Last time I bought those retainer though (wasnt it for you Al) they were like $3.xx each.....ouch.....or maybe that was the valve stem locks.....IDK.

 

According to Marty Fletcher when he was at KRC, the springs wear the shape of the bottom coil into the retainer, so when changing out a spring, you should change the retainer so that the spring seats and breaks in properly. I've also read that on a couple of higher end performance type forums as well. Retainers are cheap enough, unless you opt for something like the Manley titanium ones...

 

Yeah it was Weed.
I believe it was a safety net kinda thing in case I dropped and lost one.
Thanks for the info Hammer.
Sounds like a reasonable thing to do.
Al

 

Wow life gets busy sometimes!!! I got the valve cover off, had to grind off a valve cover bolt (long story, will get whats left of the corroded bolt off later).

What is the procedure for getting the affected piston up to TDC? Just drop a wire hanger in through the spark plug hole and rotate crank until it is all the way up? Then bring it back down, add rope and put it back to tdc?

 

I use a coat hanger to get to TDC and then use compressed air to hold my piston up. What are you going to change the valve spring out with??

 

Simple answer is yes.
But...as Weed said.....what are you using to get the valve springs off?
Of all the threads I've read on this subject.....I've not seen one, where a stock valve spring compressor works???
They don't fit and can't get underneath the retaining buckets fitted to the springs to compress them.
Gotta have that trick Hemi spring compressing tool, to do a job with the heads still on.
This tool bolts to the rocker arm mounts and a lever is tightened down, to compress the spring from above.
Al.

 

I have a valve compressor that "should work" froma guy that works at the local dodge dealership. If that doesnt work I will be contacting you

Quick and late question. Cylinder #7 is affected (drivers side), looking at the motor from in front of the truck. The spring that broke is all the way left on the head, that is the exhaust valve and not the intake correct?

 

Dealer techs use Miller tools. Not as easy to use but will work. I've got a set and being honest, I do use them.

The set of springs closer to the intake are intake springs and obviously the other row of springs closer to the exhaust are the exhaust springs

 

Thanks. So I take it I cant use the exhaust spring to fix this? I guess these things happen up at 150K?

 

If 1 has failed, others are likely to follow. Replace them all.