Hello all. Just picked up my first Honda. I hear I should assess the shape of my retainers, since it's an AP1. Spent more time taking pictures than pulling the valve cover...
From search, it seems that I should be looking for recessed keepers, and I think I'm not seeing any, but I'd appreciate if someone with a trained eye could look it over. I could retake a few since the cover is still off, waiting for the valve adjustment job tomorrow.
Thanks!
Single valve pics - exhaust side, double - intake.

Intake #5,#6

Intake #1,#2

Intake #7,#8

Intake #3,#4

Exhaust #6

Exhaust #8

Exhaust #7

Exhaust #5

Exhaust #4

Exhaust #3

Exhaust #2

Exhaust #1

 

They look fine to me. Interested to see what others think.

 

 

Thanks.
Trying to take these made me appreciate the effort people put into decent DIY guides even more. No way I could get my cell phone in there even lower while holding a flashlight. Maybe if I removed the fuel rail/battery heat shield.

I plan on upgrading retainers over winter anyway, just want to make sure it's not about to drop a valve.

 

If the retainer is slightly cracked, will the valve clearance change?

 

No, the valve clearance stays unchanged since the valve head always sits flush against the head (closed position) when doing a valve adjustment.

Unless the retainer has cracked so far that you are actually measuring the spring/retainer-to-rocker arm clearence instead of the actual valve stem-to-rocker arm distance.

 

For AP2 in a mechanical overrev, retainers on which side start to crack first? I've heard that the first thing to happen is the bent exhaust valves, so if I have good compression, does that mean no bent valves, and good retainers on both sides?

 

No, good compression does not mean good retainers, since even cracked retainers will keep your valves shut until the retainer cracks even further and drops the valve and thus wrecking your head - if you are lucky.

As for bent valves, yes. If your compression is good your valves and their seating against the head should be fine.

 

Thanks for your reply, I think it's definitely the case for AP1. But for AP2 retainers, I don't know if bent valves happen before cracking retainers? If yes, then good compression means good retainers

 

Mmmm. Valve porn.

Those are actually some nice pictures.