Valve locks touching ok?

What valves are you running? Are they single groove? or multi groove? If they are OE exhaust valves they are multi groove.. OE Exhaust valves are designed with multi grooves to allow the valve to rotate.. The keeper ends are supposed to butt together...

If your running single groove valves & single groove keepers then your correct, they should not butt....
All OE valves, the exhaust are 4 groove and butt together. The intake are 2 groove and have a small gap with the new retainers and locks from Howard’s.