valve spring keeper question

[daytona kid]

I got these new valve springs from 440 source,> http://store.440source.com/Stealth-Cylinder-Head-Valve-Springs-Set-of-16/productinfo/200-1058/
They are a little bigger than my old stock ones. I put a new spring on the left in the pic, the one on the right is stock. Are the stock keeper/caps going to work?

 

[1968rt]

Replace the stock retainers and locks its cheap insurance!

 

[khryslerkid]

The exhaust valve keepers generally touch one another so the valve rotates in them. Supposably helps with not creating carbon deposits in the valve seats. The intake valve keepers will have a gap between each other.

You'll see a slight difference with installed height between the two because of this.

 

[1967coronet]

Most on here will tell your to replace the retainers and keepers with larger ones and clips.
I ran across the same thing with my new crane springs, I installed the original retainers and keepers and have aprox 4,000 miles on them and quite a few 5,000 rpm pulls on them. Has not been a problem on mine.
Couple weeks later after install I pulled one cover just to look. The springs and hardware were right were I left them.
With the retainer making contact all around the spring, and the keepers/locks fitting the valve stems plus the spring base is sitting flush to the head I was ok with it.
Make sure to ck. Install height and ck. For coil bind.

 

[threewood]

Is the i.d. of the new spring the same as the i.d. step on the keeper to keep the spring from walking around?

Stock application or modified?

Check for contact with the rocker arm

 

[PRHeads]

It’s not ideal, but it’ll work okay.

Looks like those originals are the low perf springs?(no damper inside)

The original red HP springs didn’t fit the retainers very well either.

 

[daytona kid]

Is the i.d. of the new spring the same as the i.d. step on the keeper to keep the spring from walking around?

Stock application or modified?

Check for contact with the rocker arm

It is a tad bigger but the stock ones had a little wiggle room as well. I think everything was stock on this motor. I'm going for it! Seems ok to me. This motor is no hi dollar investment so no big deal if if blows.

 

[PRHeads]

Here’s a spring & retainer off a MP crate Hemi.
Retainer step OD- .980”
Spring ID- 1.125”

.145” of slop on a factory assembled head.



The stock 440 retainer step is about 1.00”, and a stock HP spring ID is about 1.070”.

The spring I usually use with stock retainers has an ID of 1.086”, so slightly more slop than what you’d have with the factory HP spring, but still vastly better than what came on a crate Hemi.

 

[daytona kid]

Got 6 done so far. Summit spring tool sucks. Getting harder as I get towards firewall. Thanks for reassuring info.

 

[khryslerkid]

Got 6 done so far. Summit spring tool sucks. Getting harder as I get towards firewall. Thanks for reassuring info.

Are you doing them on the engine? Which tool?

 

[daytona kid]

Are you doing them on the engine? Which tool?

Yes, on the engine and in the car,. very tuff. I'm using this generic summit spring tool which doesn't work very good. I may have to get a better one before I can finish this job. Anyone know of a good one?

 

[khryslerkid]

Anyone know of a good one?

Don't know if you could get this one in there or not. They are well liked for changing springs after break-in.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/cca-5324/make/chrysler

 

[daytona kid]

Don't know if you could get this one in there or not. They are well liked for changing springs after break-in.
View attachment 1002092

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/cca-5324/make/chrysler

$120 is a little more than I can spend..

 

[khryslerkid]

$120 is a little more than I can spend..

I thought about making one like it. Looks like a good design.

 

[daytona kid]

I thought about making one like it. Looks like a good design.

That's what I'm thinking..

 

[daytona kid]

I feel pretty good at the moment, I'm halfway finished with the springs. That last drivers side spring by the firewall was a bitch. Since I did the drivers side I figure the passenger side will be easier. After I put it all back together I went ahead and cranked it to ease my mind that all was good. If something failed it would save me the trouble of doing the other side. It seemed fine, revved a little but not to hi/problem rpms yet. I did ended up having to make a tool to get that last spring. I used the fork off the summit tool to help. Pretty easy to make, kinda caveman style. As you tighten the bolts the fork takes the spring down. May use it on the rest of them. It actually works/feels safer than summit tool.

 

[747mopar]

Hopefully this does it for you, doesn't look like fun lol.

 

[747mopar]

Here’s a spring & retainer off a MP crate Hemi.
Retainer step OD- .980”
Spring ID- 1.125”

.145” of slop on a factory assembled head.

View attachment 1001872

The stock 440 retainer step is about 1.00”, and a stock HP spring ID is about 1.070”.

The spring I usually use with stock retainers has an ID of 1.086”, so slightly more slop than what you’d have with the factory HP spring, but still vastly better than what came on a crate Hemi.

Wow, that definitely gives you a boost in confidence knowing you can get away with that!

 

[daytona kid]

Success!! The problem was the springs.. Finished swapping them last night and test ran it today. Runs great now!! Thanks for all the help guys!!!