Valve Spring Keeper Wear?

I was pulling my comp cams springs off to swap them on to my home ported heads and noticed that some of the keepers had a pronounced ridge worn into the top of them?
The motor has around 4000 miles on it and they didn't look like that when I installed them.

I am using stock retainers on the comp springs. I will have to look up the springs, but they match the EX262H cam.
The retainers don't look like they sit centered in the spring, could that be the problem?

Stock D3VE/stock valves
Comp EX262H (218/224 .518/520)
Suggested comp springs(spring pressures checked by machinist) One turn from zero lash of preload on the lifters

looks like you have the wrong retainer for that spring and the retainer appears to not contact the keeper fully.

dkp

I agree. How do I order the correct retainers?
I was hoping to get the heads on this Friday because I'm off work.....So I'll need to order parts tonight!

when you order tell them what springs you have and valves they should know what retainer you need and locks.

X2 on what has already been said. The bottom line is that the retainers should have no lateral (or very little)movement when they are sitting in/on the spring. That's why the spring manufacturers give i.d. dimensions when listing their springs in the catalog. Then when you study all the different retainers listed in a cam company's catalog, you'll notice that they give "A" step and "B" step dimensions. The retainer step dimensions should be slightly smaller than the spring i.d. dimensions.

For example: IF a listed spring has an i.d. dimension of 1.50", then the correct "A" step dimension for a matching retainer should be something like 1.49", in other words about .010" smaller.

One of the laws of physics is that a force will take the path of least resistence, and in the case of valve springs, they would rather move sideways and do the hula-hoop before being compressed. This lateral movement of the valve spring is what is causing the excessive wear on the retainers and locks.

Hope this helps,

Charlie

Get the retainer part # that comp says fits your spring.......you spring is ?

Thanks guys.... I totally messed that one up!! I thought it didn't look quite right when I put it together, but was in a hurry and didn't know any better......
Unfortunately I don't have the original spring paper work, so I measured the springs.
I bought the "matching" springs for Comp Cam XE262H 34-238-4 which are Comp 926-16 or 924-14.
Comp springs 926-16 list an OD 1.476/ID 1.062
My springs measure pretty close depending on where I have the caliper OD 1.479/ID 1.0665

Comp recommends retainers #740
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CCA-740-16/

I assume I need to buy specific locks as well?

Thanks guys! I still am still making beginner mistakes..... But I'm learning a ton!

c.evans wrote:

One of the laws of physics is that a force will take the path of least resistence, and in the case of valve springs, they would rather move sideways and do the hula-hoop before being compressed. This lateral movement of the valve spring is what is causing the excessive wear on the retainers and locks.

Is that "hula-hoop" anything like the "Shake", "The Twist" or the "Funky Chicken" ? Those moves were good for depression!

Dave.

I would opp for new locks also if your old ones has wore to the old retainer and might not fit right in the new ones.For no more than they cost it would be some good insurance if one of the old ones failed

X2 Get the locks that are recomended for the retainers too, they arent expensive.

Thanks guys! I think I'm all set.
I can't believe I missed something so simple.
Everything I've ever built before was so mild the replacement valve springs were stock diameter. This mild motor doesn't have much spring either, so I just assumed I could used the stock retainers. I was wrong!
Good thing I happened to pull it apart. I doubt it would have ever been driven enough for the locks to fail.....but you never know. There was quite a bit of wear for just 4000 mild street miles.