Spec...you can drive the car, I just wouldn't bounce it off the limiter each shift

 

Billman, have you done the AP2 retainer swaps yet? Are you going back with OEM AP1 retainers or do most of your customers choose to go Aftermarket?

 

Just got home =p. I'm just really grateful we have a mech like Billman in my relative area. He pretty much saved me an engine for relatively minimal cost. Who knows when those 2 would have dropped. Also, it definately shows what a very experienced s2000 mech knows about the car. After seeing that one of the 4th cylinder retainers was cracked... (which I was also able to see the slight drop in the keeper) Billman pointed to one of the 2nd cylinder retainers and said... "I'm gonna try that one next..." He thought it looked suspicious. I looked at it and it looked exactly the same as the rest, but he pulled it out and sure enough... a tiny hairline crack. I couldn't even see it without him pointing at it.

Billman, thanks again bro. You are the man

The sweet testdrive afterwards is always a plus as well

 

does the head have to come off to replace them

 

Last car I did a few weeks back I used all AP2 retainers and keepers. I feel it is the most reliable replacement, and will go the distance.

This one here I replaced with AP1 retainers I had on hand. I also only did the intakes.

Exhaust valves will hit the pistons and bend before they can suffer a crack, because of their lighter weight. Even on motors with serverely broken intake retainers, the exhausts have always been perfect.

To date, I've never seen an exhaust retainer with even the slightest hint of recessed keepers.

 

Dam I'd be pretty good if I did that while he waited

No head removal. Only the cams, towers, and vtec rocker assys.

 

how do you do that without dropping a valve

 

Attach an air line to the spark plug hole, and keep it at 100-150 psi.

 

Billman250 Posted on Nov 9 2006, 05:31 AM
Was that car an AP1 or AP2?
Is it ok to use AP2 retainers & keepers on a F20C2 (AP1) engine in your opinion?
In other threads it was mentioned AP2 retainers are a bit heavier, would that be a problem at higher revs?
Would you recommend changing them at a certain milage, regardless of the condition they are in? (as far as it is possible to make a decision about the condition for someone without the experience you have)

My F20C2 now has 127000 km on it, and the other day I "played back" the high rev memory of the shifter beeper and it told me 9500 rpm.
Would any of the 2 reasons be enough to change them out (to be safe) or just inspect?

Only thing I'm "worried" about is that most Honda dealers do not know (or do not want to) perform this without pulling the head.
I would rather not pull the head.