Installing New Valve Springs And Seals

[rage'nrat638]

WELL HERE'S HOW IT'S DONE....

i just happen to be installing the LS1 BEEHIVE SPRINGS into my L31 vortec heads here..

these springs are the only ones that will work for higher lift on stock vortec heads with no machine work..
the stock springs supply 80ft lbs seat pressure and the LS1 springs supply 130ft lbs of pressure...anyway..

i started by making me some HEAD STANDS... so i could work on these badys or any heads i have in front of me at the time...

i used some 1 1/2" tube and some 1/2 round stock..tappered the ends.. drilled holes in the tube stock 1" from the ends and welded them up..

the tube stock was 9" long....the round 1/2" stock was 8" long

painted them chevy orange and let them dry overnight..

saved money right there..had the parts laying around..

[rage'nrat638]

i rounded up the parts i would need
springs..
retainers..
locks..
valve lapping compound..
valve lapping tool..
spring compressor..
valve seals..

i started by removing one valve spring at a time..so i did not have to worry about mixing up my valves...

[rage'nrat638]

heres my tools..

removed the spring..the old seal..i used better seals than what was on the heads..these are positive seal type..

and got ready to reverse this operation..

[rage'nrat638]

yea yea...thats where i got electrocuted one leg of 480 volts there on my finger..
YES IT HURT !!!!!!

ANYWAY...i lapped all the valves as i removed them. i like things perfect. they were machined.. but not lapped.

this is where you use valve lapping compound and the suction cup tool and spin the valve in the head in between your hands back and forth to mate the surfaces of the valve and head seat..if you see any imperfections across either surface you need to have the valve and seat machined if lapping won't do it...

[rage'nrat638]

next i installed my new valve seals...they do make a tool for 20.00 but i have a socket that worked perfect for the job...

i made damn sure i cleaned all the lapping compound off the valve and head before reinstalling...

used my kick butt engine Assembly lube to lube the seal and the valve and reinstalled into the head...

[rage'nrat638]

next we get to install the new springs, retainers, and locks,

every thing must be clean..you don't want any dirt on the valve and the locks..this could be very bad..

i repeated this for 16 times..smoked a lot of cigarettes. and took some breaks

don't kill your self...have funn....i love this stuff...

[rage'nrat638]

next i cleaned everything up..
i elongated my pushrod holes with a drill bit.. but you only need to do this on vortec heads..for high lift cams...

used locktight on my screw in studs and installed my guide plates and tightened to 70 ft lbs...

i am ready to go fast

[68 Stepside]

Still smoking Marlboro Menthols I see.....excellent thread Mark!

[rage'nrat638]

Originally Posted by 68 Stepside

Still smoking Marlboro Menthols
I see.....excellent thread Mark!

yup...how you doing..i miss you man..maybe this summer we can hang..

mean while i just keep working in the garage


smoking Marlboro Menthols

[faribran]

can you tell us the cam specs you are putting under these heads?
i am interested in doing something like this with this kind of springs....
i just dont want to get too wild on cam specs.

thanks

[Billla]

Nice work Mark and another great thread! FAQ!

Any issues with installed height, etc. with the swap?

Just a thought to add P/Ns to the post (below)

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...beehive+spring

[rage'nrat638]

thanks bill..
i am running a comp cams 272 cam..nothing crazy --454 lift--

i just don't want any valve float from the heavy retainers and 80ft lbs of seat pressure the stock stuff gives. at low rpm's
this will be no race engine...but it should do a burn out...

o yea the springs fit perfect no problems at all. you do need to grab these springs lower with the spring compressor to get the keepers in easy..

had my c clamp spring compressor arrived in time that i ordered 1/2 month ago..it would not have been a problem at all...go figure...yea and it's still not here?

[faribran]

Mark,
is that a roller engine?

[rage'nrat638]

Originally Posted by faribran

Mark,
is that a roller engine?

no ..hyd. flat tappet.
400 c.i.

[rage'nrat638]

heres a picture of the new spring compressor i just got.. this makes short work of changing springs..

[meathead95]

how much did you have to elongate the push rod holes? how do the keepers go on? i have never done this. what year's can i find these 062 heads on?

[rage'nrat638]

Originally Posted by meathead95

how much did you have to elongate the push rod holes? how do the keepers go on? i have never done this. what year's can i find these 062 heads on?

the keepers are installed after the spring is compressed the old ones can be lifted out and the new ones set in place..then release the spring compressor the keepers are now locked in place


mortec site:

12558062...98......350..........L31 Vortec, truck, 64cc chambers, 1.94/1.5, 170cc intake port

10239906...96-up...350.........."Vortec 5700", "L31", 64cc chamber,
170cc intake port, 1.94"/1.5" valves

after sitting the heads on the block and installing a lifter and push rod, learned that the push rod leans closer to the stud boss. the holes are a straight down drilled hole, on the vortec's .. i used a drill bit of the same size as the hole and rocked the drill bit in towards the stud boss and angled the hole. after this i have equal spacing around the push rod now. going thru the hole. i hope this makes since and help's mark

[meathead95]

thanks

[faribran]

Mark,
did you put the Positive Seals on both intake and exhaust?

nice job, thanks for sharing

[watahyahknow]

i read an assembly manual some time ago .... did you just pushed the seals over the valvestem or did you put the protecting sleeve on the stem first ?
those ridges on the stem that mount the key will ruin the lip of a seal realy fast if you don't use the sleeve or some cellotape .

[rage'nrat638]

Originally Posted by watahyahknow

i read an assembly manual some time ago .... did you just pushed the seals over the valvestem or did you put the protecting sleeve on the stem first ?
those ridges on the stem that mount the key will ruin the lip of a seal realy fast if you don't use the sleeve or some cellotape .

if you look at the valve stem keeper grooves,you will see that the bottoms of the grooves..are beveled and will cause no damage to the seal going on..it's pulling the seal backwards that would be a problem. because yes there are very sharp. i used plenty of assembely lube to install them.
this was first hand experince.

i would say the tape trick would be ness. if you were removing the seals and expected to reuse them

[rage'nrat638]

finished installing the last 6 springs today using my new spring compressor. this tool makes very short work of this project.
got them all done. figured i would show the tool in action.

[rage'nrat638]

Originally Posted by faribran

Mark,
did you put the Positive Seals on both intake and exhaust?

nice job, thanks for sharing

yes sir.. i bought the package at napa. came with 16 total. they had no different listing for exhaust and intake. all use the same..

[PrinsGMC]

Great thread, that is exactly what I do lots of the time at work, of corse everything is layed out for me so there is not much thinking involved. My boss always makes me lap the valves and our suction thing dosent really stick very well so it takes way to long. It looks good, great job.

where did you get the valve spring compresser, mine is on its last leg.