[Cliff R]

If you are doing stock length valves and stock retainers why not purchase a set of stock replacement springs. For the .406" 068 cam nothing more would be needed, and no fussing around with different length valves/installed heights and possibly too much spring pressure for what you are doing.

One thing I've learned with engine building over 4 decades is NEVER, EVER just throw in a set of aftermarket springs from anyone without checking seat pressure (with the retainers you will be using), open pressure and distance to coil bind.

It's actually more common to find the numbers off the mark than spot on with this sort of thing. I still remember the last set of Comp 995's that showed up with a bunch of parts for an engine we were hired to assemble. They were 160lbs on the seat and something like 380lbs over the nose. I remember the spec sheet showing much less. They also had a very sharp "knife" edge on the dampners which will eat up any shims used under them as I've pulled a few sets of heads down on heads sent here.

I decided not to use them and went with Crower 68405's at 1.7" instead, that engine is still out there getting it done and we did it close to 20 years ago.

As far as the 68404 springs go they are a "drop in" at the stock height as by the time you grind the seats and toss the oil shields for PC seals your at or will have to shim back to 1.6" anyhow. Even with that said I like to use up more of the spring and would rather see stock springs used with the stock low lift cams or anything below about .450" lift.

Did a quick check and found these:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Pontiac-V8-...AAAOSwmrlU0mJ9

The last time I did a stone/stock 400 build with a stock lift cam I bought the springs at NAPA. They came in Pioneer boxes of 4 and were spot on for pressure and running room with stock retainers.......Cliff

[Steve C.]

Same springs as mentioned in post #9

And listed here:

http://www.spottsperformance.com/valve%20springs

Number VSH1



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