Checking all my retainers I found this...



It looks further down In this picture then it appears to be by looking at it in person. How log do I have Billman? I don't want to drop a valve but im trying to hold out on retainers alittle bit longer.

 

sorry if I'm not much of a help, but you think you can get the camera to focus on the top of the retainer? It seems a lil blurry to tell anything.

 

It was taken with my cell phone sorry. The valve cover and everything is back on or I'd go try to take another pic.

Here's a picture of the next cylinders retainer.


^^ this one is alittle higher then the one from the first picture. Also these are exhaust side retainers.

 

Definitely wait for Billman250's reply. The picture isn't the greatest but to me it doesn't look too bad, and you said to the naked eye they don't look as bad as the picture shows. I don't see much wrong in that picture but Billman250 may be better able to comment on their condition.

Ap1 retainers don't degrade with use, they are only an issue if the motor has been over-revved, outside of that situation they can last the life of the motor. Do you know if that motor has been over-revved at some point in time ?

 

If you can see the inner sidewall of the retainer then it is cracked.

 

The car has 150,000 miles on it. I'm not sure it's been over revel or not prior to me. I got the car at 85k miles. I checked them around 100,000 miles or so and they all looked fine but now at 150k they seem to be sunk down alittle bit.

From my understanding they should be completly flush with retainers. If they arn't then they are cracked and just a time bomb waiting to go off. I'm wanting Billman to look at them and tell me how urgent I need to change them. I'd like to hold off a couple months. I drive about 1500 miles a month.

 

As cheap as they are to replace, dont do it. Its a lot easier to and cheaper than to risk having to replace the longblock.

 

Back the camera up. It's better for it to be small and in focus than a giant blurry mess. From what I can see (which isn't much), it looks fine but I'm no expert.

 

you do realize labor is anywhere between 500-800 to do the retainers. I know thats cheaper than another engine but still.

 

$500-800 good thing I have a cousin that works at honda as a mechanic. If I can't do it myself then he normally does what ever I need for cheap. I sent him the picture and he ordered new retainers (4 bucks each) and it looks like we are doing them this weekend. Hopefully I don't drop a valve between now and then. I'm really glad I checked them! I haven't looked at them since around Oct. I'm still interested in what billman has to say but it looks like I'm atleast replacing them sooner then later.