Broken valve spring retainer

[elan71]

I was fortunate when working on my engine for a new mild camshaft, I found this broken valve spring retainer.
If it had broken completely, the engine would have been completely ruined.
Fortunately, that didn't happen.
I would like to learn more about how something like this could happen. Material failure? Did the rocker arms hit the valve spring retainer?
Would you replace all the others as well, or just the broken one? Replace all the rocker arms too?
If so, what can you recommend that is reliable and of excellent quality? It's a 340 LA engine.
I want to keep the engine as original as possible, as it is a matching number engine, and I only drive the car comfortably on the road and don't want to win any races. However, I am open to sensible modifications.

Best regards from Switzerland,
Daniel

[Brads70]

Wow lucky find for you! I'd check and see if rocker arm has any marks from contacting, I doubt it but check. Also check for coil bind and that the retainer is not hitting/bottoming out where the boss / seal is mounted. If it's just a part failure I'd consider changing them all to a different brand maybe?

[Brads70]

Check also that that valve in question .... that the keeper has not damaged the valve. The tip looks lower sunk into the retainer as compared to the valve beside it?  Also is it the correct size retainer for that valve spring? Looks a little small, might be walking around in the spring?

[RUNCHARGER]

That's what I was thinking too Brad. Something caused that mess. Maybe wrong locks. Retainers have been pounded too for some reason. I'm over cautious. I would swap all the locks and retainers.
This is what Indy sent my friend for $30k a few years ago. When he said he was ordering it, I told him to buy the parts and let me build it. Then when he received it I was going to offer to check everything over for him but he figured he paid the big bux so it should be good right?

[Chryco Psycho]

Change all of them . Likely just metal fatigue after 50 years , you can go to 10* locks & retainers for the same cost .

[elan71]

Thank you very much for your answers. The photo is misleading. The valve extends the same amount on all valves. The angle in the photo is misleading. Everything fits nicely. The keepers are all installed in exactly the same way.
Coil bind is interesting, I'll have to measure that.
I think I'll replace the springs, retainers, and keepers all together. A 10° keeper is a good idea.
I have to say that the engine was assembled by a very experienced engine builder. That doesn't rule out mistakes, but I think he knew what he was doing. It's probably a fatigue fracture.
I think reinforced springs have also been installed. Currently, a sharp camshaft is installed, which I don't like very much. With the new mild cam, the valve lift will probably also be reduced, which will then prevent coil bind.
I just want to be sure that everything is running properly and that I don't have any problems with the engine.

What would you install? Do you have any recommendations?

[Chryco Psycho]

Lunati voodoo series has the best Mopar specific grinds in my experience .
 Hughes also makes good cams but can be very difficult to deal with

[ebodyproducts]

I hear some people complaining about Comp Cams, but I have never had a problem.  Knock on wood.  I agree with Chryco, the parts are inexpensive enough to replace them all.

[Chryco Psycho]

I promise you Comp does not grind specific Mopar cams you are throwing away Hp using them , I have proven this on the dyno FYI

[elan71]

Thank you very much for the suggestions. Let's see which one it will be!

[Cudajason]

Lunati voodoo series has the best Mopar specific grinds in my experience .
 Hughes also makes good cams but can be very difficult to deal with

are they still making the voodoo cams?  I did not see them on the lunati website

[ebodyproducts]

I promise you Comp does not grind specific Mopar cams you are throwing away Hp using them , I have proven this on the dyno FYI

What is the best Lunati cam for a 440?  I don't mean to hi-jack the thead.

[RUNCHARGER]

Comp bought out Lunati unfortunately.

[Chryco Psycho]

Well I am not sure , Sucks that Comp bought Lunati , used to be part of Holley , maybe call tech & see if the Voodoo grinds are still available although I still don't trust Comp Quality or lack of .
 Engle had some great grinds assuming they are still around , it has been 18 years since I bought from them .

[elan71]

How did the story continue... I don't want to keep this from you, and you won't believe it. I organized the spring tensioning tool and removed the spring. Everything is fine. The retainer is fine. Those are notches from manufacturing. I can't explain it any other way. When I look at the other retainers with a magnifying glass, they all have a small rim in these positions. Much less, almost invisible. It was probably the beginning or end of a piece of metal.
Man, and I drove everyone crazy...