installed height valve and spring

UPDATE: I called Manley they do not suggest using the upper groove for the locks, I am now back to trying to fit shims in to get to 60 lbs. I hope it works because with the L100 cam You would be able to use the stock lifters by grinding .010 off the stem, or the djustables with the adjuster screwed almost all the way down. I will let you know.
 
The upper grouve is for a stem seal, however it will hold the spring pressre of a 50 lb Flathead spring, no problem.
 
I liked Old Rons method of using a drill press and bathroom scale, but, since i don't have a scale I am using the sring tester at the sppedshop that does my machining.
 
The second groves works just fine and makes valve adjustment a lot easier as for shims I went to a hardware store and found some heavy washers the right thickness turned them to the same diameter then I did not have to stack a bunch of shims.
John
 
33cabriolet said:
The second groves works just fine and makes valve adjustment a lot easier as for shims I went to a hardware store and found some heavy washers the right thickness turned them to the same diameter then I did not have to stack a bunch of shims.
John
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I wouldn't second guess the info that the valve manufacturer states.

R
 
I would imagine that Ol' Ron probably has a few built engines out there using his suggestion, and some of them probably have some miles on them, and some of them have probably seen well above normal rpms. He wouldn't say it if it didn't work and work right.

A person has to remember that the manufacturer is making these valves for a different application (but they do work in a flathead - bet the manufacturer wouldn't tell you that either) They're for a small block Chevy which runs higher spring pressures and way higher lifts and rpms. Plus, they don't want to be held liable for a failure should you not get locks in properly, but think you did.

It's up to each person to decide on things like this, but I wouldn't second guess Ol' Ron myself.
 
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Of course you could get away with using the upper seal groove in most cases, but as was explained by Manley thet do not control the tolerances on that groove like the keeper groove and secondly the groove is not machined in the same configuration. I will be looking at trying to shim to get the 60 pounds of seat pressure Cam Tech. wants for the L100 cam. If I can't then I will reconsider.
 
JonC said:
Of course you could get away with using the upper seal groove in most cases, but as was explained by Manley thet do not control the tolerances on that groove like the keeper groove and secondly the groove is not machined in the same configuration. I will be looking at trying to shim to get the 60 pounds of seat pressure Cam Tech. wants for the L100 cam. If I can't then I will reconsider.
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How much ship do you require?

R
 
LOL, I never thought of using a bathroom scale! So when the valve is all assembled I am looking for the pressure when it just starts to compress the spring? I guess Ideally the best way would be to have the valve in the block and pressure reading would be when the valve starts to open?
 
I found a Sturtevant Richmond tester on epay that looks like it would have been used on a flathead back in the day.

 
The flathead has been around since the beginning of time. Designed by people that worked on Model A's and T's. It will with stand the stupidy of the untrained machanic and run long after it ran out of oil and water, Some in the 21 centry brought up with computers and HIGH tech everything when one digit in a program will stop a machine from running, fronm upon deviating from some manufactures wishes. If the Wright Bros, Edison and Henry Ford listens to the nay Sayers, we would still be in the dark riding horses. Yes some of the things you can do to a flathead won't work, but not many.
I get a big kick about the discussion about seals on valve guides, Where are all these Hi Tech people when most modern engine are assembled with RTV or some variation of it. There are many things we shouldn't do, we learn by making mistakes.
 
Back to valve springs, Most of the engines I built had stock early valve springs and one .060" shim. These springs were the course wound spring found in most 59 thru 51 engines on stock valves. How complicated can this be.
 
Just got back from the speedshop and the problem is solved. Top and bottom of the spring will get one .015 and one .030 shim. That will give me .090 total and leave a lot of surface for the spring to seat, the remaining .050 is achieved by using Comp cams offset keepers, this allows use of these valves and the stock lifters and gives me 55 to 58 pounds of spring pressure at installed height of 2.100 using the Isky springs. Thanks to everyone that has helped me out. Jon
 
Ralph Moore said:
LOL, I never thought of using a bathroom scale! So when the valve is all assembled I am looking for the pressure when it just starts to compress the spring? I guess Ideally the best way would be to have the valve in the block and pressure reading would be when the valve starts to open?
Click to expand...
With the valve assembly in the block, measure the height of the spring. Remove the assembly and the spring. Then compress it to that same dimension you measured and read the pressure.
 
Good Lord Jon, I wish my wife didn't watch my spending like your's doesn't!! My definition of "speed shop" is how fast I can make it out to the garage before she knows I'm gone!!

Lonnie
 
I got to looking in my Flathead library and found my copy of the 1940-53 Chilton's repair manual. Open to the page on 1949-53 engine rebuilding and lo and behold there's a picture of the very same Sturtevant Richmond spring tester being used to test valve springs. So I ordered one.
 
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