The Aftermarket Cylinder Head Thread!!

[adjat84th]

I believe they may be smaller all around...i ordered 24 brand new ones from the dealer (my car is a '96 so i ordered for a '96...stupid mistake) and they didn't fit my ze valve locks properly.

adjat84th what you sayin is that 96+ have smaller upper retainers and smaller locks on exhaust side, BUT they have same intake retainers/locks like 93-95 (wich is with bigger hole in retainers and bigger locks)
Am i right ?

[92PGT-S 3.0V6]

Does 93-95 have same size retainers/locks in intake and exhaust side and are they bigger ones or smaller compare to 96+

[bryantaylor]

well when i did my DE spring and retainer swap on the ZE heads, i used both intake and exhaust locks and retainers on just the intake side of my ZE heads and they all fit fine

[Fastest95PGT]

www.fordparts.com list different retainers for 93-95 than 96/97.

[92PGT-S 3.0V6]

www.fordparts.com list different retainers for 93-95 than 96/97.

https://www.trademotion.com/partloca...96&catalogid=1 ???
Local Ford Dealer told me they don'r make retainers or locks any more

[adjat84th]

well when i did my DE spring and retainer swap on the ZE heads, i used both intake and exhaust locks and retainers on just the intake side of my ZE heads and they all fit fine

You probably ordered them for a '94 seeing as that's what's in your sig. So, yes...they should all be the same intake and exhaust....the '96+ have different sizes as Jeff reaffirmed.

[92PGT-S 3.0V6]

You probably ordered them for a '94 seeing as that's what's in your sig. So, yes...they should all be the same intake and exhaust....the '96+ have different sizes as Jeff reaffirmed.

96+ save smaller sizes on just intake or exhaust side ???

[adjat84th]

96+ save smaller sizes on just intake or exhaust side ???

On BOTH, because all are the same on the DE motor regardless of year...just for '96+ they used different sizes for both I/E. The ZE exhaust retainers are the same as the '93-'95, whereas the intake are larger in diameter with the same size hole for the keepers.

[bryantaylor]

my motor is a 93 and i just used springs and retainers from my 95 junk motor, looks like i got lucky, lol

[hawaiianPGT]

There have been recent, interesting developments in the area of valve spring technology that some of you may be interested in.
Racers have found that much of the valve float problem has been caused by the spring harmonics, not spring pressure.

Previously the solution to valve float was to throw the motor a heavier valve spring. Sometimes this worked sometimes it didn't. Years ago there was never an answer to why this is the case. The invention of the spintronic machine which has recently been in wider use gave the answer.

The springs reaching a certain resonant frequency is the cause of much of the problems all engines have with valve float. When that frequency is reached, the spring loses its ability to hold the valve against the seat or cam lobe. Resulting in bashing of the valvetrain breaks parts like springs, retainers and locks.

What many V8 builders have found is the use of ovoid(egg shaped) spring wire reduces the tendency of the spring to resonate.

More revolutionary but unusual looking is a new, old spring design.
what has been found is that the use of a "bee hive" springs design can really reduce the onset of valve float. Because the diameter of "bee hive" springs changes from the spring seat(bigger) to the retainer end (smaller) the spring(which is shaped like a bee's hive) tends to not reach that critical resonant frequency.
As a side benefit, the retainer end of the spring is smaller, resulting in a smaller, stronger and lighter retainer, which increased rpm potential.