valve lock failure

on a set of our p-51 heads, we dropped a intake valve at the end of the season, the intake locks on #4 cylinder appears to be the point of failure, looks like the ridge was just ripped out of the locks.

these heads were bought complete from kasse, with the flat tappet package, the motor has never seen over 7,000 rpm.

has anyone else had issues with comp-cam locks in the last 3 or 4 years ??

What do the other ones look like? Post some Pictures.

How long have they been together and being used?

Look at the underside of the rocker arm to be sure there's been no contact between the rocker and the retainer. That happened to me once...caused the retainer to "flutter", and beat the lock to pieces. I caught the problem just in time to prevent "dynamic disassembly". Some parts combinations can cause this interference. Might not be your problem, but it only takes a second to check.

Usually when I have seen this kind of failure in the past it was caused by floating the valves. That is assuming that there was not some kind of mechanical interference, retainer to guide, rocker to retainer, ect. Of course there the occasional "bad" part the just 'checks out'

jc10000rpm wrote:on a set of our p-51 heads, we dropped a intake valve at the end of the season, the intake locks on #4 cylinder appears to be the point of failure, looks like the ridge was just ripped out of the locks.

these heads were bought complete from kasse, with the flat tappet package, the motor has never seen over 7,000 rpm.

has anyone else had issues with comp-cam locks in the last 3 or 4 years ??

The problem is usually not the locks. It is simply the first place an "out of control" valve will show the problem.

jc10000rpm wrote:on a set of our p-51 heads, we dropped a intake valve at the end of the season, the intake locks on #4 cylinder appears to be the point of failure, looks like the ridge was just ripped out of the locks.

these heads were bought complete from kasse, with the flat tappet package, the motor has never seen over 7,000 rpm.

has anyone else had issues with comp-cam locks in the last 3 or 4 years ??

DO YOU RUN A STUDER BOX On the starting line? on the chip in other words before leaving the starting line?

well ill try to get some pictures posted of all the damage , both springs were still in tact (but ejected through the valve cover), retainer looks good, no sign of valve float on any of the other cylinders, valve lash still perfect on other 7 holes,

just thought maybe since i didnt see anything obvious maybe it was a know prob. of the locks themselves.

thanks for the replys and i hope to get some more input..........