Let's talk Valve springs

Everyone want's their Dodge to rule the world.. In a now 600 foot lb and greater arena with Diesel Dodges, a cam'd V-8 in a Hotchkis Slammed Dak, Jacked up Ram on 38's, or even some Janky Jeep on Moab's escalator (yes Joel Robinson, I just honored you my friend)~ a lumpy cam still commands respect that a man has busted his knuckles to made his ride better than the next. So, before delving into camshafts, and you guys know I will -as I have literally spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on grinds that work and did not work-let's discuss the valve springs on your stock magnum heads. Most stock 318/360 cams from the factory have the specs of the following:
Actual Lift: .411/.430 (Intake/Exhaust) Duration: 264/250 adv and at 0.050 lift-182/194 Stock 1.6 rockers.
So you can see that a simple mod with stock characteristics, was to add 1.7 ratio roller rockers, freeing friction and adding lift and slight duration to the stock profile. But that was the limit of the stock valve spring as it was near coil bind. It was then Mopar Performance released the Mopar P4876062 for .600 lift ability and the smaller P5249464 for .525 lifts. Both used the P4452032- 8 mm retainer and P4529218 keepers for the 5/15 8mm valve stems. The seats on the heads and length of valves was short compared to Ford and Chevy standards. Most installed heights are 1.640" and the base of the spring was 1.42" to drop in your factory seat. Seat pressures with the aftermarket springs were standard roller performance of 130# and 300+ at 0.500 lift (most performance cams mild stayed .480 to .512 lift). In my years of running literally thousands of those springs, I only had 3 break.  So choosing a better spring with a different manufacturer of your choice, such as Comp, Pac, Manley etc, means you have to find a spring with good pressures and higher coil bind specs on that 1.64" installed height. Not that easy as most are 1.7 or 1.8 installed heights. One way is to run a hundred thou longer valve from your stock length of 4.91 intake and 4.93 exhaust. Another way is to cut the seat lower on the heads, also making sure to adjust the valve stem seal base lower too. Offset retainer keepers are also available in 0.050. That opens up a world of spring choices for you. The tip length on a stock Mopar valve is .125 also. Double springs require head seat machining without any questions. As do the excellent performing Beehive design springs. Most mild cam profiles are going to have a lobe lift of .300 to .320. That with your stock rocker arm ratio of 1.6 is 0.480" lift and 0.512" lift (1.6 x 0.312).  Most will agree that having a safe 0.060" gap before coil bind is desired. Because as you can imagine, a valve kissing the piston is terrible on a wallet. So before you start considering that rumpity camshaft on Ebay, upgrade your valve springs first. You will actually get better performance from added compression at the valve seat and follow the cam lobe much more stabilized.

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