The topic is valve spring height on 80s era heads. Specifically, E5TE, E6SE and E7TE. I have a set of each. Being new to the details of these heads, I just now noticed that the intake and exhaust valves have a different tip length.


Before, I had just assumed they were the same. The difference hidden from me due to the exhaust having a shorter spring.


And using the rotator.


I am changing the stock springs and retainers as many do for a cam upgrade. I got the springs I wanted for an installed height of 1.770" on the intake. Real world test puts these at 100psi at that height. The.470" lift tests at 210psi. These are the pressures I want. Now I see that to get them equal, I need to shim the intake about .086". The difference in the valves. That would raise the seated pressure to approximately 120psi. (That is because my springs have only a 200# per inch advertised rate. If I had the springs that the cam calls for, the seated pressure would be more yet.)

I would rather lengthen the exhaust height, now at about 1.684". My machine shop guy first proposed milling the .086" off the spring seat. Also discussed were -.050 keepers to get them closer.

What do you guys do?

Also, how much room do we need for the guide oil seal. With stock retainers ? (for test measurement, I have other retainers coming) There is only .019" left on the exhaust after subtracting the valve lift.

 

Is it possible that there are pre-rotator style exhaust valves that are the same size with cap lengths the same as intakes?

 

Most aftermarket performance valves are the same length. The factory difference was due to using different retainers on intake and exhaust. The rotator retainers were on the exhausts to even the wear on the valves and seats as these run hotter than the intakes. Ford didn't use the rotators until the early 70's I think, primarily for unleaded fuel use. You shouldn't have any clearance issues with up to a .510 lift cam as far as the retainers go. I ran a set of E7 heads with the stock springs and retainers with a B303 cam and 1.7 rockers without issues. The B cam with 1.7's has a .510 lift at the valve. You mentioned E6 heads, these have much shorter valves than all others as the seats in the head are deeper into the heads than all others. Also why the motors they were on had no valve reliefs in the pistons.