276 stroker from 35 years of parts

[flatjack9]

Yes you do need to determine installed height and do your testing at that length.

[GB SISSON]

OK, thanks! I knew I was doing something wrong. The whole 'installed height' thing hase confused me and then there is 'open' and 'closed' too. I sould have paid more attention to 'Bored and Stroked', but I was too busy digesting all this new stuff. Since I have all new hard seats can I expect to have pretty consistent installed height, or will each spring need to be adjusted individually? I like the light spring method. It won't surprise anyone here that I have a lifetime collection of springs.

[GB SISSON]

Plenty busy with my day job today, but after dinner I got a chance to make a light spring setup and get some measurements I can work with. What I found is that even though I have fewer of the short springs, I do have more than enough to make a set with the rotators. I'm leaning that way as I have a nice clean set that is quite consistent.Thing is, at installed height they are in the mid 20s. I found a small fender washer that measures exactly .060 and with that on top of the coil they all register from 38 to 42. I have never bought or used valve shims. Is .060 a lot of shim? If I go this route what should I order? Tomorrow I will do the same with the longer non rotator type and see what I get.

[Bored&Stroked]

You should be able to order a box of shims from Goodson. I usually buy a box of .060 and another of .015. I don't have the part numbers handy (anybody have them?). You can just measure a guide a determine what you need. Also, the shims go on the "guide side" of the assembly.

https://goodson.com/collections/valv...-booster-shims

Another option is to talk to VanPelt or Michael at ThirdGen - they probably have them as well.

[Bored&Stroked]

You'll also need a small snap-gauge or inside machinist divider/calipers to get into the valley and measure the installed spring heights. Usually, you'll find that the installed heights will be pretty close and depending on what level of a "perfectionist" you are, you might get away with the same thickness and number of shims on all intakes and all exhausts.

[GB SISSON]

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Originally Posted by Bored&Stroked

You'll also need a small snap-gauge or inside machinist divider/calipers to get into the valley and measure the installed spring heights. Usually, you'll find that the installed heights will be pretty close and depending on what level of a "perfectionist" you are, you might get away with the same thickness and number of shims on all intakes and all exhausts.

I heated up an old set of dividers and curled the legs outwards and ground them flat and thin for the purpose. I'm a certain kind of perfectionist. I use unconventional methods, but I still like to end up with a part that fits and performs as intended. Don't forget I'm the guy who made teflon buttons for a set of pistons with bad circlip grooves an then there's kingpin honing using a long wooden spoon with a slot for sandpaper. I pulled a couple of adjustable lifters from the two sets and was unable to see an arc or radius on the bottom. On a ground surface they appear flat. I will investigate further, and look at some ford ones for comparison.

[cadillac512]

Gary and others: At the risk of starting a sh.. storm of disagreement I will tell you that I have a new-in-box set of stock OEM Ford EAB flathead lifters that were purchased from Whitey McDonald (the old racer) a few years ago. They are dead flat...no crown at all. These have not ever been run and are in the original Ford box, and Whitey himself handed them to me and told me he bought them from Ford.

[flatford8]

The crown on the bottom is so that they rotate in the bore.....right??.......Mark

[GB SISSON]

Won't get any kind of a storm OR argument from me ...The ones I pulled looked like they had machine marks on the bottom, like they were ground flat. Now these are hollow adjustables, both sets pulled from old stuck engines, and I call them Johnsons for lack of a better term. I goofed around most of the morning gathering more valve parts, testing and measuring. My wheel cylinder device seems to give very consistent results and I have finalized my valve assemblies with rotater keepers. I still need ten of the cup shaped piece for the rotators, but I imagine I'll find them as I have way too many cones. I think I will put my springs in a rock tumbler and then paint them before I set them aside. I'm supposed to get that cam by Tuesday. Will have a full report.

[flatford8]

Gary,
Should the springs be painted?.......how do you prevent the paint from pealing and plugging up an oil passage?.......Mark

[GB SISSON]

Originally Posted by flatford8

Gary,
Should the springs be painted?.......how do you prevent the paint from pealing and plugging up an oil passage?.......Mark

Hi Mark, you make a very good point here. There are two reasons I thought I might paint them, but only after a surgical cleaning and 'grit etching'. 1) I recalled this passage in the lower right hand side of my little orange Ford book, 2) I get to look at them all painted up nice-like in the valley for a while. I did just google this after I read your post and came up with this 'barn post from a few years back on the subject. I DO respect your concern on the matter. It is valid. https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrO...KDZg3u2c4I16w-

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by GB SISSON

Hi Mark, you make a very good point here. There are two reasons I thought I might paint them, but only after a surgical cleaning and 'grit etching'. 1) I recalled this passage in the lower right hand side of my little orange Ford book, 2) I get to look at them all painted up nice-like in the valley for a while. I did just google this after I read your post and came up with this 'barn post from a few years back on the subject. I DO respect your concern on the matter. It is valid. https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrO...KDZg3u2c4I16w-

[Bored&Stroked]

I would never paint a valve spring - absolutely no reason to and it is just asking for the paint to come off at a later date.

[tubman]

Originally Posted by Bored&Stroked

I would never paint a valve spring - absolutely no reason to and it is just asking for the paint to come off at a later date.

I'd have to agree. The job of a spring by definition is to flex. From everything I know, flexing and paint are incompatible.

[Tim Ayers]

Originally Posted by Bored&Stroked

I would never paint a valve spring - absolutely no reason to and it is just asking for the paint to come off at a later date.

I agree, but I have encountered springs that seem to be painted or coated from the manufacture.

[GB SISSON]

I have a lot of black flathead springs, and stuff I read says isky springs were painted gray. I will, however err on the side of caution (and today's paint) and clean 'em up and use them bare. One less thing to go bad on me.

[GB SISSON]

I have my 16 excellent valve springs all clean and shiney in a can on my 8ba shelf. Today I picked out all of the 8ba style exhaust valves I have and started culling them for head thickness and stem diameter. I plan to use all Ford exhaust valves. I have handfulls of guides in a bucket of solvent soaking before testing. Tomorrow morning I get on the ferry to pick up that '93 S10 T-5. I needed one in my hands to get a visual as to next steps. It may very well be that I do the t5 swap this spring onto the back of the 221 that exists in the woodie. It's a nice runner with no real issues. I'm really busy with work still and don't want to rush the 276 build. Besides, I have the transfer case rebuilt now for the foyota, and that needs to go back in. Both of these vehicles are 'summer rides' and I will have 5 grandchildren around most of the summer. They are all under ten years old and love our drives through the countryside. Anyway, I will return tomorrow night with my catch. It will be interesting to rotate the gears and count what I have. Oh, and one more thing on the 276. That 8rt camshaft. Last week I started thinking it shoulda come by then. I look at ebay and it says 'money refunded'. I found out I had accidently cancelled my order with a keystroke... Fortunately nobody bought it in the interim. I reordered and it has been shipped. To arrive April 3-8. I will let you know what it measures at that time. Ok, early ferry in the morning. zzzzzzzzzzzzz

[cas3]

Seems to me any grand kid would be happy hangin out on mount picket and riding around in old fords. no need to tell them about that one incident of crashing into mamas chicken coop! Just teasing of course GB, good life you got there...carry on

[GB SISSON]

Originally Posted by cas3

Seems to me any grand kid would be happy hangin out on mount picket and riding around in old fords. no need to tell them about that one incident of crashing into mamas chicken coop! Just teasing of course GB, good life you got there...carry on

Ya got a good memory there Skip! Fortunately the chicken's home remained intact as I busted through the gate and fence on the right hand side of it. I have the brand new flexolite fan and aluminum radiator that met that day on a wall in my shop with a sign that says 'Have brakes'. The chicken house is an important social center here!

[Als48]

GB, I remember the chicken coop story as well. It reminds me of my Grandad Sam's near miss with his old truck. Dad and my brother and I were tearing down an old house for the lumber in '63. I was 16, My grandad, who was about '70 or so at the time had a '52 F2 or F3, not sure which. He had gotten out of it at the crest of the hill, leaving it out of gear, running maybe. Anyway my 4 yr old sister was in the truck, standing on the seat (what car-seat?) as the truck began to roll down the hill toward a wooded area. Sam tried to catch the truck but couldn't so he yelled for Sheri to jump! She did, but the truck didn't go much farther before becoming lodged on a downed tree trunk and stopped without much if any damage. Grandad Sam was pretty upset, but relieved that Sheri was ok. Ole Blue survived to carry a load of lumber home 10 miles away. Kinda funny now, but not that day.

Al Hook