Stupid Spring Retainer Keepers

[CaptainCronos]

The engine is still in the boat so I can't just walk around it with a beer in hand.

I am installing the new springs for the valves. Those are tough buggers to get in there. Managed to figure out how to get the first valve spring in place.

No idea how I am going to get those keepers in place. Ken says to not use any grease. Yeah.

I was hoping to use a tiny dab of Red & Tacky. They ain't going to stay there on their own especially with only 1 hand access. Good thing they are magnetic and I got plastic all over the place to keep them from being lost in a bilge someplace to never be seen again.

How did you all do it when the engine was still in the boat?

[romantic comedy]

Grease is the standard. Why no grease?

How about really cold oil. I used to use STP as an assembly lube. Put some in the fridge.

[CaptainCronos]

Ken thinks it doesn't work really well, and it makes everything greasy. I managed to get two valves done. Hopefully, the keepers are properly in place and won't fall out when I fire this thing up. This isn't an easy task with it in place yet it is do-able.

Keeper placement and jiggling the spring holder around to "trap" one in place seems to be key when getting the other one in place. It all has to be "just right" otherwise it's "go fish" with the magnet. For the record, I did do it both ways, and it doesn't seem to make much difference with or without grease. It's a pain either way.

[Wrsteinesq]

Ken may well be right, but my own experience has been that SOMETHING was necessary to keep the keepers in place. For me, that was Crisco. Scoff if you want, but it worked just fine, when other things didn’t. YMMV, as alway...