Valve Keeper Wear?
#1
Instructor
Thread Starter
Valve Keeper Wear?
What could be causing this type of valve keeper wear pattern? Valve keeper pics. These are just under a year old and were installed by the machine shop the reworked my Vortec heads. This doesn’t seem normal to me and they actually look bent.
#2
Le Mans Master
What could be causing this type of valve keeper wear pattern? Valve keeper pics. These are just under a year old and were installed by the machine shop the reworked my Vortec heads. This doesn’t seem normal to me and they actually look bent.
#3
Le Mans Master
For such a small $$ item that can cause catastrophic results if they fail, you should pitch them right into the trash can. If your Vortec heads are stock, you should upgrade retainers and springs too. Competition Products sells decent stuff at a good price. What is your machinist telling you to do? what does he have avalible?
#4
What could be causing this type of valve keeper wear pattern? Valve keeper pics. These are just under a year old and were installed by the machine shop the reworked my Vortec heads. This doesn’t seem normal to me and they actually look bent.
Normally when you see the 2 little "sharp" peaks at the top/center of each lock, this usually indicates "pressed" pieces!
Remember, I'm judging by what I see on a computer and monitor!
(Add) You should try to place some part numbers up here, makes diagnosing a little easier and a lot more accurate!
Thanks, Gary in N.Y.
P.S. This is very important here, ALL "Hi-Perf" app's today should be using "machined" locks! Pressed lock pricing is about $.01/$.02 per!
#5
Race Director
I added the pics to this post. I agree, those are not the correct keepers.
#6
Instructor
Thread Starter
#8
Le Mans Master
My honest opinion, you probably revved motor up beyond engineering threshold for rail guided rocker system and side loaded valve stem causing the deformation on the CHEAP A** locks GM used for a 350 truck motor.
Like I said before, the item you are asking about is pretty cheaply replaced with quality parts, if you cant afford $180 for new springs/retainers/keepers, you should sell your Vette and buy a KIA with a factory warranty.
I would also SH**CAN those stem guided rocker arms they are problems waiting to happen, they belong on a truck motor only.
Like I said before, the item you are asking about is pretty cheaply replaced with quality parts, if you cant afford $180 for new springs/retainers/keepers, you should sell your Vette and buy a KIA with a factory warranty.
I would also SH**CAN those stem guided rocker arms they are problems waiting to happen, they belong on a truck motor only.
#9
Incompatible Parts
I have uploaded a a few more pics. Valve keeper pics.
I would suspect you have some mismatched parts??
Thanks, Gary in N.Y.
P.S. I would also be very reluctant to use those "rail" rockers, as mentioned above, there's better parts in the arena to use!
#10
Burning Brakes
Member Since: Aug 2005
Location: Europe, France
Posts: 1,164
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Most probably, those are not the correct valve keepers.
Perhaps they don't have the same angle as the retainers,
so they only contact each other in a small area,
causing heavy friction and wear of these parts ( visible hot spots ).
If you're not sure, buy a set of matched spring retainers and valve keepers. Not very expensive...
If only one of them fail at high RPM, the result could be disastrous for your engine, and for you !
Last edited by 73StreetRace; 01-04-2010 at 09:37 AM.
#11
Instructor
Thread Starter
Well, I am starting to figure out what’s going on now. I had a discussion with the folks at the machine shop and told them the valve locks didn’t look correct. Their response was “Yep there good, we install offset locks with used springs to improve used spring tension”. Well I immediately understood what was happing. First, the locks they used are crap. Second, the offset locks put the retainer bottom closer to the top of the valve seal. Being Vortec heads, this has my measured retainer to seal clearance at .040, not cool. I removed the offset locks and installed stock locks and measured again. That put me at a safer.120. As far as the springs go. After I had the heads originally serviced, the first thing I did was replace the used stock springs with Z28 springs from SDPC. When I did this, I reused the offset locks the shop installed without knowing they were offset or checking the clearance. I don’t see any other signs of damage, no bent push rods and the rockers look fine. But, I did notice the Z28 springs are not square top to bottom. Looks like they are about between 1/16 and 1/8 off. I didn’t check this when I installed them a year ago so I don’t know if they came that way or not. What else would cause springs to become not square?