Quote Originally Posted by pat mccarthy
no they do not the EX will drop by 10lbs in time they are a bit much for that size cam how many shim in the spring cup ? you want to know over the nose lbs is at with the cam you are going to run.and no on the 050 keepers get some new retainers you have to watch them .050 keepers that you do not run out of stem you do not want the keepers higher then the stems topswith that cam the HO 502 springs will work
I have only removed one spring because the heads are on the motor. There was no shims, just the one washer that keeps the spring from eating your heads. So you dont think that they are too stiff?...What do you mean by the exhaust dropping by 10lbs? In thinking about it, I would rather just change the springs if I was going to go thru the trouble to replace the keepers even though I have enough stem top to do it.
I would rather not change anything at all though.... ...I should have bought the correct springs way back before the motor was assembled then I would not have to question anything...

So,
1. Install Offset Keepers: cheapest solution
2. Install correct springs: not the cheapest (price range is low to insane...ditto for the retainers)
3. Re-install the spring I removed and fire that thing up: actually this is the cheapest (and easiest) solution, but could turn into the costliest if my cam gets wiped or I start punching holes in my lifters.

I am inclined to go with Erik and change the springs. I would not know which retainer (offset) to get because I do not know what I have now. My machinist said that they were titanium though so I would kind of like to keep them. That leaves the offset keepers or nothing at all. Can somebody make this decision for me???? I am the type of guy who gets hung up on paper or plastic at the cash register so this could take awhile.

BTW: lets say I did change the springs, can I change just the outer spring and leave the damper and inner spring just the way it is? Or do I do away with the whole mess and get just an outer spring?...if that were the case, wouldnt I be FORCED to get new retainers???? crap....