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Valve Stem Retainers
Pontiac V8 Valve Stem Retainers
Spring Diameter, Lock Angle, Install Height — Valve Stem Retainers for Pontiac V8s
Valve stem retainers sit on top of the spring and hold the locks that hold the valve. They are also one of the few parts in a Pontiac V8 valvetrain that sets install height, so the retainer you pick changes the seat pressure your springs actually make. Get the spring outside diameter, the lock angle and the step height right and everything downstream works.
Butler stocks chromoly steel, lightweight tool steel and 6AL-4V titanium retainers from Butler, Comp Cams and Manley, in 10 degree and 7 degree lock angles, sized for single, dual, triple and beehive springs from 1.095" up through 1.650" outside diameter.
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1. Match the Retainer to the Spring Outside Diameter
Start here. A retainer that does not locate the spring correctly will let it walk, and a retainer sized for a triple will not seat a small dual.
| 1.405" to 1.500" springs | the Butler and Comp chromoly steel 10 degree retainers with 11/32" stems cover this band. It is the common size for a stock-diameter dual spring on a cast iron head. |
| 1.400" to 1.500" titanium | Butler's 1.437" titanium retainer and the Manley 1.400" titanium retainer fit the same spring range in a lighter part. |
| 1.550" and 1.625" duals | Comp offers a 1.550" outside diameter steel retainer, and both Comp and Manley offer titanium retainers for 1.550" and 1.625"-plus dual springs. |
| Triple springs | Comp's titanium retainers for triple springs and Manley's 1.650" titanium triple retainer are the parts for a big solid roller package. |
| Beehive | Comp's 10 degree steel retainer for a 1.095" spring diameter is a specific part that fits PAC 1219X and Comp 26918 beehive springs. A beehive spring will not work under a conventional retainer. |
2. Lock Angle: 10 Degree or 7 Degree
The retainer taper and the lock taper have to be the same. There is no mixing.
| 10 degree | the common performance angle, and what most of the retainers in this category use. It holds well under high lift and high spring pressure. |
| 7 degree | Comp's chromoly 7 degree retainer exists for valvetrains built around 7 degree locks. If you are reusing locks, look at them before you order a retainer. |
| Order locks together | the cheapest way to avoid this mistake is to buy retainers and locks at the same time so the angles cannot disagree. |
3. Plus .050 Retainers and Install Height
This is the part that catches people. A retainer with a plus .050 step changes where the top of the spring sits, and that changes seat pressure.
| What plus .050 does | it effectively raises install height, which drops seat pressure at the same spring. That is useful when a valve job has sunk the valve and the spring has gone loose. |
| Standard step | the Butler titanium retainer measures 1.440" outside diameter with a 1.050" first step and a .700" second step at a 10 degree lock angle, so the geometry is known before the head goes together. |
| Measure, do not guess | install height is measured with the valve, retainer and locks in the head. Butler carries spring shims in .015", .030" and .060" for cast iron and Edelbrock heads to bring a measured height back where the spring spec wants it. |
4. Steel, Tool Steel or Titanium
Material is a weight and durability decision, and weight at the top of the spring is the weight that matters most at high rpm.
| Chromoly steel | the default. Comp's beehive retainer is 4140 chromemoly. Steel is what belongs in a street engine and in anything that will see a lot of hours. |
| Lightweight tool steel | Comp's tool steel retainer splits the difference, giving up some mass without going to titanium. |
| 6AL-4V titanium | Butler's titanium retainer weighs 15 grams and is described as a very good upgrade for roller cams, making a stronger and lighter valvetrain for higher rpm limits with less harmonics. Titanium retainers are a wear item on a high-hour engine and should be inspected, not run forever. |
When you order, have three numbers ready: your spring outside diameter, your lock angle and your target install height. With those three, picking the retainer takes a minute.
Not sure what your Pontiac needs?
Email our tech team at tech@butlerperformance.com. Tell us your engine, heads, car, and power goal, and we will put the parts together as one combination that works.