Identify Spring Retainers

[rzaenglein]

Long story short, as short as possible I should say.

I sent a set of ported heads back to Livernois which had my valve train installed in them. Comp beehive springs, comp titanium retainers, stock keepers and manley 1mm oversized valves. I asked them to swap over my existing valve train over to the new heads they were porting for me under warranty. These new heads were stock heads I had that I sent to them, because they had none available. The stock heads I sent them had stock valve train installed in them. When I received my ported heads back today My manley 1mm valves are in there, but the retainers are black, my comp were silver. Stock is also silver. They sent me a bag which had a set of springs and retainers, the retainers in the bag are silver.

I called Livernois and explained the situation. They said they installed a set of there springs and steel retainers because they thought mine was stock They are getting back with me tomorrow to try and tell me what I have installed on these heads for sure and what they sent me in the bag.

OK so now for the reason of this book. I know I can check spring pressure to see if the springs are stock or not, but how can I tell if I have been sent back stock retainers or my comp titanium?? Any one have any ideas? the ones they sent me look identical to a stock set I have, but they may look identical. IDK if anyone is gonna be able to help with this, but any ideas would be great. Also if anyone has some close up pics of some comp titanium retainers that would be awesome! thanks.

 

[BruceH]

The stock ones I've pulled off have not been silver. Here's a pic of a comp 710 retainer (black), comp 26113 springs, and stock springs and retainers. The comp stuff is being installed.

The good news is at least your heads aren't installed. Swapping them back will be much easier on the bench. Maybe Livernois will send you a spring compressor and some cash back for the botched job so you can do it yourself and know it's done right. Either that or they need to be issuing some call tags. A set of heads costs about $120 to ship so if that's the solution it needs to be on their dime. Can you post up pics of the parts? Livernois uses a spring that can use the stock retainers.

 

[rzaenglein]

Taking a closer look at the stock retainers I have they are not exactly silver. They are a little oil soaked and probably have 60k on them. I already have the spring compressor but mine does not look like yours. Did you modify yours to compress the comp springs? If you did details please, or where did you get it. Mine is a OTC. I did mine the first time on a bench and literally loosened the cam caps to get the spring compressor in there and torqued them down and then compressed the spring from there. comp springs uncompressed are taller. big PITA! Here are some pics.

Stock retainers off my 60K engine

Retainers sent to me by livernois, dont know if stock or my comp titanium.

On the ported heads they sent me

 

[05moneypit]

Titianium is non magnetic (paramagnetic) in it's pure form what I remember from school. There could be other trace metals used in the retainers though that would make it magnetic but not as much as a steel retainer. Can you try checking them with a magnet?

Lee

 

[one eyed willy]

^ this, compare the two different sets with a magnet. The titanium ones may have a little magnetic attraction but shoud be a lot less than the steel ones.

 

[ctt326]

If you have a mic or caliper measure the retainer. The Comp steel retainers I have were larger in dia. so check that out if you can.

I came up with a dia of 20.61 mm or .811 in for the stock retainer.

 

[BruceH]

^^^^ Like these guys said, test it with a magnet and measure. Comp has pics on their website too. I think the comp retainers have three steps vs two on stock but I'm not 100%

The tool came from hammeron. The modification idea came from someone I can't think of now. All the mod consists of is a coupler and bolt. Like you I couldn't get the compressor to work properly in it's stock form. I've also used a Freedom Racing version and it's better imo.

 

[rzaenglein]

Well I spoke with Livernois. They installed steel retainers on there for me. Reason being was my retainers were magnetic and that's why they thought they were stock. They sent me the comp titanium retainers back which I bought new from comp. I checked them and they were as magnetic as my stock ones. Livrrnois said a titanium retainer usually has a bit of an attraction towards a magnetic but not like a stock one. Does any one have a comp titanium retainer they could test and see if its magnetic? Does comp just mix that many metals in to where its still a strong magnetic attraction? If so sounds like there product is not so great. I have a micrometer. I will measure them later. Thank you for the input everyone

 

[BruceH]

Well I spoke with Livernois. They installed steel retainers on there for me. Reason being was my retainers were magnetic and that's why they thought they were stock. They sent me the comp titanium retainers back which I bought new from comp. I checked them and they were as magnetic as my stock ones. Livrrnois said a titanium retainer usually has a bit of an attraction towards a magnetic but not like a stock one. Does any one have a comp titanium retainer they could test and see if its magnetic? Does comp just mix that many metals in to where its still a strong magnetic attraction? If so sounds like there product is not so great. I have a micrometer. I will measure them later. Thank you for the input everyone

Titanium is not magnetic. I work with it every day and it will not stick in a magnetic tipped socket. Here's the comp listing for 3v retainers, do any of them match?

Edit: Just read the comp copy on their titanium retainers. They are made with 6AL4V alloy. It has no magnetic attraction.

http://www.compperformancegroupstor...een=CTGY&Store_Code=CC&Category_Code=MODValve

 

[rzaenglein]

Great so either Livernois did not send me back my original retainers or I got screwed by comp on original purchase.

 

[BruceH]

A closer look at the pics and it's clear that those retainers are formed. Most titanium is machined. I'm not even sure if it's possible to form it in the shape of a retainer.

Think about it for a minute. Why would comp have factory Ford parts boxed up for sale? Why would they have them at all? Did you buy the ti retainers from comp? If not who from?