Road Runner Nest

Okay,so I had a previous post in the question and answer that no one replied on.I tried finding out for myself,but no luck.I wanted to make a new post on here because this has turned into a big wtf type of deal.I am seriously confused and I think my brain is melting!

This is all about valve spring keepers,or valve keepers.Some of mine broke taking apart my heads and I wanted to buy new.Just my intake ones broke,the exhaust ones came out fine,but i figured if i was buying new,id get all of them replaced.The problem was when I looked to purchase them from Jegs.All they seemed to sell was 4 groove keepers.They had my degrees (10) and size (3/8) but they only had intake ones,(wich made no sense because there was a kit for 32 keepers,4 groove only,but intake and exhaust are different!)My intake valves are 4 groove,and my exhaust are 2.I have pictures.

Intake...

Exhaust...


I emailed jegs to ask and figure out the problem.I just got this reply.

"Hello and thanks for your interest in Jegs High Performance,

I have done some research in the Mopar Performance catalog that we have here and it appears that the 318 is a unique engine as far as valve sizing and valve groove design. From what I can find the valve sizing in this engine should be 3/8” valve stem diameter. The head diameter for the intake valve shows to be 1.78” and the exhaust shows to be 1.50”. Now with all of that being said they do not tell me what degree the retainer is and for that matter we do not know if the retainer you are using is the original piece. They also claim that the exhaust valve should be a single square groove valve and the intake should be a 3 groove valve. I do not see anything that mentions valves with either a 2 or a 4 groove setup.

At your convenience let me know that all of my findings do agree with what you have. I definitely need you to tell me what degree retainer you are using or give me a part number for the retainers so I can research them and determine what degree they are.

I look forward to your response, at that time I will do my very best to get back with you in a timely manner with all of the information that I can find in regards to the valve locks you are looking for."

Now I totally understand that he cant really tell me anything because he doesnt know if i have stock parts on my engine.The thing that gets me is i search for those parts by their search system(wich starts from year of car to engine)and it showed me that product.So If the 318 is such a unique engine....Why am I getting 4 groove keepers in my search on their website?Could he be looking at the wrong year?Do you go by the actual grooves or the valve itself?

Please don't get me wrong,I love Jegs,not disrespecting them.I just don't understand this whole situation.

Tomorrow i am jotting down every single number on my block and heads because that's whats all this is gonna come down too.My engine looks stock and original.Perhaps it isn't...

Can someone make any sense out of all of this?!

more to add...

i was just on jegs again and i found what i think he described in his email.

Heres a single square groove exhaust keeper.


And this was what i was interested in,but confused about.

All 32 are the same....
Found when searching for 318 parts...

i checked summit - i like them a lil better, with no success, but i checked Rock Auto and they have both 2 groove and 4 groove retainers, sold in packs of 32. these are stock replacement parts, so the degrees should be irrelevant. unfortunately, that means you'd have to buy 32 4 grooves and 32 2 grooves, but with the cheap cost, it's not that big of a deal (11 and 19 cents each)

my guess is that if your motor had been worked on before, maybe some valves were replaced, or it came down to an assembly line deal and it woudln't matter which were used, since they would have had 2 and 4 groove retainers on hand.

Yeah i had came across Rock auto last night.I dont mind having extra.I have another 318 i could use the extra on.Thanks for the reply landon.

Ok i work for Federated auto parts so i will send you in the right direction.There is nothing unusual about your 318.Your engine has 7 degree valve locks not 10 (these are used for aftermarket valves and springs).4 groove and 2 grooves.All you have to do is go to your local Federated or napa store and they can get you you valve locks(get the hardened ones!).Heres a napa link:
http://www.napaonline.com/masterpages/N ... Valve+Lock

http://www.napaonline.com/masterpages/N ... Valve+Lock

BRIAN

Are you sure about them being 7 degrees?

I looked it up in a book and saw 10.

Yes they are 7 degrees stock.

BRIAN

okay.Thanks for the help!

Wanted to say thanks again.I just got my keepers i orderd from napa!

Its weird,the guy had a hard time finding them.318 wasent showing up in the list for 1974 Plymouth Satellites.


It never ends.Luckily he found them!