What am I not thinking of???

I measured the installed height of intake valve spring and it's 0.022" UNDER specification limit. Then I measured the distance from the valve seat on the head to the top of the valve stem tip and compared it to the same measurement on my old head where the installed height was correct and it's also 0.022" LOW - both measurements with the same valve locks and spring retainer to eliminate possibility of differences.

I realize you shim a valve spring when the installed height is too high, but what's the deal when it's too low?

Other than the wrong valves - what can cause this?

I haven't pulled the head off, yet, to actually measure the valve's overall height, but it seems it wasn't ground on the top since both measurements are off by the same amount.

It seems like the whole valve is sitting 22 thousandths low in the head??

Is it anything to worry about if the lifter pre-load works out?

Thanks in advance...