Im looking at getting some titianium retainers for My h22a4. I am trying to learn what the advantages are over stock cuz I was told by some peole that stock retainers are the best retainers for your car. I know that if you put the Crower titanium retianers in, you need to grind a little on the underside of the rocker arms so they have clearance. This is what I found:

"PREMIUM TITANIUM RETAINERS

Crower is the only manufacturer that utilizes Ti-17 titanium material in the manufacturing process of their titanium retainers. Although harder and longer to machine, the Ti-17 is 8-10 points harder on the Rockwell C scale for added retainer life over conventional 6AL4V titanium used by all other manufacturers. The result is added longevity and durability. Crower converted to Ti-17 about two years ago and has seen no wear due to excessive mileage or high rpm's. Next time you're considering a cheaper alternative, ask what material that vendor is using and, if they even know their metallurgy, we guarantee that the reply will be 6AL4V...then ask them about Crower's better Ti-17 material. All Crower retainers are made in-house at Crower using the latest CNC machines to insure quality and batch to batch consistency. A typical Crower titanium retainer weighs about 50% less than it's stock steel counterpart. For example, the stock K20A2 steel retainer weighs a whopping 14 grams...it's a real pig, while the Crower titanium retainer weighs in at a miniscule 7 grams. For every gram you can reduce from the valve area (valves, retainers, keepers), you will pick up on average of 35-40 more rpm in valve control. So a 7 gram weight savings is equal to 280 additional rpm's before valve float. Good stuff!"

What I dont understand is this part:
"...For every gram you can reduce from the valve area (valves, retainers, keepers), you will pick up on average of 35-40 more rpm in valve control. So a 7 gram weight savings is equal to 280 additional rpm's before valve float. Good stuff!"

280rpm's over what? Should I just keep my stockers or are titanium the best way to go? Is grinding the undeside of the rocker arms ok?

 

What they mean is 280 rpms over stock (or whatever rpm you could rev to before floating a valve prior to installing the lighter retainers). If you reduce the weight of the valve assembly (retainers, keepers, valves), you can move it up and down faster before the valve begins to float. Float occurs when the rocker is hitting the valve so fast that it doesn't have time to go completely down or up during cycles, and kind of hovers in the middle. This keeps the engine from building compression, and depending on where the valve floats, and your clearances, could result in serious engine damage (ie, a piston hitting a valve)

It should be stated that to truly take advantage of lighter valvetrain parts, you need to change out your springs to something a bit stiffer as well. Crower could certainly provide you several suggestions.

 

pretty much any aftermarket valve spring is gonna take care of float under 10k rpm, they are plenty stiff and 280 rpm from retainers is not gonna mean much....

 

Are you planning on upgrading the cams? springs? There is no point to titanium retainers if your not doing those things in conjuction.

 

retainers = waste of money unless you are frequently operating at a rediculous rpm

many friends are running stage 1, 2 cams w/ vs's and stock retainers... never any problems

 

Ues I will be upgrading to Crower springs and Valves as well as Skunk2 Stg @ cams. I just dont know If I should do the retainers or if I should keep the stock ones. I dont like the idea of grinding the rocker arms. What would you do and why?

 

I have the H22A8 with Crower stage 2 cams with uprated springs and titanium retainers and My rocker arms didn't have to be ground.

 

Isnt the head on the H22a8 differant than the H22a4?