For Anyone That Has or Is Considering a 422 Cam

I'm needing some help from anyone that has or is considering a 422 cam. The 422 cam requires the 988-12 Comp Cams dual valve springs. I have this cam and springs installed on a set of 95TM heads with stock valve retainers and no extra machining on the heads. The springs are not located correctly at the retainer end or at the head, so the springs are free to move around. On my engine, this caused the springs to essentially remove the valve stem seals after 1.5 years and about 14,000 miles. I swapped out the seals, put the motor back in, and now no smoking.

Here's the part where I'm looking for help and opinions. The most common method I've heard for locating the bottom of the spring is having a machine shop modify the heads. I've designed a set of shims that go under the springs to locate the springs correctly. See below for comparison images. I've already gotten a price back from one of my suppliers, and I know I can do a set of 12 of these shims for $75 shipped to anywhere in the USA. As I get prices from other suppliers, the price will only go down from there.

Is this something that any of you would be interested in at the above mentioned price? Those that already have the 422 cam and springs, is this something you would have considered? If I get some interest, I'll go ahead and order several sets. I do plan to pull my motor again, and put these parts in it.


At the top end of the springs, the stock retainers don't propperly locate the springs. Since Crane no longer makes the correct retainers (someone correct me if I'm wrong, this was true at the time I originally built my engine), I've also designed some retainers that will work. I haven't gotten any prices back on these yet though. I also think that I've possibly found some retainers that Edelbrock is already making that will work. Depending on the prices I get back from my suppliers on these retainers, I will purchase a set of the Edelbrocks to measure and see if they work correctly. I know the spring seats are correct, I just need to confirm that the spring set height is correct.

Once I get some prices from suppliers, I'll decide whether it's worth it to try the Edelbrocks or not. If one of my suppliers gets close to the cost of the Edelbrocks, I'll plan on having those made. If the custom ones are much more, I'll buy a set of Edelbrocks to measure.

Any interest in the custom valve spring retainers?


I appreciate any and all input.

Dual springs with no head machining and stock retainers.



Dual springs with shims on the head and the retainers I designed.

when i had my heads done i used stock retainers on top and had the heads machined.i didnt think the 988 would even work on the 95tms heads unless you did.did you have the spring height measured and spring pressure tested before you put those spring in there.

Yay! Someone replied!

I was starting to wonder if anyone even noticed this thread. Lots of viewers, but no replies. I was about to re-post in the 95-01 Mod'ed forum to see if anyone would reply there. I haven't had my hands too many 4.0 OHV heads. I don't remember looking very closely at my 94 model heads to compare the spring seats to the new 95TM's.

Is there a difference at the spring seat between the 90-94 heads and the 95-up heads? It looks like they had the same springs on them, so I assumed that part of the head didn't change.

Any reason you would think the 988 springs wouldn't work with the 95TM heads? The only problem I had was that the springs pulled the valve stem seals off. If the springs had been located correctly, that shouldn't have been a problem.

I didn't have the springs measured, size or spring rate. I took measurements of outside and inside diameters when I had them off recently, but never checked the rates myself. I bought them new from Summit when I first built the motor, so I assume they are correct. This isn't exactly a race motor, so I wasn't concerned with getting the rates all EXACTLY the same.

from my understanding they would be to tall and the head seat had to be milled down or else they would be to strong,also I thing where the seals went had to be milled also just a tiny bit just in case you get max lift out of the cam just in case the retainers hit.I've got 95tm heads also on the truck now,but when I was doing a sideby side to 90tm I saw no differences as far as seat and springs
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I've gotten all my prices back from potential manufactures of these parts.

For a shim/retainer kit to fit the 988 springs, it would cost $230 shipped.

I'm a little surprised that I haven't seen any interest in these at all.

I'm slowly (very slowly) getting to the point that I will be ready for some shims and retainers. I haven't bought heads yet, and now maybe I'm glad I didn't. I'll order bare castings since I'm going to have to have new springs and shims and retainers. Are you including the keepers in that price? I tossed my old ones since I was planning on completly assembled heads.

$230 would be for shims and retainers only.

When I built my engine I considered bare castings vs. fully assembled heads. It worked out to be cheaper to get fully assembled heads, and swap the new parts on. The assembled heads weren't much more, and had new valves, valve seats, valve guides, and valve stem seals.

If you decide to build up your heads yourself, I do happen to have an extra set of used keepers should you need them.

How are you guy's explorers running with the 95tm heads? Mine runs well for a few minute and then I guess the computer trys to kick in some tuning and then it starts to get funny! It been at the shop now for chip tuning since early November and they still trying to figure out whats up!!!

and oh yeah I installed the springs and retainers you guys are talking able, no issues here with that!

My 4.0L with 95TM heads (and other mods listed below) is still running great. I've got just over 20,000 miles on mine. The only problem I've had is that it makes a little more valve train noise than I think it should. It's been doing that since the first day I got it running.

GREAT Idea:
I am replacing the engine on the 95 limited . Do you have an update? I want to upgrade to a 410 cam. Any help is appreciated.

410 you won't need anything but longer pushrods.

Is there a spec for the pushrods?
Thanks a million!

5.525 .050 longer than stock

Yeah Boy!!!
Are you satified with the supplier? Is there one here on the East Coast?

Smith brothers can make you the pushrods.delta cams may be able to also but they will tell you that you don't need any longer and that's bs.smith brothers makes an adjustable rod checker if you want to measure for your self.

Cam retainers

Hey
I'm interested in the retainers as I'm setting up an engine now.
How does the car do on the street?

If you read the first 4 post you will see that these shims and retainers are pointless.its not the movement that caused his seals to go bad,its that he didn't do any machine work and they excessively moved and the seats and stem seals need to be cut down for 988 to work or the pressure will be to high causing the spring to want to excessively move and shoot out causing it to hit the seal and also the retainer at full lift .500+ will hit the seal also if no machine work is done.that's from measurements and skilled machinist opinions.the machine work cost less than the price of these shims and is the right way of doing it.

Also with 988 spring you should run SI stainless one peice valves.the extra pressure of the spring can cause the valve to break the head off and fall into the cylinder or to slightly bend and cause the valve to bind and break the rocker.witch happened to me!! There is a right way to do everything,may cost more up front but won't cost half as much if you do break something half assing it.

jd4242 said:

Smith brothers can make you the pushrods.delta cams may be able to also but they will tell you that you don't need any longer and that's bs.smith brothers makes an adjustable rod checker if you want to measure for your self.

Click to expand...

jd,

Do you have a link for Smith Brothers?