I am.

I have the TPIS ZZ9 cam with just a .483 and .520 lifts. My valve retainers are getting worn and scratched by the inner damper springs inside my valve springs, plus, I am consuming oil. All this with only 6,100 miles on the AFR heads and valvetrain!!

What is up? Should my retainers ever hit the inner damper springs?

I have some new AFR valve seals to install.

Thanks!

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Phil87IROC
Blue '87 IROC, 383 Crate Motor, KB pistons, AFR 190 heads, TPIS ZZ-9 cam, Edelbrock RPM intake, 1" TD spacer, Hooker SC/LT headers w/ Mufflex Y-pipe, Edelbrock 750 cfm Carb (#1411), Stock T-5, GM 3.42 gears w/Auburn posi.
Ohio Valley Dragstrip (KY) Trophy Bracket WINNER - 8.39 ET on a 1.82 sec. - 60'. Best MPH = 84.44. Still Tuning Carb!
Red '89 IROC L98, TES w/Flowmaster, 1LE DS, 700R4, T-Tops, K&Ns w/open air boxes, 160 T-stat, Hypertech Chip, gutted MAF & CAT, Jacobs Ign., 53kv coil, MSD wires.

 

Virtually all valve springs have a damper. Without it, the valves would tend to bounce off the seat at closing. The damper is supposed to rest against the bottom of the retainer, just like the other spring(s).

Are you sure the part that's getting "worn and scratched" is the retainer?

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

 

It seems the bottom of the retainers are rubbing the damper springs along their inside surface and the top. My damper springs seem to be at the bottom of the valve spring, resting on the bottom shim, which is under the valve spring. I guess as the valve fully opens, the retainer rubs the damper and at times collides with the sharp edge of the damper which scratches one of the flat retainer surfaces.

I am at a loss as to whether this is normal or adverse and what the problem, if any, is with my setup........

I am going call AFR tomorrow as well.

 

I run single springs with the dampener all the time. The dampener runs the full length of the spring and will touch both the retainer up top, the valve spring pocket down below and will rub against the coils of the valve spring as well (since it is coiled in the opposite direction). Small abrasions are normal on all contact surfaces. Big abrasions may indicate you are getting very close to coil bind of the springs- VERY VERY few 1.25" single springs can handle .520 lift. Even larger 1.43" single springs may have problems at that lift.

 

Damon,

Thanks for the reply. My inner damper springs inside the valve springs are NOT the full length of the valve springs! Is that a problem or are my springs different?

Are the damper springs supposed to move from top to bottom? Could my valve springs have been installed upside down?

Thanks!

 

The damper is definitely supposed to be the full height of the spring. Uncompressed, sometimes they're even taller than the spring itself.

Sounds to me like you need new valve springs...

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports