Looking into purchasing my very first AP1 this weekend. It's done 180k km's (110k miles) and overall the car is in amazing shape. The only thing that worries me are the retainers. Now, I'm not one to do pulls all the way to redline and then possibly miss-shifting, but I'm just paranoid about it. I know this might be a silly question but is it still "safe" to drive the car around town normally, and could that cause a retainer to crack completely eventually or does it require high RPM's and a misshift? Thanks!

 

If the previous owner mechanically over-reved it, it can take up to 30,000 miles for the retainer to fail and allow a valve to drop in to the engine.

So yes, I think checking retainers on a used AP1 is an absolute must.

Stock retainers can go a lifetime at 9k no problem. they cant tolerate anything higher than 9700.

 

Thanks for the reply. Am I right in saying that the only way to check the retainers is by pulling the actual retainer out? You wouldn't be able to get an idea just by taking the valve cover off?

 

Incorrect...all you need to pull is the valve cover, thats it.

You will NOT see the cracks, however....you will see the keepers recessed into the retainer. The SLIGHTEST crack will send the retainer up over the keepers enough that you can see part of the inner wall of the retainer.

Good retainer on the left.............................................. .broken retainer on the right

 

Heres another.


broken retainer on the RIGHT. The left one is also broken, but not as bad. Note how the valve tip appears sunk down into the retainer. in reality, the retainer has moved upwards, and the spring is longer. As it gets worse, the retainer will walk high enough to rub on the roller of the rocker. This etches away the retainer, transferring hardened dust to the camshaft and eating up the cam. so if you have a really sunk retainer, look for etching of the cam lobe.

Even with the retainer rubbing on the roller and chewing up the cam, this will show NO SYMPTOMS AT ALL. Not even the slightest noise.

 

Thanks!!

 

good info

 

Billman's comments are priceless.

FYI - I have 198,000 miles with the original retainers and no problems on my '03 AP1.

 

You have my record customer beat, he's got 180k.

 

Yeah, definitely good info. I found another AP1 that's a little more but it's only done 50k km's (31k miles) by an older dude, I think I'll feel a little more safe spending a little more money but having a peice of mind that the car has gentle miles put on it.