I know people swap to the newer retainers on modified cars. My car is mostly stock but I do a few track days and I have hit the rev limiter. How critical is it that I upgrade my retainers on my 00?

Thanks,

 

I would have upgraded, better safe then sorry. As it's an 00 I'd look into the banjo bolts too.

 

Well, if you bought your car used, it's good peace of mind to do so. And if you mechanically over revved the motor, it's a a great idea to at the minimum to inspect them. But I just went and had them changed out because I got my car with 115,000 on the clock, and feel better now.

 

pull your valve cover and inspect the retainers, if you can see the inside of the retainer because the valve itself has sunk a bit, then the retainer is cracked

there is no need to replace them if the motor has never been money shifted.

 

This. If they are not cracked and you don't $ shift there is zero benefit to replacing them. in fact I recall reading a thread where a guy changed his as a preventative measure and dropped a keeper and thought it went into the engine. He had to drop the oil pan to gain the piece of mind that he didn't.

Banjo bolts are another questionable item, lots of very knowledgable people say there is no need if you aren't boosted or on VTEC for very extended periods of time (more than even at a track). I have read some horror stories of replacement of these gone way wrong.

 

money shifted?

 

Money shift=mechanical over-rev (putting the car in the wrong gear, resulting in engine over rev due to rolling speed)

 

Running up to redline in 3rd gear and shifting into second gear instead of 4th. Thats an example of a money shift. Could be having to spend a lot of money to fix the damages that will occur.

 

OK,

So inspection > replacement. If they look good, don't replace them?

Next year I will run 5-10 track days. That's all day near/at redline. What interval should I continue to inspect on?

 

once you inspect them the first time, if they are not damaged then you never need to look at them again unless you mis-shift and cause a mechanical overrev of the motor