God I'm getting sick of dealing with my Ahole engine builder. I just laid a straight edge across the valve stems on my new heads and there has to be .025 difference between the longest and shorts valves.
I have to take these back because they obviously didn't check installed height, what is the installed height suppose to be for a set of #8 heads or what exactly do I tell this guy when I take them in. I have looked for specs and can't find any anyplace, everyone says it's critical to have it correct but no one states what it is suppose to be.
Or just to ask the question would changing to an adjustable rocker arm set up help in this situation?

 

I don't know if Mondello stills sells a valve height gage. But I have one, and it works very easy. He said when you take your head to the shop, take the gage with you, and tell them how it works, and to use it, as most shops don't know how to do Olds heads.

 

http://www.supercarsunlimited.com/in.../stem/stem.htm

 

x2 on the height gauge if you're using the stock rocker setup and have valves that can be set to the original standard height...

If you're using non standard valves, an adj. train is the easiest way to go.
The stock setup just doesn't lend itself well to mods....

 

Thanks guys, I read that article from Supercars and completely missed the specs the first time I read it. I think I will just spring for the adjustable set up so I don't have to deal with the machine shop again. I remeasured thee height last night and there is about .015 difference between long and short and there is at least 6 different heights on the head I checked.

 

That is a bummer that the machine shop dropped the ball and didn't machine your heads properly.

 

It's not really that they did not machine your heads properly, they just did not grind the valve tips at all to establish proper height. No doubt they are used to Chevys where it doesn't matter. When ever you do a valve job the valve and seat are cut, or ground. The tip of the valve will always end up higher. What you should also be looking for is shims under the springs. My guess is they did not check installed spring height, which will change with a valve job. I will outline all this stuff in my thread about Home Porting Techniques when I get that far.

 

Good grief I called the shop today and told them what I found, they had me talk to the guy that runs the machine shop and the machinist and neither one of them could understand what I was talking about. All the machinist would say is they where within spec, I knew at that moment he didn't know an Olds engine from Santa's ***.
I will be ordering an adjustable valve train and convert to a Chevy type valve train since they obviously only speak Chevy at my shop.

 

I would suggest the prw roller tip rocker kit it comes with poly locks. Im running that in my current set up. You will need guide plates and studs. But those can be bought through comp cams.

 

Btw jag1886 I have a kit here the comp cams kit all you need is the studs to go with the 1442 kit. I have the rockers, and guide plates.


Edit: I don't know if I offered em to you once . but here is the pic. 75 takes em.

 

I used the same kit CopperCutlass is offering. It works well.