Valve springs and cam bearings

LarryC wrote:

Nessism wrote: Why use aftermarket springs, with the increased seat pressure, if using stock cams?

You don't have to. You can screw around and test 40 year old springs but you better do it after the valve job is done and know how to check the actual retainer height in the tappet bore so you're testing seat pressure accurately and then compensate with the correct shims...

To check retainer height you put the retainer on the valve with two keepers and pull the retainer tight. . Put the valve on a true flat surface upside down. Measure from the bottom of the retainer to the flat surface and note the measurement. Then install the valve and measure the installed height form the bottom of the tappet bore to the top of the stem. Then subtract the first measurement from that. That will be the true installed height of the retainer. That is the height you check them at for seat pressure.

Chances of your local automotive shop doing that are slim. You'll be lucky if they set all the installed heights the same after the valve job

...or you can just slam the the stock springs back in and ride the bike for another 100k miles. :whistle:
With only 20k on the bike it's unlikely the springs are knackered. Preface this with assuming the bike will be ridden in a non abusive mannor. If so, get some springs, and a clutch hub, and some smoothbores, and you get the idea :S .