Please read whole story and post you opinion!
So I run d16z6 engine with ZEX 59300 camshaft and JGE titanium retainer and valve spring kit (says holds up to 9500rpm)! No milled head,stock pistons and rev limiter at 7200rpm.

After JGE valvetrain kit install and few hours riding = piston to valve contact! At first thought valve keepers slipped off one intake valve.
Had to repair engine head after this!!!

Took everything together and after 2hours driving = piston to valve contact 2nd time! Had no idea why this happened again..
Result = broken ZEX camshaft and engine head!

Bought new head and new camshaft! Took everything together and luckily noticed this:



Valve keepers in one of the retainer sits much deeper than in the other 15 !!!
Sent email about this to JGE and they sent me one new retainer instead of rejected and I sent damaged retainer for inspection to them.

SO new parts of my d16z6 engine = new head (rocker assembly, valves and valve keepers) + NEW ZEX 59300 camshaft! Spent about $1000++ together for 1st and 2nd mess.

Took everything together and everything was OK for about 4 weeks. Why "was"? Reason- piston to valve contact again!!! Retainer look the same as in 2nd picture! Valve keepers went through retainer causing valve slippage in the cylinder = piston to valve contact!!!

Still waiting answer form JGEnginedynamics to solve this mess! Will keep you updated about this,but till solution and explanation please <FONT SIZE=""5"">be careful and BEWARE OF JGE TITANIUM RETAINERS!!!</FONT>

My guess is:

* they are not titanium so are too soft for those hard springs
* some kind of industrial problems


Modified by d16z6 user at 10:06 PM 9/30/2006


Modified by d16z6 user at 10:07 PM 9/30/2006


Modified by d16z6 user at 10:52 PM 9/30/2006

 

Did the center hole stretch to allow for the keepers to drop like that? You can measure it with a Vernier caliper. Have you checked the dimensions on the keepers as well?

You can confirm titanium by weighing the retainers. Go to the post office and weight a factory steel retainer and one of the titanium retainers. Drop a titaniium retainer on a table top or floor from a short distance, it should produce a nice ringing sound. Aluminum will not ring well.

You failuire mechanism is not the typical one for titanium retainers. Usually the spring seat area wears and breaks.

 

Like I said valve keepers were new and I totally eliminate a possibility of outworn engine parts and wrong install.

When I installed retainers last time,I broke them for few hours,then took off valve cover to make sure all valve keepers sit in place properly.

It's just something wrong with retainers..

I hope JGEnginedynamics will help me to solve this trouble and I will never be disappointed of brand name quality.

 

are you sure the springs didnt bottom out and the camshaft didnt force the valve out of the retainer.

 

Better read this!
http://www.d-series.org/forums...47007

I am 105% sure they are not titanium so they can't stand those really hard valve springs.
Other question is "why they still sell items under real jgenginedynamics.com brand name"?

 

I'am discussing this now with Javier from jgenginedynamics.com to solve this together! Will keep you updated!


Modified by d16z6 user at 10:47 PM 9/30/2006

 

Why didn't you just buy Comp Cams/Zex springs and retainers to go with the cam?

 

Took apart engine gead yesterday! Heare are some pictures of retainers.

http://foto.inbox.lv/pundurbrother/jge/1_g.jpg
http://foto.inbox.lv/pundurbrother/jge/2_g.jpg
http://foto.inbox.lv/pundurbrother/jge/3_g.jpg
http://foto.inbox.lv/pundurbrother/jge/4_g.jpg
http://foto.inbox.lv/pundurbrother/jge/5_g.jpg
http://foto.inbox.lv/pundurbrother/jge/6_g.jpg
http://foto.inbox.lv/pundurbrother/jge/8_g.jpg

As you can see in the pictures,some of the valve keepers are too deep and after some time would cause piston to valve contact.

Will send retainers to Javier at jgenginedynamics.com as he asked. Will keep you updated when he'll recieve them!