ok guys who know what the stock small block 350 vavle length is. I have heard something like 1.650 or something like that. Just wanted to know if that is correct. If someone knows what the spring height is that would be good info also.
thanks guys

 

Stock valves are around 4.9", IIRC.

 

so do you by chance know what that comes out to when measuring for valve springs? the reason i wonder was that my springs are getting weak and they advertise springs at different heights. ie: 1.750, 1.800, 1.850 and so on.
thanks for the given info and i hope you can answer me on the rest.

 

i have access to one of those measuring tools for spring height but i would still like to know just for the knowledge.

 

1.7" is stock, I think.

 

That spring installed height may vary over the years but the 96 LT1 has a spring installed height of 1.780" according to the Factory Service Manual.

Jake

 

thanks boys should be alot of help.

 

Most gen1 small blocks are 1.70" stock (including Vortec heads). Doesn't mean every single valve spring on every single heads is dead-nuts on spec, though. I've seen them float by as much as .050", which is a ton, if you're building for performance.

 

no kidding about .050 being alot of difference. I mean even on the none performance side of things that is huge. I will double check all of this when i get ready to order my new springs.

 

It doesn't matter if you're installing new springs, you'll install them to the height you want.

 

well that is only kinda true. the reason i say this is because if you would just buy any spring and didn't pay attention to the seat pressure or the installed height many problems could arise. 1. is if your installed height is wrong you could have to much spring pressure and take out a lobe on the cam. for example if the spring is listed to be install at 1.900 and you install it with stock length valves which from what i understand is 1.700 your compressing the spring .200 and that will increase spring pressure. 2. if you don't get the correct spring pressure for your cam you will in turn create valve float. which can cause a lot more problems such as broken valvetrain parts and possible engine failure. and i am only listing the two that i think would be the worst of all.

anyhow not trying to be an a$$ or anything but in my experiance you have to measure everything like 10 times and then order your parts.

 

the true part is that if you replacing stock springs with stock springs and they are not all the same height you can shim the shorter springs. i guess this would also work ok if you had a replacement part number for the current springs. which in my case i have the number but the company is no longer in business. so know i am on a parts matching spree

 

But you wouldn't do that, because you'd buy the spring and install it to the installed height you want. If you want a 1.7" spring, you put in a 1.7" spring at 1.7". If you want a 1.9" spring, you put in a 1.9" spring at 1.9".

 

ok just misunderstood the way you put that. I thought that was maybe what you meant but i wasn't sure so i threw in my twos scents.