My 454 Rebuild

[Spareparts]

Thanks guys.
1. I already have the roller rockers.
2. According to measurements with a valve spring hight checker using the recommended parts they would be 1.750
I don't remember the max valve lift as measured before cutting atm.
3. About 3 months ago a Melling HV pump was installed.
I admit I do wonder if one of the check valves could be malfunctioning as a possibility.
Cold oil pressure is 80psi

 

[BeXtreme]

Why would you cut the spring seats? Why cut the guides?

Not sure on the spring seats. I'm assuming he is changing out his own guides and is talking about the reamer tool? You don't need to cut down the guides to gain lift clearance on any of the cams mentioned on this thread. You WILL need a bit of clearance if you want to go over about .550" lift. They can vary by how much clearance you have on an individual head, and there really isn't any need to go over .550 lift on these heads anyways, since they don't have any increase in CFM above about .510. I had my stock heads with 288,000 miles on them redone for my build. It was a trivial extra expense to have the new guides cut down a bit and machined for positive lock viton seals, so I went ahead and did so. I also had the machinist install the valve springs and retainers for the correct installed height and open/closed spring pressures. My final max lift clearance on the heads ended up being somewhere around .610"

 

[Spareparts]

I'm at work so working from memory.
I measured from the bottom of the valve retainer to the top of the valve guide seal on the exhaust and it measured something like .490 so from what I read you want .060 clearance from the retainer to the seal. That leaves .430
The valve springs say 1.880 Installed hight. If I use the recommended rotator that are .300 thick the measurement is
1.750. To get more space you need to cut the spring seats to get 1.880
Unless I'm understanding it ALL wrong.

 

[Spareparts]

Not afraid to admit when im wrong and i was,
The intake valve measures from the bottom of the spring retainer to top of valve guide with no seal is .947 The seal and clearance is probably .100 so that makes .847(ish) More than enough.
The exhaust valve measures from the bottom of the spring retainer to top of valve guide with no seal is .680. Again the seal and clearance .100 so .580(ish)
The exhaust valve guide does not need trimmed down.
I would still want to cut the Ex guides for better seals and that tool is about $75 or more depending on manufacturer.
Now the spring seats are close but still a little too tall so the spring seats need cut down. That tool costs about $100.

The intake valve spring seat measures to bottom of retainer 2.175 -.0300 leaves 1.875. .005 would need to be cut from the spring seat to set the spring at 1.880
.005 maybe not a big deal.
The exhaust valve spring seat measures to bottom of retainer 2.150 - 0.300 leaves 1.850.
.030 is too much to ignore so the spring seats need cut down also.
So buying the 2 tools is not really a problem considering the closest machine shop is about a hour and a half away and would require two trips.

 

[BeXtreme]

Not afraid to admit when im wrong and i was,
The intake valve measures from the bottom of the spring retainer to top of valve guide with no seal is .947 The seal and clearance is probably .100 so that makes .847(ish) More than enough.
The exhaust valve measures from the bottom of the spring retainer to top of valve guide with no seal is .680. Again the seal and clearance .100 so .580(ish)
The exhaust valve guide does not need trimmed down.
I would still want to cut the Ex guides for better seals and that tool is about $75 or more depending on manufacturer.
Now the spring seats are close but still a little too tall so the spring seats need cut down. That tool costs about $100.

The intake valve spring seat measures to bottom of retainer 2.175 -.0300 leaves 1.875. .005 would need to be cut from the spring seat to set the spring at 1.880
.005 maybe not a big deal.
The exhaust valve spring seat measures to bottom of retainer 2.150 - 0.300 leaves 1.850.
.030 is too much to ignore so the spring seats need cut down also.
So buying the 2 tools is not really a problem considering the closest machine shop is about a hour and a half away and would require two trips.

Are you using a valve spring micrometer to measure that? Like this? https://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS/555/805...5Z--0tyrlVBBIMi7MS1fFZJVv3lvZO9EaAiWvEALw_wcB

Are you using rotator eliminators, or keeping the valve rotators? I think the guy that did mine just milled the rotator eliminators the right amount to get the correct installed height.

Make sure you are doing all of this AFTER you do the valve job and lapping, or it won't be correct.

 

[Spareparts]

Yes I'm using a valve spring hight micrometer.
I'll be using rotator eliminators that are .300 thick that are recommended.
The heads are fresh rebuilds.
I personally would not use rotators that have been milled down.
I don't believe rotators are a bad thing really on a stock engine but from everything I have read that are not good with anything more then stock spring pressure. No direct experience just what I read.

 

[BeXtreme]

Yes I'm using a valve spring hight micrometer.
I'll be using rotator eliminators that are .300 thick that are recommended.
The heads are fresh rebuilds.
I personally would not use rotators that have been milled down.
I don't believe rotators are a bad thing really on a stock engine but from everything I have read that are not good with anything more then stock spring pressure. No direct experience just what I read.

I wouldn't mill rotators either. I was talking about the eliminators being milled. If you have a mill or lathe, its an option, otherwise I would just machine the seat or shim as necessary. Be aware that many of the eliminator kits require some slight modification of the spring seat(on just a few of the seats) in order to fit.

Edit: corrected the first part to say "I wouldn't mill rotators" rather than "rotator Eliminators"

 

[Spareparts]

I wouldn't mill rotator eliminators either. I was talking about the eliminators being milled. If you have a mill or lathe, its an option, otherwise I would just machine the seat or shim as necessary. Be aware that many of the eliminator kits require some slight modification of the spring seat(on just a few of the seats) in order to fit.

Ahh. That makes more sense!
Yeah i know a little work on the spring seats might have to be done. Not a problem.
Did not think of milling the eliminators but that sure is a viable option. I do have a buddy with a large Bridgeport mill.

 

[Spareparts]

Looks like i need to use a thick regular valve cover gaskets. Any recommendations on a good set that will fit.
I'm not sure if a regular gasket will work on a vortec valve cover that uses a O ring style gasket.

 

[Spareparts]

Looks like in a couple of weeks ill be getting this put in.
Had a buddy mill .100 off the polylocks and now the valve covers fit no problem with about .030 clearance.