318 Valve springs and retainers questions

[96Formula6sp]

So a while ago we found a piece of what I am guessing is a section of the valve spring rotator. Here is a picture of what I am talking about.



We removed the ring and have since run the car. This was on the exhaust valve on cylinder #2 This car is going to a track day car so this needs to be fixed. I would rather not drop a valve. So a couple of questions. First off what is that piece. I am used to more modern cars with a shim on the bottom,spring, retainer on top. Second at this point we want to replace the the locks and retainers or whatever this piece is. If this means replacing the valve springs as well we will. Car is a stock cam 318 with stock heads.

So what is out there for a good quality set of valve springs. There are no plans to throw a camshaft at it.

 

[PurpleBeeper]

OMG! I've never seen that....that really looks like part of the spring retainer. The 318's I've had were all like you describe but no shims under the springs on stock motors....just retainer on top of the spring.

Yeah.... I suggest at the very least that you replace that one retainer or whatever that piece is. If you're ambitious, you could check/replace them all for $50-$75. If this is your "lemon racer" I'd just pull a couple from a salvage yard and fix that one.

You may already know this, but there's a cheap tool you can buy to compress the springs using the rocker bar as a lever. You'll also need another little tool (or make one) that allows you to put compressed air into each cylinder via the spark plug hole. Lastly, you'll need to at least mark the harmonic balancer so you can be sure you've got the piston at top dead center when you remove the spring (so the valve can't fall down into the cylinder - piston being up stops it).

 

[96Formula6sp]

OMG! I've never seen that....that really looks like part of the spring retainer. The 318's I've had were all like you describe but no shims under the springs on stock motors....just retainer on top of the spring.

Yeah.... I suggest at the very least that you replace that one retainer or whatever that piece is. If you're ambitious, you could check/replace them all for $50-$75. If this is your "lemon racer" I'd just pull a couple from a salvage yard and fix that one.

You may already know this, but there's a cheap tool you can buy to compress the springs using the rocker bar as a lever. You'll also need another little tool (or make one) that allows you to put compressed air into each cylinder via the spark plug hole. Lastly, you'll need to at least mark the harmonic balancer so you can be sure you've got the piston at top dead center when you remove the spring (so the valve can't fall down into the cylinder - piston being up stops it).

Yeah having a hard time looking this up. Looks like exhaust valves use the rotator on the top. The intake valves have a different design as you can see in the picture. I want to go threw and replace at least all the exhaust valve pieces. If one failed what are the chances the others follow suit.

As for tools I have this.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0012S61IO?psc=1

I have used it and it works great. I also have a insert to add an air line to the spark plug holes. Would just need to make sure the balancer is at TDC of each cylinder as a backup. Really don't want to pull heads. There are a couple old dodge trucks with 318s but I am leaning towards a new set. Old parts are probably fine and work long time but at this point I would like to replace them for the piece of mind. Granted I would have a set in about 5 mins with my tool. Who needs valves when they can just drop down.

 

[96Formula6sp]

Well ended up raiding a Gran Fury at the junkyard with a blown engine. I got some valve spring retainers from it. Good thing we did as the one damaged retainer was on borrowed time. Looks like it was a different rotator style. It came apart in the engine on removal.



Had to catch some of the springs.



But fixed them.

Before



After



Looks like the exhaust valves are not stock. They still used the same degree of locks. They were 2 groove like the intake. Seems exhaust were usually 4 groove. Either way they matched locks we had on hand. So for now the car is back to the factory style retainer.