Got the new springs, assembling the heads, and notice - damn, the valve spring won't fit over the old spring damper!

Does that have to be there? Is it ok if the springs sit right on the head?

I'll have pics in a minute...

 

eh... ok, longer than a minute - the camera batteries are dead, and have to recharge.

Any ideas on the springs? The damper (that's what the Haynes manual calls it) goes between the head and the valve spring, and extends up to cover the valve guide seal. The problem is the new springs have an inner coil that stops the damper from going in - unless I pop that inner spring coil out.

 

with ur new springs, did you order dual coil springs (hi perfromance) or did you simply order a set of "stock" springs. If they're stock but have a "helical" coil going up them, it's most likely not an actual dual coil but an integral dampner. Cast Iron heads rarely need any other shims under the spring unless you're compensating for height, because cast iron makes a good wear surface. The biggest thing to be concerned with is the installed height of the spring, make sure that if you put the new spring on w/o the factory dampner on it that the spring's installed height isn't higher than it would have been from the factory, if so, you'll be overstressing the spring along with the valve stem, face, and seat angle on the head, and can possibly cause valve burning and cam wear out prematuraly.