occur to you that a set of 40 dollars springs in the stock diameter, or even bee hive style might be made of of chinesium and not hold up? come back in a few months and tell us all how well they worked out for you and how much money you really saved.

 

my cam isn't even .550 lift and i had to go with the largest springs the 1.550 size and had to have my spring pockets machined out.

 

the problem isnt really with the springs, it more or less the valve guide boss. UI measured all my clearances between the valve spring retainer and the valve guide boss prior to installing my cam (.490" lift) and I had just enough tolerances all the way around to do away with the machining part. I bought the Comp cam kit that came with the spirings and everything all ready to bolt in. So just make sure you check the valve guide boss to valve spring retainer clearance before you start her up. IIRC, I had about .510" all the way around, so that would put me right at about .020" minimum clearnace at the tightest point. Still pushing it in my opinion, but I havent had any problems thus far

 

Thanks for the quick replies. Maybe I should have elaborated a little bit more on what I'm trying to accomplish. This engine is for a weekend driver, probably never see the track. The cam I am using has a INT lift of .486. The factory vortecs are (supposed to be limited to about .460). I am trying to build it on a budget. The spring specs by PIONEER exceed the factory springs in all areas. What I intended to say was that the springs are good for .550 installed on the factory vortecs with no machining. If someone had a late model vortec engine installed in a vehicle, they could use these springs and install a larger camshaft without removing the heads. Thanks again for your help.

 

yes, I see what you are saying, but I highly doubt you can put in a cam with over .510" lift with vortecs and not hit the valve guide boss. I would imagine that there would still need to be some machining involved to get that big of a cam with those heads.

I see what your saying though, I jsut wanna make sure you dont think you can get some radical cam and throw it in there without any problems

 

I did a seach for you. (an old post)

Here's a tip for you to consider.
Use the Manley valve springs part #22410 & retainer Part #23652 and Pioneer screw in studs part #850001 without the hex.
They fit the Vortec heads without machining and will allow .520 lift safely.
I have used these numerous times with success.
All you have to do is remove the factory studs and tap the bosses, use a pair of nuts locked on to the stud to screw them in.
Comp makes a stud remover tool part # 5306 that helps to remove the studs and tap the holes (no drilling needed).
HTH

Edit: pressures are 125# seat...340# open @.500 lift

 

I suspect it's also important to use the right keepers that go with those retainers....

You can use just about any good quality retainers with .050" offset keepers if they're available for them, and .050" extra of shim to keep the installed height right, with just about ANY springs that will fit down over that gigantic valve guide that those things have. The offset keepers move the retainer upwards on the valve by that amount, and give that extra couple of .001" of clearance.