Offset valve spring retainers or keepers ?

-
scott657

scott657

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2016
Messages
1,003
Reaction score
588
Location
Lancaster, Ca
I have some 901-16 springs going into some stock 360 heads I am messing with
The springs call for a 1.65 installed height. I can only get 1.623 installed height.
I'm not looking to machine these unless necessary. Is there an offset keeper or retainer I can use to get some more height. I would need .480 lift XE268H (max lift is .49 on these springs) at 1.62 I can only get .46
PS I'm not sinking a fortune into these heads , I am more or less practicing with them
As always thank you for bearing with my rookiness
This is what happens when I'm home 24/7
 
Crower sells an offset...would these work?
crower.jpg
 
You can also get valve keepers with the locking notch in different places.
 
I found some on the crane sight. I have 2 groove valve stems, can I use single groove keepers?
 
Nope....need the proper valve locks.

Look at Competition Products....they may have the correct keepers.
 
And before you buy anything else..... let's look at that clearance to coil bind as you numbers don't look right:
1.65" installed - 1.100" coil bind = .550"
.550" - .480" valve lift = .070" clearance to coil bind

OK, makes more sense now!

Make sure the keeper grooves are the same shape as the valve groove (square or rounded).
 
The comp catalog calls out max lift as .49 If i can go to bind numbers then no problem
 
while you're home check out Lunati voodoo 268 vs comp 268
if you are short on compressionthe lunati 262 runs better than the comp 268
 
So are you saying that I can use the springs as is with .480 lift?
 
Last edited:
The keeps you are looking for will come in +.020 to +.100 depending on the application. .050 are popular.
 
scott657 said:
The comp catalog calls out max lift as .49 If i can go to bind numbers then no problem
Click to expand...
Lets' make sure we are saying the same thing.... you cannot go to coil bind. You have to maintain at least .060" to coil bind. Which is why I went through the numbers; if you get that 1.650 installed height, then with a 1.100" coil bind, then you have .550" to play with. and the .490" lift works.

BTW, I 2nd the Voodoo suggestion. Is this a bone stock 360 LA bottom end?
 
The 256 voodoo or Howard works best with stock compression, gears, converter street
you can go to the 262 voodoo but you start to loose some driving across the intersection
The 268 comp sucks big time without converter and gears and a hot rod driving style
short duration and as much lift as you can find
but not a Whiplash if you value your gas mileage
 
scott657 said:
I have some 901-16 springs going into some stock 360 heads I am messing with
The springs call for a 1.65 installed height. I can only get 1.623 installed height.
I'm not looking to machine these unless necessary. Is there an offset keeper or retainer I can use to get some more height. I would need .480 lift XE268H (max lift is .49 on these springs) at 1.62 I can only get .46
PS I'm not sinking a fortune into these heads , I am more or less practicing with them
As always thank you for bearing with my rookiness
This is what happens when I'm home 24/7
Click to expand...
.050 Pop up locks, .015 vsi to get back where you need it.

Thing is.. who makes pop up stock locks, I myself use comp cams super locks and retainers. They offer the pop up.
47.99+43.99 for them both off of summit.
 
Last edited:
Thanks Justin
I also found some from Crower as suggested by Pishta. They are +050 7* I just have to find out if the are compatible with 2 groove locks 87063M
 
It's easier to find the + retainers than it is to find + locks except single groove locks
find some let us know
 
I found the + retainers on crower sight 87063m 7* if they are compatible with the 2 groove locks Im in.
trying to find the # for the comp setup Justin suggested
 
At some point, just getting the tool and arbor and turning the spring seat a bit deeper may be easier. You don't need to do a lot here. And maybe you can set the guide OD up for better seals at the same time.

And if you have a lot of time on your hands, you just make your own tooling... Customize a holesaw arbor use a couple different diameters of saws, and then your dremel to clean it up.

IMG_20191215_125449789.jpg


IMG_20191215_123048912.jpg
 
I did this on an odd ball head in the US (Opel CIH type head) and it used old 9 mm valve stems and so I could not find an arbor to fit. So I made the guide bit for a standard hole saw arbor from brass rod stock (so it would wear and not the guides) and turned it down by chucking and spinning it in a hand held drill, working it against a grinding wheel, and checking up and down the length constantly with a dial caliper.

Once that was done, the holesaws are standard bi-metal types. The cast iron was cut down dry at moderate drill speed. You'll need 2 or 3 successive sizes and then smooth out the ridges between with the dremel.

Of course, it will go a lot faster if you just buy the ready made bits and arbor from and outfit like Comp. You can buy those in the sizes you need and avoid so much rigamarole like I needed to do.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top