Dark Sub Rosa, are you running FI? Everyone else, I think it is rather silly to say things like "you would be completely crazy not to replace them" or "without a doubt you should replace them" just because some other FI F20Cs have had retainers fail.

 

You may have misuderstood me. If you are already doing engine work, then you would be crazy to not upgrade your valve springs and retainers. If you simply have a stock boost supercharger on a car that has less than 50k to 60k miles, theres really no need.

 

Apparently I did misunderstand, but Dark Sub Rosa didn't imply that he was "already doing engine work".

 

Not to be an ass, but I would expect everything in the F20C to last at least 200K miles on a stock, well maintained and carefully driven S2000.

 

My engine is still N/A... my friend who was sayign this is FI.

I'm not planning on doing any engine work internally for a long long long long time. I can't afford to. Which is exactly why this retainer problem worries me. I can't afford to drop a valve. But putting in retainers isn't exactly cheap, sure the retainers are cheap themselves.. but I really don't feel like pulling my head or paying someone else to do it when there is no reason. I just adjusted my valves and none of my retainers were cracked.

 

I would assume that too, but at 80k my valve guides were completely worn out.

 

this is interesting... I would expect everything to last at least 200k miles like Gernby said.

 

So, before your failure, did you notice any peculiar noises or anything? Any signs that things were about to go badly?

 

Also curious.

 

Would you consider those 80K to fall into all of the following categories: 1) Well maintained, 2) Carefully driven, and 3) Stock?